Preview: Jackson State Lady Tigers at No. -- Illinois Fighting Illini CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — A surging Illinois women’s basketball team, off to one of its best starts in program history, hosts a struggling Jackson State squad on Friday night at State Farm Center. The Fighting Illini (10-1) have won nine consecutive games since their lone loss at Oregon State on Nov. 14. Their potent offense, averaging 78.5 points per game, is led by standout guard Berry Wallace. She is coming off a career-high 28 points and nine rebounds in Sunday’s 81-69 win over North Texas. Over her last seven games, Wallace has averaged 14.4 points. Illinois’ defense has been equally formidable, holding opponents to 55.2 points per game during its winning streak. Jackson State (2-7) seeks to halt a two-game skid after a 51-62 loss at Alabama on Sunday. The Lady Tigers have faced a rigorous non-conference road schedule, with six of their seven losses coming away from home. Guard Mikayla Brown is a key player for the Lady Tigers. She scored 10 points against Alabama and had 14 points and seven rebounds in a Nov. 28 game at Coastal Carolina. Teammate Rhema Pegues added 11 points in the most recent contest. The matchup presents a stark contrast in momentum. Illinois has won its home games by an average margin of 33.2 points. Jackson State has lost its six road games by an average of 22.8 points. This is the first meeting between the programs. For Illinois, it is the final tune-up before Big Ten Conference play begins next week. Jackson State continues a challenging road stretch before opening Southwestern Athletic Conference action in January. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Friday.