After two Big Ten losses in a row, Illinois will be looking to win a meet in which they are very much the favorite. The Illini are coming off a shaky showing at Ohio State, where a season high bars rotation suggested they might have the potential to challenge the top teams in the Big Ten, but was followed up by weaker performances on leg events. Abby Mueller’s floor routine is a must-watch, as is Mia Takekawa on the beam.
Rutgers is also looking to put all the pieces together to get that elusive 196+ score they’ve been working for. If the Scarlet Knights can put up five clean bars and beam routines to compliment their solid vault and floor lineups, they are in with a chance to rise through the rankings. Keep an eye on Emily Balser on bars, whose steady set is key to Rutgers’ success on that event. And don’t assume this will be a walk in the park for Illinois – if it stumbles and Rutgers goes lights-out, this meet could be far closer than the Illini want it to be.
Rotation 1: Illinois VT, Rutgers UB
Mueller (Ill): Yfull, lots of heigh and distance and a hop back. 9.75
Dinovi (RU): Maloney, pak with leg separation, switch kip. Little late on the giant full. Double back, stuck! 9.675
Takekawa (Ill): Yfull, similar hop back to Mueller and then takes…
