Illini Fall to Northwestern in Women’s BiG Ten Tournament action

Illini Fall in Second Round of Big Ten Tournament

Credit Source: University of Illinois Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team closed the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, falling 67-42 to Northwestern in the second round of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Illini were led by sophomore forward Kennedi Myles, who scored 10 points and ripped down nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Jeanae Terry also contributed to the offense, scoring nine points.

The Fighting Illini started slow, only scoring six points in the first quarter, and two in the second quarter. They trailed 38-8 at halftime. At the start of the second half, the Illini picked up the pace, scoring 25 points in the third quarter, including a 18-7 run to close out the period. The deficit was too much to overcome though, as Illinois’ effort came up short.

The Orange and Blue finish the season with a 5-18 overall record (2-16 B1G), and earned the first Big Ten Tournament win under head coach Nancy Fahey with their 67-42 victory over Wisconsin yesterday.

STAT OF THE GAME
The Fighting Illini were held to two points on 0-11 shooting in the second quarter, the team’s lowest single-quarter scoring total of the season. The Illini were held without a field goal from the 2:55 mark of the first quarter until the 8:03 mark of the third, a stretch of 14 minutes, 52 seconds of game time.

TEAM NOTES

• The Fighting Illini finished the 2020-21 season with a record of 5-18.
• With Wednesday’s loss, the Illini fall to 21-28 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament.
• Following a win in the regular-season finale vs. Minnesota (72-64) and Tuesday’s Round 1 win over Wisconsin (67-42) the Illini finished 2-1 in the Month of March. It marks the team’s first March with multiple wins since team went 3-3 in March 2013, including a run to the WNIT quarterfinals.
• After trailing 38-8 at halftime on Wednesday, Illinois exploded for 25 points in the third quarter and closed the period on an 18-7 run pull within 20, 53-33.
• The 25-point third quarter for the Illini tied for the second-most this season behind a 27-point fourth quarter at Minnesota (Feb. 10). The Illini also scored 25 points in fourth quarters at Indiana (Dec. 31) and vs. Northwestern (Feb. 24).
• Overall, Illinois shot a season-low .232 (13-of-56) from the field on Wednesday, lower than their previous mark of .279 at Rutgers on Feb. 20.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sophomore F Kennedi Myles tallied 10 points, her 11^th double-digit scoring effort of the season, and the 25^th of her Illini career (52 games). Myles finished one rebound shy of her second consecutive double-double at this year’s Big Ten Tournament, adding a game-high-tying nine rebounds.
• Sophomore G Jada Peebles led the Illini with four assists, her fifth game this season as the team-leader in assists.
• Freshman F Erika Porter tallied her third consecutive game with four points, matching her career-high scoring total set initially on Feb. 14 vs. then-No. 15 Indiana. Porter also recorded two blocks vs. NU on Wednesday, matching her best also set vs. the Hoosiers on Feb. 14.
• Redshirt-junior C Eva Rubin matched a career-high total with seven rebounds, set in her Big Ten debut at Nebraska on Dec. 10.

– #Illini –