Feb. 10, 2005
Stats
Illinois' women's basketball team dropped a tough game Thursday night to Wisconsin, 65-60 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisc.. The loss moves Illinois' record to 13-9 overall and 5-7 in conference play. The Badgers improved to 10-11, 4-7 in the Big Ten.
After Wisconsin scored the first basket of the game, the Illini scored the next eight points to jump out to a quick advantage. The Orange and Blue maintained that lead throughout the first half, leading 28-20 at the break.
In the second half, the teams traded baskets and the Illini were able to push their lead to 10 on five occasions, but the Badgers rallied, going on a 19-4 run over a 5:22 span to turn a 42-32 deficit into a 51-46 advantage. Down six with 2:58 remaining, Illinois turned to Angelina Williams who scored seven consecutive points during a 9-2 Illini run that gave them their final lead, 58-57 with 1:28 remaining. The Illini did not score again until Williams' jumper with one second to go.
For the game, the Illini outscored Wisconsin in the paint, 28-14 and held the Badgers under 30 percent shooting for the game, but Wisconsin owned a large advantage in free throws, going 21-of-27 while the Illini were 10-of-15.
Williams who scored 21 of her 26 points in the second half, also contributed six assists, three blocks and three steals while playing 38 minutes. Janelle Hughes was the only other Illini in double figures, adding 11.
The Illini were with out starting forward Erin Wigley for most of the game. The sophomore from Moon Township, Pa. took an elbow to the mouth halfway through the first half and had to have both her uppper and lower lips stitched up. She did not return to action after the injury. She scored two points and had one rebound in her six minutes of play.
Tiffanie Guthrie who scored seven points and pulled down seven rebounds had her streak of double-digit scoring games snapped at 19 games. That streak was the longest in the Big Ten. Williams now inherits the top spot for that streak with 16 straight games in double figures.
Illinois hosts Penn State this Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Assembly Hall.
