Jan. 10, 2008
Final Stats |
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois women's basketball team got back on track with a convincing 66-57 victory over Minnesota Thursday night at Assembly Hall. Junior guard Rebecca Harris poured in a career-high 23 points, while Minnesota native Jenna Smith scored 20 to pace the Illini in the win. Prior to the game, the Gophers sat in first place in the Big Ten.
Illinois (11-5, 3-2 Big Ten) shot a sweltering 56 percent in the first half and jumped out to an early 13-8 lead thanks to an 11-2 run. Later in the half, the Fighting Illini would put together a 14-2 run, capped by a Harris three and a pair of free throws by Smith, to open up the lead to 31-16 with 5:16 to play. Illinois would extend the lead to 40-22 at the half, paced by Harris, who was 4-of-5 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point land for 13 points. Smith dominated the paint, with 14 points at the break, while Minnesota center Ashley Ellis-Milan had just three.
The Illini's largest lead of the game was a 20-point advantage, 45-25, at the 18:25 mark of the second half. However, Minnesota came roaring back after that, outscoring the Illini by 14 over the next 10 minutes to get within six, 55-49, at the 7:25 mark. The Orange and Blue responded by scoring the next six points, pushing the lead back to 12.
The Gophers (12-5, 3-2 Big Ten) got within eight points, 61-53, at the 2:39 mark, but Smith iced the game with a bucket at the 1:36 mark to push the lead back to 10. The Illini would cruise to victory from there.
Senior forward Danyel Crutcher joined Smith and Harris in double figures with 12 points, while junior guard Chelsea Gordon added nine. Junior guard Lori Bjork had an off shooting night, but found other ways to contribute with a career-high tying seven assists to go along with five rebounds, two steals and a block. Smith led the way on the glass with seven rebounds, while Harris tied her career-high with six boards.
Minnesota guard Emily Fox, the conference's leading scorer in league play entering the game, had 16 points, but was held to just 7-of-18 shooting thanks in large part to Harris' defensive effort.
For the game, Illinois shot 47 percent from the field, led by 5-of-6 shooting by Crutcher and 7-of-11 shooting by Harris, and hit 17-of-19 (90 percent) from the free throw line.
The Fighting Illini will have the weekend off before returning to the court on Thursday, Jan. 17, when they battle the #19/19 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus at 7 p.m. ET/6 CT.
