Nov. 29, 2009
Box Score
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Fighting Illini overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to defeat Alabama, 64-55, for their sixth consecutive victory Sunday afternoon in the Cal Poly Holiday Beach Classic. Senior All-American Jenna Smith led the way with 28 points and 17 rebounds as the Orange and Blue finished the game on a 30-6 run. It was the third consecutive come-from-behind win for Illinois, as the team improves to 6-1 on the season.
Alabama (4-3) led 49-34 with 15:25 to play after a jumper by Candace Sykes, but the Illini defense buckled down from that point on. The Orange and Blue held the Crimson Tide scoreless for the next six minutes while going on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to 49-45 with under 10 minutes to play.
After Alabama went back up five, 52-47, following a free throw by Erika Russell (14 points), Illinois went on a 9-0 run to take the lead for good. Senior Lacey Simpson gave the Illini a 53-52 lead with a jumper at the 6:27 mark that just beat the shot clock buzzer. After Smith capped the run with a three-pointer to put the Illini up four with 5:59 left, Alabama would get no closer than within three from that point on.
"I know that we can be a dangerous team when we play with a sense of urgency like we did in the second half today," Illinois head coach Jolette Law said. "I'm proud of my team for the way we battled back today, but we're still working on putting it all together and playing a 40-minute game."
The win is the sixth-straight for the Illini, marking the program's first six-game winning streak since the 1997-98 season when they won nine consecutive games.
Smith, a Naismith and Wooden Award Candidate and former All-American, scored 18 of her 28 points and had 13 of her 17 rebounds in the second half. The double-double is her sixth in seven games this season and is the 38th of her career, moving her into a tie for second on the UI career double-doubles list with Lynette Robinson. She is now just two behind the school record of 40 double-doubles. Smith also moved into sole possession of third on the UI career rebounding list and went past the 900-rebound milestone. She now has 913 career rebounds, 101 shy of the school record of 1,014 by Cindy Dallas.
"Jenna (Smith) played like an All-American today," Law said. "She put the team on her back and carried us to a victory."
While Smith put up the big numbers, senior forward Whitney Toone was busy doing the dirty work and providing a much needed spark off the bench. Toone tied her career-high with three steals and pulled down six rebounds, including five on the offensive end, while also adding four points and three assists. More importantly, though, was the intensity she brought to the floor.
"Whitney Toone was our spark off the bench," Law said. "I told her to attack in the second half and she was all over the floor, getting steals, creating fast breaks and hitting the offensive boards. She really gave us a boost and the rest of the team fed off of that energy."
Freshman Karisma Penn also had a big day for the Orange and Blue, scoring 17 points and adding four rebounds, three assists and two blocks. As a team, Illinois held Alabama to just 15 points and 15.6 percent shooting (5-of-32) in the second half. Illinois shot 42.6 percent for the game and out-rebounded the Crimson Tide 46-34.
Alabama led 40-28 at halftime, as the Crimson Tide capitalized on Illinois first-half mistakes and scored 18 points off of 12 Illini turnovers. Alabama went on a 12-0 run midway through the first half, turning a 19-18 Illini advantage at the 8:07 mark to a 28-19 Alabama lead with 6:08 to play in the half. Simpson and Smith both sat the final 3:50 of the first half with two fouls apiece. With the Illini stars on the bench, Alabama pushed its first-half lead to as many as 14 points.
The Fighting Illini will return to Champaign briefly before heading out to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face Wake Forest in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009 at 7 p.m. ET / 6 CT. Illinois' next home game is on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. against Marquette.
