Dec. 8, 2010
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ROCHESTER, Mich. - Sophomore Karisma Penn had 24 points, 12 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Fighting Illini dropped a 62-61 overtime heartbreaker Wednesday night at Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies scored on a putback bucket with 2.3 seconds left to take the lead and then Amber Moore's three attempt at the buzzer from just inside half court rattled in and out.
With Illinois leading 61-60 and 9.3 seconds left on the game clock and six second left on the shot clock, OU star Bethany Watterworth (29 points, eight rebounds) drew only backboard on a runner from the free throw line. She followed her shot though, grabbing the rebound on the left block and putting in a layup as the shot clock expired to provide the game-winning points with 1.4 seconds left.
The officials took several minutes watching a replay to determine both if she got the ball off before the shot clock expired and how much time should be left. They determined the shot was good and added 0.9 seconds to bring the time remaining to 2.3. That was enough time for UI redshirt freshman Amber Moore, a native of nearby Detroit, to catch a pass at midcourt, take two dribbles and launch a 35-footer that hit the backboard, the front of the rim, the backboard again and then the front of the rim again before falling harmlessly to the floor, sealing the Illini's fate.
"As I expected, this was a very hard-fought game that came down to the wire," Illinois head coach Jolette Law said. "We're a young team and we need to learn how to win games like this. I also have to give a lot of credit Oakland, they fought back several times and made the plays they needed to down the stretch."
Illinois also had a chance to win at the end of regulation after forcing a shot clock violation with the game tied at 55 and 5.6 seconds remaining. However, junior Lydia McCully was unable to get a shot off before the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
Illinois led for most of the game, jumping out to an eight point lead early in the game before falling victim to 17 first-half turnovers. The two teams were knotted at 29 after junior guard Macie Blinn hit a three at the halftime buzzer to tie the game up. The Illini then scored the first five points of the second half and led most of the way before seeing it tied up once again at the end of regulation.
In the overtime, Illinois led by four right of the gates, but couldn't hold on after Penn fouled out with 1:32 remaining and a two-point lead.
"It affected us a little bit because she was having a great game and was getting double-teamed every time she got the ball," Law said of playing without Penn down the stretch. "But I feel that I have a complete team and was confident in the five players that were on the floor at the end."
Penn hit 10-of-19 from the field for her fifth double-double this season and also added four assists, four blocks and three steals to her impressive stat line. Junior Lana Rukavina added seven points and junior guard Eboni Mitchell provided a defensive spark with three first half steals, two of which she took coast-to-coast for fast break lay-ups. Mitchell finished the game with six points along with freshman Centrese McGee.
For the game, Illinois (4-6) narrowly outshot Oakland (6-3) from the field, 42.2 percent to 41.8 percent, and held a 43-31 edge on the glass, but were victimized by 26 turnovers.
"You can't turn the ball over 26 times and expect to win - bottom line," Law said. "I was happy with the way we crashed the boards for most of the game, but they got the biggest rebound of the game there at the end and it cost us."
The Illini will have nine days off during final exams before returning to the court Dec. 18 to battle sister-school UIC at Chicago's United Center.
