Feb. 6, 2011
Box Score
Printable Illinois-Michigan Box Score 
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Sophomore Karisma Penn and Adrienne GodBold both had big games for the Fighting Illini on Sunday afternoon, but it wasn't enough as the Wolverines broke open a close game late for a 69-59 win at Crisler Arena. Penn had her Big Ten-leading 15th double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while GodBold tied her career highs with 16 points and five steals in the defeat.
Illinois (7-17, 2-9) got off to a fast start as Detroit native Amber Moore had eight points in the first 3:30 of the game to help the Illini build early leads of 7-0 and 12-5. However, Michigan used a 15-4 run midway through the half to take a 20-16 lead and then closed the have with three three-pointers in the final two minutes, including one at the halftime buzzer by Kate Thompson, to take a 38-29 lead into the lockerroom. Penn led Illinois with 12 points and six rebounds at the break, while Michigan's Veronica Hicks had a huge half with 18 points.
In the second half, the Illinois pulled within two of the Wolverines with 9:21 left after a free throw by Penn and trailed just 53-50 at the under eight media timeout, but Michigan (14-9, 7-4) went on a 10-0 run over the next 2:30 to put the game out of reach. Michigan got 22 points off of 18 Illini turnovers and outscored Illinois 18-4 from the free throw line to provide the difference.
"This was a game of runs and we gave them one too many," Illinois head coach Jolette Law said. "We got off to a good start, but I didn't like how we were communicating on the defensive end and it cost us at the end of the half when they hit all the threes. In the second half, we didn't take care of the ball and didn't move our feet on defense. You can't put a team on the line like we did in the second half and expect to win, especially on the road."
Redshirt freshman Amber Moore joined Penn and GodBold in double-figures with 13 points, including three three-pointers, as the Illini shot a solid 44 percent from behind the arc as a team (8-of-18). Junior Lydia McCully had an off shooting night (1-of-7), but continued her strong point guard play with a game-high six assists and just two turnovers. In the last three games, McCully has dished out 26 assists against just four turnovers.
Penn hit 9-of-14 from the field and was 2-of-2 from behind the arc for her 23 points, while GodBold was 6-of-10 overall and also hit two from downtown. For the game, Illinois outrebounded the Wolverines 33-31. Hicks led the UM attack with a game-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals.
The loss marked the seventh straight for the Orange and Blue, who haven't won since Jan. 13 at Indiana. The Hoosiers, who have lost nine straight themselves, come to Assembly Hall on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. tip.
"Going forward, everyone needs to come focused each and every day so we can play more consistent as a unit," Law said. "I think we're close to being where we want to be. I have confidence that we can finish the season playing our best basketball and position ourselves for another run in the Big Ten Tournament."
