Box Score
Feb. 28, 2015
Box Score | Printable Box | Press Conference | Locker Room Celebration
Champaign, Ill. - Saturday may have been Senior Day, but it was freshman Chatrice White who had the most memorable outing, putting up 30 points to lead the Illini past Michigan, 72-60, and clinch a first-round bye for next week's Big Ten Tournament. The win solidified Illinois (15-15, 6-12 Big Ten) as the #10-seed, and the Orange and Blue will square off with #7-Nebraska at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in the second round of the conference championship. Michigan, who was hoping a win would stamp its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, fell to 16-13 (8-10 Big Ten), to finish eighth in the Big Ten standings.
"It was a really good win for our program," said head coach Matt Bollant. "I am so happy to be sending off the seniors the right way. The younger players in the locker room showed them all love by playing great, and Chatrice really stepped up in scoring her career high. It is great for the seniors to go out with a win.
"I thought we were physically better than them today. We put up a fight right from the start with Nia and Taylor (starting), and then Jacqui and Chatrice came in and gave us a big lift. We just looked physically better and did a great job on (Cyesha) Goree by limiting her to three (shots)."
White announced her presence early, scoring seven of the Illini's first 12 points after checking in in the third minute of the game, and went on to hit 12-of-18 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three. The rookie posted the first 30-point game for an Illini in over two years (Karisma Penn, 34 vs. Ohio State, 1/6/13), while adding seven rebounds, three steals, three assists and two blocks. The Illini's all-time leader among freshmen in scoring and blocks, her pair of swats today move her into sixth all time overall with 60 blocks on the season.
Ivory Crawford turned in an impressive all-around performance for her final career game at State Farm Center, tallying 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. The senior moved up two spots into 13th all time in career points (1,390), while jumping three places in career field goals made (516) into 12th all time.
"It feels great," said the Illini's senior leader after the game. "The whole entire time I was just so pumped and excited. Even if I made a mistake, I (just wanted to) get the ball back. It was so exciting and was really fun to play."
Freshman Amarah Coleman and sophomore Jacqui Grant each followed with nine points, and Grant grabbed eight boards with three assists. Kyley Simmons struggled to hit shots, but dished out five assists, two steals and three rebounds. Taylor Tuck found herself in the starting lineup on her Senior Day and made those opening minutes count, creating a momentum-building steal early in the game and scoring two points. Classmates Nia Oden and Brittany Carter also started, and Carter pulled down five rebounds.
Illinois, who relied on three-point shooting for much of this season, hit just four shots from beyond the arc, but outscored Michigan, 46-18, in the paint for a season high in Big Ten play. Additionally, the Illini's 13 steals led to 14 fast break points and 26 points off turnovers, helping the Orange and Blue to their first victory over Michigan since 2011 and just their second in their last 12 meetings.
After Cyesha Goree and Katelynn Flaherty dropped 40 points on the Illini in their last meeting, the Orange and Blue limited the pair to just two points in today's contest. Shannon Smith led the Wolverines with 24 points, Madison Ristovski had 15, and Goree pulled down 14 rebounds.
"Our man defense was the best it has been since I can remember," said Bollant. "(With) our man defense, we probably made more mistakes but when we would make a mistake, someone else would step in a fill that spot or see it. It was about being a team defensively and playing as a team. Today we really helped each other a bunch which was good to see."
Michigan hit the first shot, but an 8-0 run by Illinois, including six points by White, made it 10-5 Illini. However, Michigan replied with a 12-3 run including a pair of threes to push back in front 17-13 at the second media timeout. A three by Coleman tied the score at 17, and White entered double digits with a layup at 8:13 to take back the Illini lead. A pair of steals helped the Illini to another 8-0 run (27-19), and a Crawford steal made it 34-26 Illini at half.
The Orange and Blue exploded out of the break with an 11-3 run and continued to outscore the Wolverines as the half continued to lead by more than 20 with a 19-5 slant over the first 10 minutes of the second stanza. Michigan showed some life down the stretch, cutting the Illini lead to 12 before the final buzzer sounded, but it was too little too late, as Illinois closed out the win with a final score of 72-60.
"It is a great win for our team and I am happy for our seniors," Bollant finished. "Hopefully this gives us momentum going into the Big Ten Tournament. I know we get a bye now, and I don't know the last time Illinois had a bye in the Big Ten Tournament, but we are excited to have it and we are going to get ready to go."
Illinois returns to action on the second day of the Big Ten Tournament, taking on #7-seed Nebraska at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. Should the Illini advance, they would play in a quarterfinal at 6 p.m. on Friday, facing the #2-seed which has yet to be determined but is currently occupied by Iowa. Rounds 2-4 will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with the Big Ten Championship game airing on ESPN at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 8.
