Jan. 31, 2002
Box Score
Post-game audio:
ILLINOIS Head Coach Theresa Grentz and forward Dawn Vana
MINNESOTA Head Coach Brenda Oldfield, Janel McCarville and Lindsay Whalen
Champaign, Ill. - No. 22 Minnesota overcame a 44-30 halftime deficit to post a 79-76 overtime win over Illinois in a key Big Ten match-up. The Gophers and Illini were two of six teams within one game of first place in the loss column in the conference standings coming into the night.
Minnesota sophomore Lindsay Whalen scored 19 of her team-high 26 points after halftime as the Gophers prevailed. Janel McCarville added 22 points for Minnesota (16-4, 7-3).
Illinois sophomore Iveta Marcauskaite scored 28 points, 17 in the first half, but sat out much of the second half with foul trouble. Cindy Dallas added 20 points for the Illini (13-7, 6-4).
The difference statistically came from the free-throw line where Minnesota made 13 of 18 free throws in the second half compared to Illinois' 3 of 3. The Illini, which shot 51.4 percent from the field in the first half, was just 8 of 27 from the field in the second half (29.6 percent).
Illinois never trailed in the first half, leading by as many as 14 points twice. McCarville scored eight points in the first seven minutes of the second half as the Gophers cut the gap to 48-43.
The Illini responded, however. A basket from Jer? Issenmann and a pair of free throws from Cindy Dallas made it 52-43 Illini with 12:57 to play.
Minnesota continued to whittle the deficit away and took its first lead of the game at 58-57 on a Whalen jumper. The Gophers went in front 63-57, but the Illini scored the final six points of regulation. Dawn Vana, Iveta Marcauskaite and Cindy Dallas each had lay-up baskets and McCarville missed two free throws with 3.6 seconds left as the game went into overtime tied at 63-63.
Although Minnesota never trailed in the overtime, the teams exchanged baskets. A three-pointer by Shavonna Hunter brought Illinois to within 77-76 with six seconds left. Whalen was 7-for7 from the line in the overtime period, and sunk the final two with four seconds left. An Illinois three was missed at the buzzer and Minnesota escaped with the win.
Illinois is next in action on Feb. 7, hosting the top team in the conference, Purdue.
