Dec. 14, 2002
Box Score
The Fighting Illini women's basketball team put up a valiant effort against No. 15 Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon at the United Center but came up short, falling 72-67. It was a seesaw contest the whole way with neither team leading by more than seven points. The loss drops the Illini to 6-2 on the season, while the Bulldogs improve to 6-1.
MSU was without the services of All-American LaToya Thomas, who is averaging 29.8 points and 9.7 rebounds so far this season. Thomas did not make the trip for the Bulldogs because of a family tragedy.
Without Thomas' presence in the middle, Illinois' Cindy Dallas and Karen Hagberg were able to take advantage. Dallas finished the game with a team-high 17 points and also pulled down seven rebounds, while Hagberg poured in 16 points, grabbed a team-high eight boards and swatted four MSU shots. The Illini held a 39-31 advantage on the glass, but were hurt by 23 turnovers.
After falling behind 2-0, Mississippi State took the lead and held it for most of the first half. MSU twice opened up leads of six points, 25-19 and then 28-22 at the 5:19 mark of the half. However, the Illini defense then tightened up and held the Bulldogs to just two points the final five minutes. In that same time, UI got baskets from Brittney Daugherty and Aminata Yanni and four free throws from Hagberg to pull into a 30-30 tie at the break.
The Illini came out strong in the second half and grabbed their first lead since the opening minutes after a Tiffanie Guthrie three-pointer put the Orange and blue up 37-34 at the 17:41 mark. The Bulldogs countered with a 13-4 run that gave them a six-point lead, 47-41, with 12:58 left to play.
Illinois, however, would not give in, going on a 11-0 run of their own to open up a 52-47 lead at the midpoint of the second half. Dallas got the run started with a lay-up and then Hagberg and Angelina Williams followed with buckets to tie the game at 47-47. Jere' Issenmann then put the Illini on top with a three pointer and Dallas capped the scoring run with a pair of free throws.
The game went back and forth down the stretch with the two teams trading the lead several times. The Illini led by three, 60-57, with just 3:13 left in the game, but MSU went on a 12-2 spurt in the final minutes to open up a 69-62 lead with just 26.7 seconds left on the clock. The Illini made a couple baskets in the final seconds, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs knocked down their free throws to set the final at 72-67.
The loss was the second narrow decision to a ranked opponent for Illinois this season. Last Sunday, the Illini fell to No. 21 Arizona, 75-73, in the title game of the Fiesta Bowl Basketball Classic in Tucson, Arizona.
Mississippi was led by Tan White with 19 points and eight rebounds. Doceide Warren and Mamie McKinney each reached double figures for the Bulldogs as well, with 15 and 10 points respectively.
The Illini shot 41.8% for the game, hitting 23 of 55 shots and 4-11 (36.4%) three-point shots. Meanwhile, MSU went 27-59 (.458) from the field and 4-15 (.267) from behind the arc.
The Illini return to action next Saturday, Dec. 21 when they take on Missouri at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. Game time is at 1:30 p.m., the with men's matchup with the Tigers following at 4:30 p.m.
