Dec. 21, 2002

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St. Louis, Mo. - Although this year's tussle between Illinois and Missouri was closer than the first two, the Illini hung on for the third straight year to reclaim the Braggin' Rights trophy. The win left Theresa Grentz just one win shy of 600 for her Hall of Fame career.

The Illinois sophomores were the difference in the game, combining for 47 of Illinois' 70 points, led by 18 from Angelina Williams. Tiffanie Guthrie scored eight points in each half to finish with 16. Jere Issenmann, making her first start of the season, scored 11 points, including seven in the early minutes of the game.

The game was one of a little battles, but Illinois won the war. The game itself might have been trench warfare as Missouri dug in and scored 46 points from the paint to take a seven-point second-half lead. Trailing 50-43 with 13 minutes to play, the Illini began to retake control.

Williams led the attack, scoring on a drive to make it 50-45 then stole a ball and fed Aminata Yanni for a streaking lay-up. Yanni scored just four points in the game, but her second bucket tied the score at 54-54 with seven minutes to play.

From there the Illinois defense kicked in, forcing Missouri into two shot clock violations and nearly a third. Missouri forward Chinyere James, who was instrumental in scoring 10 first-half points in the post, was held to just two points in the second half thanks to a beefed up Illinois defense.

Unable to score from the inside, Missouri was forced to try to score from outside, but a trapping Illinois defense and a Mizzou three-point percentage as cold as the ice under the Savvis Center floor (1 for 11) helped turn the tide in favor of Illinois.

The Illini took their first lead of the second half at 56-54 on a basket from Karen Hagberg. With the lead extended to four points, the Tigers' only three-pointer of the game from Evan Unrau brought Mizzou to within one. That's as close as Missouri would get as Illinois went back up 67-61 culminating a 24-11 run over a 12-minute span.

Missouri managed to close to within three with three seconds left, but the Tigers turned the ball over on its final possession.

Illinois led by as many as seven points in the first half at 23-16, but 34 percent shooting by the Illini enabled Missouri to take a 38-33 lead at the half. Cindy Dallas had 10 points and seven rebounds for Illinois. Unrau led Missouri with 14 points.

Illinois (7-2) is next in action Dec. 29 at home against Auburn.