Feb. 21, 2002

Box Score

Post-game Audio:
UI Head Coach Theresa Grentz, Cindy Dallas and Dawn Vana - Audio
Indiana Assoc. Head Coach Tricia Betthauser and Jill Chapman - Audio

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz remained positive during the post-game press conference following a 70-66 loss to Indiana on Thursday. "They're doing everything we've asked," she said. "They're just missing that one piece and I can't do that for them."

That one piece is the ability to put other teams away or complete the victories down the stretch. That was once again the scenario vs. the Hoosiers. Illinois surged ahead, 42-33 at halftime, led by as many as ten points twice, 48-38 and 50-40, only to see Indiana storm back for the win.

Cindy Dallas posted her fifth straight double double with 18 points and 14 rebounds to improve her averages to 14.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Iveta Marcauskaite added 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting. She leads the Big Ten with a .631 field-goal percentage.

Before the game, Illinois honored three seniors with a moving ceremony, marking the last regular season home game for Dawn Vana, Holly Wilson and Yolanda Smith. Vana had 10 points and three assists. Freshman Tiffanie Guthrie had another solid outing with 12 points.

Jill Chapman scored 18 points to lead Indiana, scoring 12 of those in the first half. Guard Heather Cassady tied Chapman for the team lead and hit two huge three-pointers, one to tie the score at 56-56 and the other give the Hoosiers a lead they wouldn't relinquish at 63-61 with 4:01 to play in the game.

After that Illinois did come back to tie the game on the next possession on a basket by Dallas, but this time Jill Hartman hit a trey for the Hoosiers, making it 66-63. Cassady sealed the game with two three free throws with 19 seconds left, making it 70-64.

As has been the case in many games this year, the Illini used a late-first half surge to gain momentum going into half. Trailing 33-28 in game that saw two ties and four-lead changes to that point, Illinois out-scored Indiana 14-0 in the final four minutes of the half. Guthrie nailed a three-pointer to tie it at 33-33. Dallas then scored the next five points before buckets from Guthrie and Marcauskaite closed the half.

Illinois maintained the edge, and when Marcauskaite converted a three-point play off a lay-up and a free throw, Illinois led 56-47 with 12 minutes to play. That's when Indiana started to charge. The Hoosiers held Illinois scoreless for over five minutes as they went on an 11-0 to take a 58-56 lead. Cassady scored the last five points of the run.

Illinois now stands at 7-8 in the Big Ten, 14-11 overall. The Hoosiers are 13-13 and also 7-8 in the league. The Illini close the regular season at Iowa on Sunday, while Indiana plays Northwestern.