Jan. 30, 2005

Box Score

By JIM PAUL
Associated Press Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Jessica Davenport scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead No. 3 Ohio State to a 69-55 win over Illinois on Sunday.

The Buckeyes (21-2, 8-1 Big Ten) never trailed on the way to their 10th consecutive victory.

Tiffanie Guthrie had 18 points for Illinois (12-7, 4-5), while Erin Wigley scored 14 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Caity Matter scored 14 points and Brandie Hoskins had 12 for the Buckeyes.

Davenport, a 6-4 sophomore who scored a career-high 36 points against Wisconsin on Thursday, scored 13 of Ohio State's first 18 points and finished the first half with 21 points and 10 rebounds. She had free reign in the low post, hitting 15 of 20 shots.

Illinois' leading scorer Angelina Williams scored 13 points, but was just 4-of-15 from the field.

Illinois fell behind 14-7 on Matter's 3-pointer with 14 minutes to go in the first half, but a 6-0 run closed the gap to 14-13 with 12:19 left. The Buckeyes scored eight of the next 10 points to assume control again and took a 35-24 halftime lead on Davenport's layup in the final second.

Ohio State led by double figures throughout the second half, using a 13-4 run to take its biggest lead at 65-42 with 5:48 to go.

The Buckeyes played without starting forward Michelle Munoz who sat out with an injured right ankle.