Nov. 29, 2005

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois won its eighth straight home opener behind 20 points from freshman Lori Bjork, 13 in the first half, turning away Northern Illinois 57-43 in front of 1,315 fans at Assembly Hall in the first half of the Illini basketball doubleheader Tuesday.

Illinois opened a 7-0 lead off the start and was able to hold onto the lead despite not making a field goal in the next nine minutes. Bjork started hot, scoring 13 points on 5-9 shooting, including 3-9 from behind the arc. Maggie Acuna pulled down five rebounds in the half and Audrey Tabon grabbed four.

The Illini defense smothered the Huskies, forcing the visitors into 21 percent shooting in the half and causing two shot clock violations. However, Illinois was unable to pull away after shooting only 27 percent.

After NIU came back to tie the game twice early in the second half, the Illini used another 7-0 run behind four points from Janelle Hughes and an Audrey Tabon three-point play to take the lead for good. The Huskies closed within three with 5:03 remaining, but Hughes dropped in a three-pointer and the Illini never looked back, closing the game on a 10-0 spurt.

Hughes and Tabon were the second-half story, with Hughes scoring all 13 of her points in the second period on 6-for-10 shooting. Tabon scored all of her nine points and pulled down eight her of game-high 12 rebounds in the second 20 minutes.

The Illini shot 36 percent for the game after hitting 43 percent of its shots in the second half, compared to NIU's 29 percent shooting in the game. Illinois also hit 40 percent of its three-pointers, making six to the Huskies' three treys.

Illinois returns to action Saturday, Dec. 3, against St. Louis in the Lexus December to Remember Classic at the United Center, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Illini men play the second half of the doubleheader, taking on Xavier at 1 p.m.