Jan. 18, 2007
Complete Results
Champaign, Ill. - Minnesota native Jenna Smith scored a game-high 18 points as Illinois scored a key 64-54 victory over the Golden Gophers Thursday night at Assembly Hall. The Fighting Illini held Minnesota to just 30 percent shooting and blocked seven UM shots to improve to 14-4 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten Conference, which is good for sole possession of fourth place.
Smith, a freshman who was the Minnesota High School Ms. Basketball last season, hit 5-of-9 from the field and 8-of-10 from the line for her 18 points, while also adding six rebounds and a team-high three assists against her home state team. Sophomore Lori Bjork added 15 points and Rebecca Harris 12 as Illinois improved to 8-1 at home this season.
The Illini led by as many as 18 in the first half thanks to 51 percent shooting and tough defense that held Minnesota (11-8, 3-3) to just 29 percent shooting. The visitors, however, would storm back in the second half, quickly cutting the UI lead to six, and then eventually to three, with just over eight minutes left. But Illinois responded with buckets by Bjork and Chelsea Gordon to provide a little breathing room and then knocked down 11-of-15 from the free throw line in the final five minutes to put the game away. For the game, Illinois was 20-of-25 from the charity stripe (80 percent) after entering the game as the top free throw shooting team in Big Ten games at 83.3 percent.
Illinois won the rebounding battle, 42-31, and got 20 points from the bench to help overcome 23 turnovers. Danyel Crutcher led the way on the boards with nine, eight of which game in the first half. The bench was bolstered by the return of sophomore Danielle Gratton, who had missed the last 15 games with a stress fracture in her foot. Gratton finished with three points, one assist, one block and one steal in nine minutes.
The win avenged a 70-61 defeat to the Gophers earlier this season in Minneapolis. UM's Kelly Roysland scored 27 points in the first meeting, but was held to just 10 points, on 5-of-15 shooting tonight.
Illinois hits the road once again to face the No. 5/7 Ohio State Buckeyes (16-1, 5-0) in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. The Illini will then have a mid-week bye before returning home to host Northwestern on Jan. 28.
