Nov. 18, 2007
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Led by Jenna Smith's career-high 32 points, the Fighting Illini women's basketball team stormed past Southern Illinois, 63-53, at the Assembly Hall on Sunday. Illinois moved to 3-1 on the season, while the Saluki's fall to 1-2.
Smith, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, continued her incredible start to the season, hitting 13-of-19 from the field and also grabbing 10 rebounds for her third double-double in four games this season. Her 32 points was the most for an Illinois player since Allison Curtin scored 35 vs. Iowa on March 3, 2001. It also marked the first time and Illini hit the 30-point mark since Angelina Williams did versus UCLA on Dec. 19, 2004. This season, Smith is averaging 20.5 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting over 65 percent from the field.
The Illini trailed 11-5 in the game's opening minutes, but got on a roll with a 22-2 run, including 12 by Smith, to open up a 27-12 lead. During the stretch, the Illini defense held the Salukis to just one field goal over a span of 10-plus minutes. At halftime, the Illini led 29-18, led by Smith's 17 points.
Southern Illinois came back in the second half, with an 18-8 run to pull within one point of the Illini, 37-36, with 11 minutes to play. But that was when Smith again took over, scoring nine consecutive Illinois points to give her team a 46-41 lead with 7:16 remaining. The teams then traded baskets until the Illini took a double-digit lead on a three-point play from guard Chelsea Gordon to make the score 55-45 with 3:20 to go, and Southern Illinois did not get closer than nine the rest of the way.
Illinois shot 50 percent from the field for the game, including a sizzling 65 percent (13-of-20) in the second half, but did not make a three-point basket for the first time in two seasons. Illini pounded the Salukis 34-8 in the paint and scored 20 points off of Southern Illinois turnovers. The Illini also held a big edge from the free throw line, hitting 21-of-27 (78 percent) to the Saluki's 3-of-9 (33 percent).
Senior forward Danyel Crutcher was the only other Illini to join Smith in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Lacey Simpson had seven points, five rebounds and three steals. Junior guard Lori Bjork hit 7-of-8 free throws to finish with seven points, and did not attempt a three-pointer for the first time in her career as she looked to find Smith and Crutcher in the post most of the way.
Guard Jayme Sweere scored 15 points to lead Southern Illinois, while Ellen Young came off the bench to score 13.
The Illini now head to Miami, Fla., for the FIU Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 23 and 25. They'll face South Carolina in the opening round on Friday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT. The winner will play the Florida International/Providence winner on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. ET/ 12 p.m. CT, with the losing teams to face off at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT that day.
