Feb. 11, 2010
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Senior All-American center Jenna Smith was sensational Thursday night at Assembly Hall, scoring 28 of her career-high 34 points in the first half of Illinois' 81-50 win over Northwestern, showing why she will go down as one of the best players in school history. Smith hit her first 11 shots of the game, including a career-high five three-pointers, and moved into second on the school's career scoring list as Illinois (13-11 overall, 5-9 Big Ten) beat the Wildcats for the 20th consecutive time.
Smith scored 28 of her 34 points in the first 12:39 of the game as the Illini raced out to leads of 21-3 and 38-14 and never looked back. Her first missed field goal of the game came with 4:09 left in the half and she subbed out of the game soon afterward with Illinois leading 41-20. The Illini took a 43-24 lead into halftime behind 67 percent shooting and solid defense against the 'Cats (28 percent from the field).
Illinois cruised in the second half, never letting Northwestern to get closer than 16 points. Smith was face-guarded for the entire second half, but was happy to defer to her teammates as freshmen Karisma Penn (11 points, seven rebounds) and Kersten Magrum (11 points on 5-8 FG), along with senior Lacey Simpson (8 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and four steals) stepped up to keep the Wildcats from making a comeback.
As a team, the Illini shot 56 percent overall (32-of-57) and 57 percent from three-point range (9-of-16). Illinois also shared the ball well with 22 assists on 32 baskets, the second most this season and the most since their season-high of 25 assists against Central Michigan on Nov. 18. Illinois also outrebounded the Wildcats 37-24 and held a 26-11 edge in points off turnovers.
Smith's 34 points, the most for an Illini a single-game since 2001, bring her career total to 1,988 and move her into second on the UI career scoring list past Jonelle Polk's career total of 1,984 points. Smith is now 101 points behind Ashley Berggren's UI scoring record of 2,089 with a minimum of five games left. Smith also pulled down eight rebounds on the night to move up to sixth on the Big Ten's career rebounding list with 1,095.
Smith wasn't the only Illini to make an impression the record book Thursday night. Simpson climbed up from ninth to sixth on the Big Ten career steals list with four thefts, bringing her career total to 328, while Penn tied the Illinois freshman blocks record of 39 that Smith and Simpson set in 2006-07.
Northwestern (14-10 overall, 5-8 Big Ten) was led by Amy Jaeschke, who had 25 points and five rebounds. Illinois and Northwestern will meet again later this season as the intrastate rivals close the regular season against each other in Evanston on Feb. 28 at 2 p.m.
The Fighting Illini will finished the season with three of their final four games on the road. They'll head to Iowa on Valentine's Day this Sunday to face the Hawkeyes at 2 p.m. before heading to Michigan State next Thursday, Feb. 18. Illinois will return to Assembly Hall on Feb. 21 for the second annual "Pack the Hall" game at 4 p.m. There will be free admission for all fans and it will be the final regular season home game for seniors Jenna Smith, Lacey Simpson and Whitney Toone.
Illinois Postgame Notes vs. Northwestern
• Jenna Smith hit 13-of-16 from the field for a career-high 34 points, eclipsing her previous high of 32 set on Nov. 18, 2007 against Southern Illinois. She hit her first 11 shots of the game and her first five three-pointers of the game on her way to 28 points in the first half.
• Smith hit 5-of-6 from three-point range to shatter her previous career high of two three-pointers made.
• Smith's 34 points bring her career total to 1,988, moving her past Jonelle Polk (1,984 points from 1983-87) for second on the UI career scoring list.
• With 8 rebounds against Northwestern, Smith moved up to sixth on the all-time Big Ten rebounding list. She now has 1,095 career boards, moving past Indiana's Whitney Thomas (1,090 from 2006-09) and Ohio State's Jessica Davenport (1,094 from 2004-07).
• Smith moved into second on the school's career field goals made list on Thursday night. With 13 makes against the Wildcats, Smith now has 751 FGM in her career to move past Ashley Berggren and Lisa Robinson's, who each had 748 field goals as Illini.
• Smith became the program's all-time leader in games started tonight. She has now been in the starting line-up 111 times as an Illini, breaking the old record of 110 that was held by Tauja Catchings and Lisa Bradley.
• With 4 steals tonight, Lacey Simpson moved up three spots on the Big Ten's all-time steals list. She now has 328 thefts in her career to pass former Ohio State Buckeye Yvette Angel (326 steals from 1982-85), former Purdue Boilermaker Katie Douglas (327 steals from 1998-01) and former Wisconsin Badger Keisha Anderson (327 steals from 1994-97).
• With seven rebounds against Northwestern, Simpson moved into the top-5 on the Illinois career rebounding list. She now has 826 career boards, moving past Kris Dupps (823 rebounds from 1991-95) and Tauja Catchings (825 boards from 1997-00).
• Karisma Penn had one block on the night to move into a tie atop the Illinois freshman blocked shots list. Penn now has 39 blocks during her rookie season to tie the frosh blocks record that Smith and Simpson set together in 2006-07.
• Illinois extended its winning streak over Northwestern to 20 games, the longest current winning streak of one Big Ten Team over another. The Illini have not lost to the Wildcats since Feb. 5, 1999.
