Box Score | Printable Box | Highlights | Postgame Press Conference

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Freshman Chatrice White posted the second double-double of her young Illini career with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and sophomore Jacqui Grant chipped in 14 and eight, respectively, as Illinois held on for a nail-biting 60-58 win over Memphis at State Farm Center on Thursday. The victory makes the Orange and Blue 3-0 on the season, marking their first 3-0 start to a season since 2008-09.

"We found a way tonight when it wasn't always pretty," Illini head coach Matt Bollant said. "We got some defensive stands. Amarah (Coleman) was big getting to the rim and `Tree' (Chatrice White) rebounding and in the Buzz, too.

"I'm proud of our team. It wasn't the prettiest finish but we found a way to get it done. We battled and fought, and I'll take that more than pretty basketball where we lack toughness. Tonight was a game where we had toughness."

Illinois held on for the victory despite going scoreless in the game's final 3:19, and didn't have a field goal in the final 5:17. Memphis scored its final points at the 2:29 mark, as the teams combined to miss six field goals and five free throws, and commit three turnovers down the stretch.

Coleman came up big for the Illini off the bench, scoring 14 points in 28 minutes, including the game's last eight minutes after Ivory Crawford fouled out with 7:50 to go. Coleman was 3-of-5 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line, counting more than half of Illinois' total made free throws. She also added a team-high four assists and two steals.

White and Grant were an impressive duo down low, combining to shoot 11-of-20 from the field and grabbing 23 of Illinois '45 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. White had three blocks and three steals, and Grant had two blocks and an assist. White scored 10 of her points and grabbed nine of her 15 boards in the second half, when Illinois out-rebounded Memphis 26-16.

The Illini held Memphis to 30.9 percent shooting from the field (21-of-68) and just 2-of-21 (9.5 percent) from three-point range. Illinois out-rebounded the Tigers 45-42 for the game but Memphis took advantage of 28 Illini turnovers, out-scoring UI 24-15 off miscues.

After a back-and-forth first half senior guard Brittany Carter hit a runner in the lane to put the Illini up 25-22. Illinois shot 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from the field but held Memphis to 22.9 percent (8-of-35).

The Orange and Blue scored the first seven points of the second half to go ahead 32-22, but Memphis fought back by forcing a pair of UI turnovers and cutting the margin to 32-27. The Tigers pulled within three at 37-34 after two free throws, then the teams traded baskets for the next two minutes.

Kyley Simmons drained a three-pointer at the 10:50 mark to push the lead back to 46-40 but Memphis caught fire from there, scoring the next seven points off two Illini turnovers and a missed layup to grab a 47-46 lead. But Ivory Crawford snapped the run with a trey of her own, putting the Illini on top 49-47 at the 8:02 mark. On the successive play, though, Crawford was whistled for her fifth foul, ending her night with just five points and two rebounds in 13 minutes.

The Tigers tied it up by converting an Illinois turnover into a layup, but the Illini scored the next five points as White made a layup and hit two free throws, and Coleman went 1-of-2 at the line, pushing the Oranga and Blue back on top 54-49.

After a three-point play by Memphis guard Mooriah Rowser cut the lead to two, Grant fought back with a bucket in the paint. The teams traded empty possessions then Coleman made two free throws, pushing the lead back to six. After each team made two more free throws, the Illini lead stood at 60-54 with 3:19 to go.

But Memphis got a pair of put-back buckets sandwiched around a Brittany Carter turnover to pull within 60-58 with 2:29 to go. Coleman was called for an offensive foul, then Memphis missed a jumper and turned it over after getting an offensive board.

Grant missed a good look at a corner three-pointer, then the Tigers missed two treys of their own before Carter corralled the rebound. But she turned it over with 34 ticks left and Memphis called timeout. Rowser missed another trey and Grant cleared the rebound before getting fouled.

But Grant missed the front end of a one-and-one and Simmons was whistled for a foul near midcourt in a scrum for the loose ball. Memphis' Breigha Wilder-Cochran stepped to the line and missed the first of two shots with eight seconds left. After a Memphis timeout, she missed the second and Simmons grabbed the rebound only to be fouled by Wilder-Cochran.

Simmons stepped to the line, still grimacing from the hard contact she took seconds earlier on that loose ball, and missed the front end of her one-and-one with 6.8 seconds to go. That gave Memphis one more look and they found leading scorer Ariel Hearn deep in the left corner. She tossed up a contested three-pointer and it bounced off the back iron and dropped off, giving the Illini the win.

Illinois wraps up its season-opening four-game homestand Sunday when it hosts Southern University at 2 p.m.