@IlliniWBB Outlasts Skyhawks, 94-74

Champaign, Ill. - Fighting Illini women's basketball improved to 3-0 on the season Saturday (Nov. 21), with a 94-74 win over UT Martin. Three Illini tallied 20-point games on Saturday, as freshmen Cierra Rice and Alex Wittinger joined sophomore Chatrice White to combine for 67 of Illinois 94 points. White has now put up double-figures in three-straight games, while Rice and Wittinger both earned their first-career 20-point games. 

"I thought that Cierra Rice was incredibly efficient tonight, and Alex {Wittinger} really showed what she is capable of today," head coach Matt Bollant said of the two freshmen. "I thought as a team, we did a great job of sharing the basketball. We had 26 assists on 36 makes, it shows a little bit of what we're capable of offensively. That's pretty exciting."

It was a fast-paced first quarter as the Illini pulled ahead to an early 4-0 lead. The Skyhawk were able to tie the game up at six, but Illinois wouldn't let that stick. At the end of the first quarter the Orange and Blue had pulled ahead to an 18-11 advantage, led by White who had put up a game-high eight points in the first period. The Illini out rebounded UT Martin from the beginning, and held the Skyhawks to just 22-percent shooting to start the game. 

Illinois used a 16-2 run at the end of the second quarter to go into the halftime break with a safe 45-25 lead over UT Martin. The Illini hit four consecutive three-pointers in that run, including two from freshman Cierra Rice. Rice put up 13 first-half points, earning her first-career double-figure scoring game for UI. She nailed all three of her shots from distance in the game, and finished 6-for-6 from the field on the day. White led the team with 16 points in the half, while redshirt senior Kyley Simmons dished seven first-half assists. 

"Kyley {Simmons} and Sarah {Hartwell} were both very good at taking care of the basketball and at leading our team. They had very good poise in the second half when they were pressing us and they got us into the right stuff. They got the ball where it needed to go and we got a lot of touches inside today, which was really encouraging."

UI got off to an 8-0 run to start the second half, and kept the pressure on, allowing just 10 points from UTM in the third period, taking a 31 point lead over the Skyhawks in the fourth period. 

The Illini saw four players record at least three assists, and every Illini put up at least three points in the game. As a team, Illinois hit 10 treys, and out rebounded the Skyhawks 43-30. 

"To have six different players make threes and have everybody score is really encouraging. I thought Ashley {McConnell} and Brooke {Kissinger} came in and did a good job on the offensive end. Brooke really fought guarding the dribble as well. I like our kids and I thought this was a good program win."

The Illini will prepare to host Tennessee State on Tuesday, Nov. 23 in a 7 p.m. Contest. Stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com for all the latest on Illinois Women's Basketball. 

Notes

-The Illini improve to 3-0 on the season for the second consecutive year, earning their second 20-point victory of the season. 

-Freshman Cierra Rice finished with a career-best 21 points against UT Martin, earning her first-career double-figure scoring and first 20-point game.

-Chatrice White earned her third-straight double-figure game, putting up a season-high 26 points.

-Freshman Alex Wittinger earned her first-career double-double with a career-high 20 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois.

-The Illini put up more than 90 points for the first time since scoring 95 against Minnesota on Feb. 5, 2015.

-The Illini saw three players score 20 or more points tonight for the first time since earning a 95-69 win over Minnesota on Feb. 5, 2015.