Feb. 14, 2015

Box Score | Printable Box | Press Conference | Locker Room Celebration

Champaign, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's basketball team stifled Ohio State's prolific offense on Saturday, holding the Buckeyes to their lowest point total of the season in a 66-55 victory. Illinois led a balanced attack, with four starters scoring in double figures, while the defense outrebounded OSU and limited the Buckeyes to just 36.7 percent from the field. The win lifts the Illini to 13-13 (4-10 Big Ten), while Ohio State drops to 17-9 (9-5 Big Ten).

"I'm just really happy for our team," said Illini head coach Matt Bollant. "I thought they responded well. Today felt a lot more like us, just our energy, joy and our ability to make plays when it mattered. In the second half, we made a run and built an eight point lead and then they cut our lead back to three. Then we showed a little resiliency in getting the lead back again. I am proud of our team."

Despite scoring just four points in the first half, Ivory Crawford heated up late in the game to put up a team-high 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals.

"I feel like I was more patient and more aware on defense in the second half than I was on offense," said Crawford. "I think defense creates our offense and I tried to keep that repetition."

Chatrice White registered her fifth career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Her play on offense moved her up three spots in the freshman record book into third place all-time among first years with 378 points on the season. The rookie center needs just 23 points take over the all-time record, set in 1998-99 by Allison Curtin at 400.

"I thought Ivory was huge in the second half, making plays when the game was on the line," said Bollant. "She is really hard to guard one-on-one. And Chatrice on the boards was big as well, grabbing five offensive rebounds and getting us second-chance points throughout the game. The buzz was a difference maker as well, and we did a good job of being smart in that. I thought Ivory and Kyley were fantastic in the buzz and keeping (Kelsey) Mitchell in front and making everything really difficult for her."

Kyley Simmons put up 12 points and grabbed six boards while dishing out three assists. Amarah Coleman put up 10 points off the bench, including sinking the first four shots she took in the first half, and Brittany Carter registered eight points and eight rebounds.

The Illini defended well off the glass, out-rebounding the Buckeyes, 40-31 and turning in 12 second-chance points off 12 offensive boards. Ohio State entered the game ranked eighth in the nation with an average of 80 points per game, but was limited to its lowest point total of the year, 35 points below its average, and shot just 36.7 percent from the field, including 2-for-11 from three-point range in the second half.

Ohio State raced out to a 9-4 lead to start the game, but a three by Simmons pulled the Illini back within two, and a layup by White gave the Illini an 18-17 lead with 7:57 to play in the half. Ohio State regained the lead on the next possession, but it wouldn't stick as a three from Carter put the Illini back on top, a lead they would extend to 27-22.

After being held scoreless for over 16 minutes to start the game, the nation's leading scorer Kelsey Mitchell turned in her first bucket with a well-timed three-pointer that helped the Buckeyes tie the score at 27, and a jumper by Ameryst Alston put OSU ahead by two with 1:35 to the break. Three free throws closed out the half, as the Buckeyes headed to the locker room ahead by one, 30-29.

The Buckeyes opened the second half with five straight points, but the Illini replied with an 8-2 run to jump back in front, 40-39, on a three-pointer from Jacqui Grant. The momentum stayed with Illinois, as a Simmons trey gave the Orange and Blue their largest lead yet, 52-44. Mitchell heated up to pull her Buckeyes back within one, 54-53, on a jumper at 6:03, but that was the final field goal the Illini would allow in the game, as the Orange and Blue rattled off a 12-2 run down the stretch, giving up just two free throws in the final minutes, to solidify the victory, 66-55.

The Illini sported special pink jerseys in Saturday's contest in honor of Play 4Kay, the annual breast cancer awareness game. To celebrate the victory, fans are encouraged to support breast cancer research by donating to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund on behalf of the Illini (click here to donate).

"I was really pleased with the crowd," said Bollant. "2,700 fans and they were loud and into the game. Obviously a big day for us, the Play 4Kay game. Just about everybody's lives have been touched in some way by cancer. Many people who are close to our program here are battling cancer, so it's a neat thing to fight for those people and fight for a cure and bring awareness to a terrible disease that affects a lot of lives."

The Illini hit the road on Tuesday for their first-ever meeting with the newest member of the Big Ten, No. 18/17 Rutgers. The Orange and Blue will square off with the third-place Scarlet Knights (19-6, 10-4) at 6 p.m. CT on Feb. 17.