Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Nebraska came out strong and did not back down, while foul trouble handcuffed three Illini starters, as the #7-seed Huskers topped the #10-seed Illini, 86-71, in the second round of the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. With the win, the Huskers (21-9, 10-8 Big Ten) advance to play #2-seed Iowa on Friday, while the Illini drop to 15-16 (6-12 Big Ten).
"Give Nebraska credit," said head coach Matt Bollant. "I thought they were great at the start of the game. Came on edge and made a bunch of shots especially (Natalie) Romeo at the start of the game, but their four seniors I thought led really well and started the game with a great level of intensity and passion, and we kind of got knocked on our heels. We responded one time and cut it to 20-15, and then they stepped up and made some more plays.
"I just didn't feel like we looked as quick and athletic (as we did) against Michigan defensively; today we looked a step slow. I'm not sure what the hesitation was or why that was, but we just didn't guard very well at all. And that was disappointing, but give Nebraska credit because I thought they played great throughout the game."
Freshman Amarah Coleman was a bright spot off the bench for the Illini, scoring 18 points including hitting a personal-best four three-pointers, while senior Ivory Crawford battled down the stretch in what could be her final game wearing Orange and Blue, recording her ninth career double-double with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds to go with five steals and four assists before fouling out with 3:13 to play.
"In every game I want to give my all and lead by example," said Crawford. "It doesn't matter what the scoreboard is, just keep fighting."
With nine made shots in the game, Crawford moved into 12th all time with a career 525 field goals made, while jumping into sixth place in three-pointers attempted (343), 12th in offensive rebounds (238) and 18th in total rebounds (574).
"That's one of Ivory's greatest qualities, she keeps fighting and keeps battling, and she did that throughout the second half," said Bollant. "I wish we would have had more (players) step up and play with her to make those plays and give us a chance to be in the game. But Ivory doesn't hang her head. She moves on from one play to the next and handles coaching and does a good job of continuing to play."
Foul trouble limited the Illini for much of the game, as Jacqui Grant, Chatrice White and Crawford all picked up three fouls in the first half and later fouled out. Coming off her best game of the season, a 30-point performance against Michigan, White was limited to just five points and two rebounds, but with two steals in the game she moved into a tie for third all time among freshmen with 60 swipes on the year.
The Illini used 12 players in the game, contributing to 30 points off the bench. In addition to Coleman's performance, Kennedy Cattenhead turned in a strong outing with a career-high five points and five steals in 13 minutes played, demontstrating strong potential in the redshirt-freshman for the future.
"I grabbed Kennedy in practice the other day," said Bollant. "We obviously graduate Brittany and Ivory, and she has the opportunity to step up and play. She has all the tools to be a good player. I thought all of her takes were good. She had two of her threes go in and out, and she was really active. I was proud of her effort.
"I felt like she kept fighting even though she missed some shots. And she was really active defensively and had five steals. Good to see that from Kennedy. I think she's got a chance to be a really good player."
Despite the lopsided score, due in large part to the seven three-pointers hit by Natalie Romeo and 61.7 percent shooting by the Huskers, the Illini defense continued to play hard in transition, forcing 24 turnovers on 20 steals, and turning those takeaways into 25 points. Those 20 steals are one shy of the all-time Big Ten Tournament record, a mark set by the Illini against Minnesota on March 1, 1997. Additionally, the Illini fought hard to complete possessions, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds, including seven by Crawford, and converting them into 18 points.
As a team, the Illini made nine three-point shots in the game, breaking the program record for the third straight season with a total of 205 treys on the year. Their 26 attempts in the game also led to a new record with 650 on the year, while the defense finished second only to Bollant's first campaign (417) with a total of 348 steals.
An 11-0 run by Nebraska set the tone early, as the Huskers led 13-2 at the first media timeout. After White picked up her second foul, Coleman came in off the bench and contributed immediately, hitting threes on back-to-back possessions to pull Illinois back within four, 15-11. A steal-to-fast-break layup by Simmons kept the score close, 20-15, but the Illini missed their next eight shots while Nebraska scored on seven straight possessions to drop the Orange and Blue into a deep 36-15 hole. Another Coleman three ended the Illini's nearly-five-minute scoring drought, but the damage had already been done, as Nebraska headed to the locker room bearing a 49-29 lead.
The pair of teams came out of the break more evenly matched, with Illinois outscoring the Huskers, 18-17, over the first eight minutes of the second half, but Nebraska countered with a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 75-47. Crawford battled down the stretch for 13 second-half points, but it was too little too late as Nebraska completed the win by a final score of 86-71.
