@IlliniWBB Can't Overcome Huskers in Sunday Road Contest

Lincoln, Neb. - Fighting Illini Women's Basketball dropped to 7-8 on the season and 0-4 in Big Ten play on Sunday, Jan 10, falling to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 73-57. Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Cattenhead again reset her career-high scoring number in Sunday's game, and three Illini contributed double-figure scoring numbers in the contest. Nebraska earned its first conference victory on Sunday, improving to 1-3 in league play. Nebraska native Brooke Kissinger (Minden, Neb.) earned her first-career start in the game for the Orange and Blue. Shelby, Neb., native, Chatrice White's 14 points and 12 rebounds mark her 10th double-double of the season, and she has now recorded three-consecutive double-doubles. 

"I thought we had really good energy in the first half, we forced 14 turnovers and 25 for the game. I thought we did a good job in that area." head coach Matt Bollant said of the contest. "We just didn't make enough shots on the offensive end. I felt good about our looks but we weren't able to knock shots down."

The Illini got on the board first in the game, holding Nebraska scoreless for almost two minutes right off the bat. The Huskers fought back, however, using a 6-0 run to take an early lead over the Illini. The two Nebraska natives, White and Kissinger, combined for seven points in the span of a minute to cut the Husker lead to just one. Nebraska came back to end the quarter on an 8-2 run, though, taking an 18-11 lead into the second quarter. White had racked up seven first-quarter points for the Illini, approaching her 14th game in double-digits this season. 

Nebraska continued to pull ahead in the second quarter, despite Illinois' fight. The Illini cut the Husker lead to three at one point in the period, but Nebraska would not go away. Illinois spread its scoring out in the second period as five Illini found the net, combining for 15 points. Illinois scored 22 of its 26 first-half points in the paint, and was able to force 14 Husker turnovers. The Orange and Blue focused on a balanced attack once again as six Illini had scored in the first half, led by White (9) and Cattenhead (7).

Out of the break, Nebraska used the third quarter to extend its lead over the Fighting Illini, taking an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter of play. White and Cattenhead combined for a 7-0 run in the middle of the period, but could not stifle the Nebraska offense as the Huskers responded with six-straight points of their own. Illinois continued to force Nebraska turnovers, however, and was able to score 20 points off of 19 turnovers in the first three quarters of the game.

Junior Ashley McConnell knocked down a three-pointer for the Illini to start the fourth quarter on a high note, but the Illini couldn't stop the Huskers who extended their lead with a 10-0 run in the period. 

Kyley Simmons joined White and Cattenhead in double-figures in the game, and Illinois 40 points in the paint mark the second-highest total this season. The Illini shot 33-percent from the floor and made just three three-pointers in the game. Freshman Alex Wittinger contributed 10 rebounds for the Illini and was just one point away from her third-career double-double, and White added four steals to her stat line for the day. The Orange and Blue forced 25 Nebraska turnovers in the game, committing just 14 of their own. 

Illinois will prepare for another tough road contest, heading to Rutgers on Jan. 13 to face the Scarlet Knights at 6 p.m. CT.

Stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball. 

Notes

-Sophomore, and Nebraska native, Brooke Kissinger earned her first career start on Sunday afternoon, marking the fourth lineup change for the Illini this season. 

-Illinois scored 22 of its 26 first-half points in the paint and finished with 40 points in the paint, the second-most in a game this season. 

-Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Cattenhead again improved on her career-high, scoring 17 points in the game. It marks the first time in her career that she has scored in double-figures in back-to-back contests. It also marks the first time this season that she has led Illinois in scoring. 

-Illinois lost its seventh consecutive game on Sunday afternoon, falling to Nebraska 73-57

-Chatrice White scored 14 points in the game, her 14th game in double-figures this season. She added 12 rebounds, good for her 10th double-double this season and third-consecutive.

-Illini again used a balanced scoring attack as seven Illini scored for the Orange and Blue in the contest. 

-Freshman Alex Wittinger recorded 10 rebounds in the game, the third time this season she's put up double-digit boards.