Penn State Rallies to Overcome @IlliniWBB, 65-56

Champaign, Ill. - Chatrice White grabbed a career-best 18 rebounds at Saturday's Pack the House game, helping the Illini to a 41-36 advantage on the boards, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Penn State Lady Lions. Illinois fell, 65-56, to Penn State Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23), dropping to 8-11 overall and 1-7 in Big Ten Play. Penn State improves to 3-5 in league play. The Illini again shared the scoring efforts, seeing seven players put up at least two points on the day, led by freshman Alex Wittinger who finished with 14 points overall.  

"We had a stretch were we had some really good shots, but then we had a stretch where we didn't," head coach Matt Bollant said following the game. "Chatrice {White} did a great job on the offensive boards, so did Alex {Wittinger} and Kennedy {Cattenhead}, but we can't shoot 27-percent at home. We have to finish the job, and unfortunately, we didn't do that today."

Through scrappy play, the Illini got off to a 13-9 lead in the first quarter, after holding strong in a tie game for most of the period. Jaelyne Kirkpatrick sunk a layup right at the buzzer to make it a two-possession game heading into the second period. Kirkpatrick and White led the Illini with four points in the first quarter, while Kyley Simmons and Cattenhead also got on the board to start off the game. 

The Orange and Blue pulled ahead to a significant lead in the second period, using a 6-0 run to extend their lead. Penn State, however, responded with a 6-0 run of its own, keeping the Illini close. Wittinger ended the Lady Lion run, and the Illini allowed just one more PSU point before the halftime break. Illinois took a 26-20 lead into the locker room at the break.

The Illini were strong on the boards in the first half, outrebounding Penn State, 29-19 before the break. White had already grabbed 13 rebounds in the first half, just one shy of her season high. Once again, the scoring was spread out for the Orange and Blue with seven players putting up at least two points in the half. Neither team shot better than 24-percent before the break, but the Illini were 8-for-8 from the charity stripe and held Penn State to 0-for-9 shooting from distance. 

White put the Illini up by 10 points to start the second half, knocking down back-to-back layups and also securing her 12th double-double of the season. Illinois held Penn State without a field goal for more than the first three minutes of the second half. The Lady Lions had not scored since the 2:16 mark of the second quarter, but that didn't get them down. Penn State went on a 10-2 run to pull within three points in the third quarter. The Lady Lions came within one thanks to a few made free throws, but Kissinger made one of her own to help UI keep its distance. Penn State again tied things up from the charity stripe, but two Simmons free throws gave the Illini a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

Illinois maintained its advantage early in the fourth quarter, but Penn State used a 14-0 run to take a decisive lead over the Orange and Blue. Wittinger ended the PSU run with a jumper, but Illinois could not recover from the deficit. 

"We have to have the courage to step up and make the shot," Bollant said of the fourth quarter. "That's leadership, stepping up, making a play and finishing the shot when it needs to happen. We need our leaders to do that for us, and as a staff we have to find a way to help them do that."

UI remained in control on the glass, grabbing 41 rebounds to Penn State's 36 in the contest. Illinois more than doubled Penn State's production on the offensive boards, 18-7, also putting up 12 second chance points. The Illini held Penn State without a three-pointer until halfway through the third quarter, but the Lady Lions were able to knock down six treys to come alive. 

Prior to the contest, the Illini received a $73,000 donation from the Courtsiders, the official support group of Illinois Women's Basketball. The donation will fund locker room renovations at the Ubben Basketball Complex, video equipment and more. 

Illinois is back on the road Tuesday, facing Minnesota in 7 p.m. contest that will air on the Big Ten Network.

"It starts with the defense," Bollant said of Tuesday's matchup at Minnesota. " When they {Minnesota} came here we got off to a terrible defensive start, and didn't really respond much. I think we'll fight, we certainly have in the last few games. And that's the challenge: can you keep fighting and bringing it when you don't get the result? That's a great lesson in life, you fight and it doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to, but can you bring it the next time?"

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

NOTES

- Illinois fell to 8-11 on the season and 1-7 in Big Ten play with Saturday's 65-56 loss to Penn State. 

-Freshman Alex Wittinger hit her first-career three-pointer on Saturday, knocking down a three to notch her first points of the game. She finished 1-for-1 from distance. 

-Illini sophomore Chatrice White grabbed 13 first-half rebounds, just one short of her season-high. She finished with a career-best 18 rebounds overall. White marks the first Illini to record more than 15 rebounds in a game since January 8, 2015. 

-White earned her 12th double-double of the season on Saturday with 10 points added to her 18 rebounds. That number gives her sole possession of ninth on Illinois single-season double-doubles list. She's got 18 career double-doubles. 

-The Illini led for 24 minutes and 56 seconds (62.3%) of the game, however Penn State pulled ahead to take the win in the fourth quarter. 

-Illinois finished with 12 second-chance points to Penn State's two. This is Illinois' second best margin of the season (21-9 vs. SIU).

-With 14 points on the day, freshman Alex Wittinger has now scored 10 or more points in eight games this season. 

-Brooke Kissinger recorded a career-high 12 points for the third time this season.

- UI finished with a 41-36 advantage on the boards, the most rebounds Illinois has grabbed in Big Ten action this season. Also the most since playing Southern Illinois on December 8, where the Orange and Blue tallied 44 rebounds.

-Illinois has now had at least three players score in double-figures in 15 games. 

-The Illini have had a halftime lead in nine games, going on to win six of them.