Wittinger's Career Night Keeps Illini Close at Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minn. - Freshman Alex Wittinger put up a career-high 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in her home state of Minnesota on Tuesday night, helping the Illini to maintain a lead over the Golden Gophers for much of the game. A late run pushed Minnesota into the lead, however, and the Illini fell, 82-77. Illinois drops to 8-12 overall and 1-8 in conference play. Minnesota improves to 6-3 in Big Ten games. 

"I'm proud of our team, I thought we played a great first half," head coach Matt Bollant said of the game. "Minnesota made a run to start the second half, but we battled to stay up by 14. I give a lot of credit to {Rachel} Banham tonight, she made a lot of pays. I'm so proud of Alex {Wittinger} tonight, she had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and she had four blocks. Chatrice did a good job establishing herself on the block and our guards did a great job passing. I'm proud of our team, this hurts, it's the fourth-straight game like this and to go 1-3, hurts. I feel like our team deserves to get rewarded, but sometimes in life that doesn't happen. The girls battled, and fought, and they played their guts out."

Minnesota native, Alex Wittinger, started out hot for the Illini helping the Orange and Blue to an early lead over Minnesota. Wittinger went 4-for-4 from the floor in the first quarter, helping UI pull ahead to a 20-18 lead after the first period. A 13-3 run helped the Illini take a seven-point lead in the game, but Minnesota wasn't giving up right away. The two teams tied things up in the first period, but Illinois was able to maintain its advantage. Kyley simmons contributed five first-quarter points, while Chatrice White added four of her own. The Illini grabbed 15 rebounds to Minnesota's six to start off the game as well. 

The Illini stayed tough on defense in the second period, holding Minnesota without a bucket for almost five minutes to start the quarter. The Orange and Blue kicked off the period with an 8-0 run to pull ahead by 10 before the Gophers could get on the board. Back-to-back treys from the Illini extended the lead to 15, but the scoring continued and Illinois took a 16-point lead into the locker room at halftime. Illinois saw Wittinger put up 17 points before the break, just three short of her career best. The Delano, Minn., native, also grabbed eight rebounds, helping the Illini to a 29-14 advantage on the boards. Illinois grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the first half and tallied 11 second chance points to Minnesota's two. 

The Illini defense stifled Rachel Banham, the Gopher's leading scorer, before the break, allowing her just two points in the half, both from the charity stripe. As a team, Minnesota shot 33-percent from the floor to Illinois' 49-percent in the first half.

The third quarter was a trading of runs as Minnesota started the third quarter on an 11-2 run, working to chip away at the Illini advantage. UI responded with a 9-2 run of its own, however, staying on top of the Gophers. Unfortunately, the home team would not go away, utilizing a 10-0 run to pull within one. Minnesota put up 29 third-quarter points to Illinois' 14, but the Orange and Blue still held on to the advantage going into the fourth quarter. White led the Illini with seven points in the third period, becoming one of three Illini in double-figures before the final period. Wittinger had racked up 10 rebounds, earning her third career double-double in her home state. 

Illinois and Minnesota traded the lead to start the final period, but Wittinger and White worked to extend the Illini lead to four points with just over two minutes left in the game. Back-to-back three-pointers from Banham tied the game up and then gave Minnesota its final lead in the game. 

"I'm proud of our players, this is a tough environment," Bollant said. "They built a 16-point lead and rallied throughout the second half. They really played tough, we just didn't make enough plays down the stretch. But we played with a lot of heart today."

The Illini outrebounded Minnesota 44-40 in the game, and recorded 17 second chance points. Illinois knocked down eight three-pointers in the game, led by Simmons who knocked down four of seven shots from deep. Senior Sarah Hartwell dished a career high 10 assists, as the Illini assisted on 24 of 33 made field goals. 

Illinois will have a few days off before hosting Ohio State on Monday, Feb. 1. The game will air on the Big Ten Network at 6 p.m. and will honor National Women and Girls in Sports day. 

Notes

-Minnesota native, Alex Wittinger had a strong performance in her hometown, she started the game 4-for-4 from the floor to put up nine first-quarter points. She finished with 27 points and 15 rebounds overall, her 10th game scoring in double-figures and her third career double-double. Wittinger also added four blocks to her stat line.

-Wittinger is the first Illini to put up 20 points in a game since Chatrice White scored 24 points against Minnesota on Jan. 7. Her 27 points mark the most for an Illini this season and the most since sophomore Chatrice White scored 30 points against Michigan on Feb. 28, 2015.

-The Illini pulled ahead to a 45-29 lead at halftime on Tuesday. UI has led 10 games at halftime this year, going on to win six of them. 

-REdshirt senior Sarah Hartwell dished 10 assists, marking a career-best and the first time and Illini has dished 10 assists since Feb. 5, 2015 against Minnesota.