Illini Fall to Hot-Shooting Gophers

Champaign, Ill. - Two Illini put up career-high scoring numbers and sophomore Chatrice White earned her ninth double-double of the season on Thursday, but the Orange and Blue could not overcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Illinois dropped its sixth consecutive game on Jan. 7, falling 106-75 in the State Farm Center. Freshman Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and redshirt sophomore Kennedy Cattenhead both reached career-high scoring numbers in the game, while White led the team with 24 points and 11 rebounds overall. 

"I give Minnesota a lot of credit, Rachel Banham was really special tonight," head coach Matt Bollant said. "Tonight we just didn't guard. We got on our heels early in the game and just didn't guard until some possessions in the fourth quarter. Minnesota was great tonight, they shot really well."

Minnesota went on a 9-0 run to start the game, holding the Illini without a FG for the first five minutes of play. Chatrice White got the Illini on the board to end the Gopher run, working to get the momentum going for the Orange and Blue. A Brooke Kissinger three-pointer helped things out, and the Illini went on to put up six straight points to help cut the Minnesota lead. A three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Gophers a 28-11 lead heading into the second quarter. 

The Golden Gophers kept it rolling in the second quarter, pulling ahead by 33 points for their largest lead of the half. Minnesota grabbed just 22 rebounds to Illinois 17 in the first half, but the Illini were shooting just 35-percent from the field and 2-of-9 from distance before the break. Minnesota hit nine treys to start the game on a high note and take a 29-point lead into the locker room at the half. 

Two Illini reached double-digits In the first half, including White who has put up double-figure scoring numbers in all but one game this year.  Cattenhead had recorded 10 points in the first half, just one shy of her career-best, and the third time this season she has put up double-digits. 

After the break, Minnesota put up eight consecutive points to start the third quarter, broken up by two White free throws. The Gophers, however, had other ideas, going on a 7-0 run to take a 42-point lead over UI. The Illini were not letting up, however, as the Orange and Blue came out to put up 27 points in the third period, just one less than they scored in the first half of the game. Alex Wittinger joined White and Cattenhead in double-digits in the third period as she had recorded 10 points before the fourth quarter. 

"I was really proud of Chatrice {White}, after our slow start she played really well," Bollant said. "She really battled offensively. I also though Kennedy {Cattenhead} gave us a good lift at times, driving the ball hard and getting to the rim. We needed to have that fight and that belief on the defensive end."

The Illini put up 20 points in the fourth quarter, holding Minnesota to just 19. The Illini shot 42-percent on the night and missed just one free throw in the game. The Orange and Blue assisted on 20-of-30 field goals in the game and forced 13 Gopher fouls.

UI has a quick turnaround this week, heading to Nebraska to face the Cornhuskers at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball. 

Notes

-Illinois extended its losing streak to six games on Thursday, falling to Minnesota 106-75. The Illini fall to 7-7 on the season and 0-3 in Big Ten play. 

-Freshman Jaelyne Kirkpatrick scored a career-best 11 points on Thursday evening. 

-Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Cattenhead put up 10 points in the first half, marking her third game scoring in double-figures this season. She finished with a career-high 14 points overall. 

-Minnesota's 57 points are the most allowed by the Illini in the first half so far this season, and Illinois' 29-point deficit at halftime is also the largest this season. Previously, the Illini fell by 14 at Purdue. 

-Sophomore Chatrice White scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, good for her ninth double-double of the season. She has put up 20 or more points in six games this season.  

-Minnesota's Rachel Banham finished with 39 points on the night, setting the record for an opponent inside the State Farm Center. The previous high was set at 36 by two players in 1988 and 1991. 

-Illinois has not given up more than 100 points since 2001. (Penn State 101, Illinois 80 // Feb. 15, 2001)