CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's basketball used a strong fourth quarter to overcome Florida Gulf Coast, 82-73 on Saturday afternoon. Redshirt junior Kennedy Cattenhead posted a career-high 19 points on the day, scoring 12 of those in the final period. Sophomore Alex Wittinger led the Illini with her second 20-point game of the season, also contributing seven rebounds. With Saturday's victory, the Illini improve to 5-6 on the season.
"It was good to see the team get rewarded today by getting the win," head coach Matt Bollant said. "They fought a few games and we hadn't quite closed it out, but today, we outscored FGCU 27-15 in the fourth quarter and that was huge. We got some offensive rebounds, moved the basketball while facing zone and man defense. I was really impressed by our passing in the fourth quarter. We shot 67-percent in that fourth quarter with shooting 13 free throws and that was awesome."
Four Illini scored in double-digits for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season, led by Wittinger and Cattenhead. Sophomore Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and freshman Petra Holešínska posted 10 and 11 points, respectively, as well. Freshman Brandi Beasley also had a standout game as she dished a career-best six assists, also scoring nine points and grabbing five rebounds.
The Illini and the Eagles were off to a quick start on Saturday, led by Wittinger's eight first-quarter points. FGCU took a 26-21 lead after the first quarter, but the Illini shot almost 54-percent from the floor in the period. Wittinger was 3-for-3 in the period that included one three-pointer to lead the Orange and Blue. Beasley also contributed five points in the quarter. The Illini were 4-for-9 from beyond the arc to start the game, with four different players each contributing a trey.
Freshman Courtney Joens was the story in the second quarter as she knocked down consecutive three-pointers and was 3-for-4 from the floor to lead the Illini. Illinois capitalized with seven points off of seven FGCU turnovers in the period, but the Eagles outscored the Illini by one in the period for a 45-39 halftime lead.
Illinois took its first lead of the game out of the halftime break, starting out on a 10-2 run. FGCU responded and the two teams traded the lead throughout the third quarter. UI outscored FGCU, 16-13, in the period, and held the Eagles to just 28-percent shooting. Holešínska knocked down five points for the Illini in the period, as did Cattenhead who did not miss a shot in the third quarter.
The Illini and the Eagles continued to trade the lead to start the fourth quarter, but Illinois closed the game on an 18-7 run to overcome FGCU. The Orange and Blue posted 27 fourth-quarter points on 67-percent shooting, holding FGCU to just 15 points to close out Saturday's game. In addition to her 12 fourth-quarter points, Cattenhead grabbed three of her five rebounds in the final period.
"I thought she {Cattenhead} played a really good fourth quarter and just made plays for us," Bollant said. "She got the rebounds, made free throws and hit some big shots for us when we needed them."
"I think really we are sharing the ball better," Cattenhead said after the game. "We are getting 'our' shot instead of settling for a tough shot. We are getting that one extra pass, so that has been helping us as a team."
The Illini will begin a two-game road stretch on Monday at Central Michigan, facing the Chippewas at 6 p.m. CT. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for all the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
Team Notes
- Illinois improved to 5-6 with an 82-73 victory over the FGCU Eagles, the win marks the 600th victory for the Illinois women's basketball program.
- The Fighting Illini scored a season-high 82 points in the game.
- For the fifth consecutive game, the team reset their season-high field goal percentage at 48.1-percent.
- The two teams met for the first time in program history on Saturday afternoon.
- Four Illini players scored in double figures on Saturday. The Illini now have had two or more players in double figures in nine games this season.
- Illinois' 27 points and a 66.7 field goal percentage in the fourth quarter were season-highs for the team in a single period of play.
- Illinois knocked down a season-high 22 free throws on 26 attempts from the charity stripe, the most for an Illini squad since the team hit 20-for-25 from the line on Feb. 7, 2016.
- The Illini bench contributed 20 points against the Eagles. The Orange and Blue bench has now produced four 20-plus point performances for the Illini this season.
Individual Notes
- Redshirt junior Kennedy Cattenhead scored a career-high 19 points.
- Cattenhead knocked down a career-high eight free throws.
- Sophomore Alex Wittinger had her ninth double-figure scoring game of the season and 22nd of her career in the Orange and Blue. Wittinger's 20-point performance is her second 20-point game of the season and fourth of her career.
- Freshman Brandi Beasley had a career-high six assists. Beasley has now dished three or more assists in 10 of 11 games this season.
- Senior Ashley McConnell made her first start of the season and ninth of her career.
- The Illini went with their fourth-different lineup this season.
- Freshman Petra Holešínská had a season-high two blocks.
- Sophomore Jaelyne Kirkpatrick recorded her first career block.
