CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's basketball used a strong second-half surge to secure a 79-59 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday. Freshman Petra Holešínská led the squad with 19 points, while freshman Brandi Beasley carded her second double-double of the season with 17 points and a career-high 10 assists. Sophomore Alex Wittinger also added 17 points for the Illini in her 10th consecutive double-digit scoring game. Illinois improves to 8-10 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play with Sunday's win.
"I thought we played a really good second half," head coach Matt Bollant said after the game. "Obviously, if you look at our field goal percentage, 10-for-12 in the third quarter and 9-for-15 in the fourth quarter, I don't know that we have had two quarters back-to-back where we have been that good offensively. I felt like we shared the basketball really well and took good shots. I thought we started the game taking some early, bad shots. Once we settled in, we were better offensively. We were a little up and down defensively. In the second half, we did a better job of trying to limit them as much as we could. I am proud of our team. We were really good, outscoring them 45-26 in the second half; that is a great half for us."
It was a back-and-forth first quarter as the Illini and the Huskers traded buckets to open the game. Beasley and Holešínská combined for nine of UI's 15 first-quarter points, as Holešínská knocked down Illinois' only three-pointer in the period. Nebraska capitalized with five points off of four Illini turnovers in the first quarter, taking a 17-15 lead into the second frame.
The Illini picked up the pace in the second quarter, using a 9-0 run to take the lead over the Huskers. Nebraska responded with a 7-2 run of its own, however, to end the half and keep the score close. The Orange and Blue shot 50-percent in the second period, led again by Holešínská who posted nine points on 3-for-6 shooting from the field. Both Beasley and Wittinger contributed five points in the period as well. At the half, Holešínská led all scorers with 14 points, she also tallied six rebounds and an assist, as the Illini led the Huskers 34-33.
Illinois came out hot after the halftime break, knocking down 10-of-12 third-quarter field goals. Both Wittinger (4-4) and Beasley (3-3) were perfect in the period, heading into the fourth quarter already in double-digit scoring numbers. The Huskers continued to test the Illini defense out of the halftime break, but Illini closed the quarter on a 14-4 run to keep a 57-49 advantage entering the final period.
Freshman Ali Andrews came up big for the Illini in the fourth quarter, as she scored all nine of her points in the final frame to help lift the Orange and Blue over Nebraska. Illinois outscored the Huskers, 22-10 to close out the game. Beasley dished four assists in both the third and fourth quarters as she earned her second double-double of the season.
"It felt great to go on that scoring run," Andrews said of the fourth quarter. "I give a lot of credit to Brandi (Beasley) and Petra (Holešínská), and all of the other guards that drive the lane and kick it out for an open three. We definitely needed to pick up our energy and they helped that a lot."
The Illini shot a season-high 56-percent on Sunday, holding Nebraska to just 29-percent shooting overall. Illinois assisted on 18 field goals, its second-highest total of the season. The win marks the first win over the Cornhuskers in Champaign since Dec. 13, 1985.
"We are headed in the right direction and that is what we are holding on to," Bollant said of the Illini. "Yes, we are really young, but we are getting better. Our kids are doing the right things and they are spending time in the gym. Our freshmen, more than any other group that I have ever coached, are in the gym. They are hungry to get better. That is awesome and going to lead to some good things."
The Illini will kick off a two-game road stretch on Wednesday at Minnesota. The Orange and Blue tip-off against the Gophers at 7 p.m. on BTN Plus.
Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
Team Notes
- The Illini improved to 8-10 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play with a 79-59 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
- Sunday's win marks Illinois' sixth consecutive home win this season.
- Illinois snapped a six-game losing streak against Nebraska. Nebraska still leads the overall series against Illinois, 10-4.
- The last time the Illini defeated the Cornhuskers was on Jan. 17, 2013 in Lincoln, 62-52.
- The victory marks Illinois' first home win over Nebraska since an 89-53 win on Dec. 13, 1985.
- Illinois shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, good for a season-high 100-percent.
- The Illini shot a season-high 56.1-percent from the field.
- Illinois shot a season-high 83.3-percent in the third period, the highest shooting percentage in a quarter this season.
Individual Notes
- Freshman Brandi Beasley had a career-high 10 assists and added 17 points, good for her second career double-double and first points-assists double-double
- Beasley's 17 points were good for her third consecutive double digit scoring effort, her 11th game scoring in double-digits this season.
- Freshman Petra Holešínská posted her ninth game overall in double digit scoring, contributing 19 points.
- Holešínská's seven made field goals ties a career high.
- Sophomore Alex Wittinger scored in double digits for the 10th consecutive game and 16th game this season.
- Freshman Ali Andrews knocked down two three-pointers on Sunday. Andrews has hit a trey in six consecutive games.
