UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Freshman Brandi Beasley reset her career-high, leading all scorers with 28 points at Penn State on Sunday, also adding seven rebounds and five assists to her total. The Illini could not overcome the Penn State Lady Lions, however, falling 82-66. Illinois was a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line as Beasley knocked down all seven of her foul shots. Seven Illini contributed to Illinois' scoring on Sunday, and sophomore Alex Wittinger joined Beasley among team leaders as she tallied 14 points and eight rebounds. Illinois falls to 8-14 on the season and 3-6 in Big Ten play.
"I thought Brandi did a lot of good things and kept fighting," head coach Matt Bollant said. "I'm really proud of her. She also had five assists, so she shared the basketball as well. As a team, I didn't feel like we guarded as well as we could have in that first half. In the third quarter we missed a few good looks, and we let that affect our energy on the defensive end."
The Illini and the Lady Lions traded baskets to start the game, keeping things close early on. Penn State went on a run to pull into the lead, but the Illini fought to close the gap. Illinois ended the quarter on a 10-3 run, trailing Penn State by just three heading into the second period. Five Illini contributed at least three points in the opening frame, and the Orange and Blue capitalized from the charity stripe making 5-of-5 foul shots.
Beasley heated up to start the second quarter as she posted six early points for Illinois, crossing into double-figure scoring numbers for the 14th time this season. Freshman Ali Andrews also posted four points in the period for the Illini. The Lady Lions went on another run, extending their lead to 12, but Illinois responded with an 11-2 run of its own to come within three points. Beasley finished with eight points in the second quarter to lead the Illini with 12 points at the halftime break. The Illini stayed on target, going 7-for-7 from the free throw line before the halftime break. UI shot 64-percent in the second quarter and forced nine Penn State turnovers in the first half. The Lady Lions, however, netted 18 points off of 12 UI turnovers in the first half, taking a 46-39 lead at the break.
Penn State knocked down consecutive field goals to start the second half, but the Illini fired back as freshmen Petra Holešínská and Beasley combined for six-straight points. The two teams took advantage at the free throw line during the third quarter, but Penn State continued to hold on to its lead. Wittinger joined Beasley in double-digit scoring numbers in the third quarter, marking the 20th time this season she's scored more than 10 points in a game.
The Lady Lions pushed ahead in the final frame, going on a 10-0 run to start the quarter. Beasley responded with a trey to stop the Lady Lions, and Holešínská added another three-pointer of her own. The Orange and Blue closed the game on a 7-0 run, but it wasn't enough to overcome Penn State. The Illini posted 18 points off of 16 Lady Lion turnovers in the game, but Penn State closed the game shooting 55-percent in the fourth quarter to stay on top. Penn State won the battle on the boards, 43-35, but the Illini grabbed 11 offensive rebounds for seven second chance points.
The Illini return to Champaign to host back-to-back contests in the State Farm Center. Illinois welcomes the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. to honor National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Illinois will then host Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 5 in a 2 p.m. game.
Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
NOTES
-The Fighting Illini moved to 8-14 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play with an 82-66 loss to the Penn State Lady Lions. Penn State leads the overall series, 33-15.
-With Beasley and Wittinger contributing double-figure scoring numbers, the Illini have had two or more players in double-digits in all but two games this season.
-The Illini were a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line on Sunday, marking the third time Illinois has not missed a foul shot this season.
Individual Notes
-Freshman Brandi Beasley netted a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers in the game
- Beasley scored in double-figures for the 14th time this season.
-Sophomore Alex Wittinger scored in double-digits for the 20th time this season and 33rd of her career.
-Freshman Courtney Joens set a new career high with three steals on the day.
-Redshirt junior Kennedy Cattenhead swiped a season-best three steals on the day.
