COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Fighting Illini women's basketball opened Big Ten play on Thursday, falling to No. 15 Maryland, 100-65. Three Illini scored in double-figures on Thursday, led by sophomore Brandi Beasley who finished with 16 points. Junior Alex Wittinger tallied her seventh double-double of the season (12 points, 10 rebounds), and senior Alli Ball notched her second double-digit scoring game of the season with 10 points. With Thursday's loss, Illinois moves to 9-6 on the season and 0-1 in Big Ten play.
"Maryland rebounded incredibly well compared to us," head coach Nancy Fahey said after the game. "You can't give Maryland easy points, and they got those boarding and in transition in the first half. Honestly those two things are not surprising, we knew they were going to run and we knew they board incredibly well. In the second half, I thought we did a better job with that, but you can't bury yourself against a team like that in the first two quarters."
Maryland got the scoring started on Thursday evening, pulling ahead to an early advantage in the contest. Wittinger put the Illini on the board with an early layup, and led the Orange and Blue with six points in the opening frame. Redshirt sophomore Cierra Rice also added a bucket for Illinois, while sophomore Petra Holešínská netted her first three-pointer of the night to help cut into the Terrapin lead. Illinois trailed 26-11 heading into the second quarter, and the Terps grabbed 19 rebounds to Illinois' seven to open the game.
Despite Illinois' persistence, the Terrapins continued to extend their lead in the second quarter, shooting 52.6-percent from the floor for 31-points. Sophomores Ali Andrews and Beasley combined for 14 Illini points in the period as the Orange and Blue worked to chip into Maryland's advantage. Wittinger racked up 10 points before halftime, scoring in double digits for the seventh-straight game and the 13th time this season. Illinois shot 50-percent from the field in the second period, also knocking down 2-of-5 from three-point range to head into the halftime break.
Trailing Maryland, 57-31, to start the third quarter, the Illini traded baskets with the Terps and worked to capitalize from the charity stripe, knocking down 6-of-7 free throws in the third frame. Illinois picked up the pace defensively heading into the fourth quarter, holding Maryland without a field goal for the final 3:29 of the period. Wittinger grabbed five boards in the third quarter, to clinch her seventh double-double of the season, and the Orange and Blue outrebounded Maryland 11-9. It wasn't enough, however, as the Terrapins continued to build on their advantage, knocking down three shots from distance in the period.
Maryland continued to push through the final quarter, extending its lead over Illinois. Maryland shot 47.9-percent from the floor on Thursday, holding the Illini to 35.2-percent shooting. Illinois knocked down 8-of-9 shots from the free throw line, but the Terrapins capitalized with 20 shots from the charity stripe. Maryland outrebounded UI, 54-34, and scored 24 points off of Orange and Blue turnovers.
The Orange and Blue return to Champaign on Sunday, hosting Northwestern in a New Year's Eve contest. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in the State Farm Center, and fans in attendance will receive a free 2018 wall calendar. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
