CHAMPAIGN – Fighting Illini women's basketball dropped its Big Ten home opener to Northwestern on Sunday afternoon, falling 74-59 to the Wildcats. The Illini shot 51.7-percent from the floor and knocked down five three-pointers in the second half, but could not recover from an early Wildcat run. Illinois moves to 9-7 on the season and 0-2 in league play.
Sophomore Brandi Beasley contributed a season-high 19 points and dished six assists to lead the Orange and Blue, also making 4-of-5 shots from the free throw line. Junior Alex Wittinger and sophomore Petra Holešínská joined Beasley in double-figures, adding 16 and 12 points each, respectively. Holešínská netted four three-pointers in the contest, marking the seventh time in her career she's made four or more shots from distance. Wittinger also added three blocks, bringing her career rejections total to 165 and passing former Illini Lacey Simpson for third on the Illinois' career blocked shots list.
"As you saw at the end when we get up and play our defense, which is more much aggressive, that's how we're supposed to play for 40 minutes," head coach Nancy Fahey said. "Instilling that for 40 minutes is what we're trying to get to."
The Wildcats jumped out to a fast start on Sunday afternoon, opening the game on an 8-0 run. Illinois fought back, as sophomore Ali Andrews and Wittinger combined for consecutive field goals to stop the Northwestern run. Holešínská also added to the Illini scoring in the opening period, but Northwestern took a 12-9 lead into the second quarter.
The Wildcats continued to pressure Illinois, using an 11-0 run to extend their lead to 12 in the second quarter. Beasley's hot shooting helped Illinois offset the Wildcat run, as the Illini sophomore point guard responded with 10 second-quarter points of her own, making 4-of-6 from the floor.
At the half, Illinois trailed Northwestern, 35-21, and Beasley led Illinois with her 10 points. Northwestern grabbed 19 boards to Illinois' 11, but the Orange and Blue capitalized with six points off of NU turnovers.
Beasley stayed hot after halftime, combining with Wittinger for 12 points in the third quarter. Wittinger also added five boards and two blocks out of the break, going 3-for-3 from the field. The Illini outscored Northwestern 21-20 in the third quarter, cutting into the Wildcat advantage. The Illini knocked down three shots from distance after the break, but Northwestern capitalized with five points off of three Illini turnovers in the quarter. The Orange and Blue trailed by 13 heading into the final frame.
Illinois fought to cut into the Wildcat advantage, but Northwestern continued to push in the fourth quarter. The Illini shot 50-percent from the floor to end the game, but could not catch up to Northwestern. The Wildcats made 8-of-14 shots from distance on Sunday, securing the victory.
Illinois shot 42.1-percent from the floor overall and forced 10 Northwestern turnovers, but the Wildcats took advantage of Illinois miscues, netting 16 points off of 16 Illini turnovers.
"The one thing we can do, and the one thing we're going to do, is keep competing and try to get better every day," Fahey said. "I'm with this team and I'm with these kids, and we're in this together. That's all we can control right now – recognizing that we didn't do some things well, but we have tomorrow. And, that's how we're approaching it. It's competitive in the Big Ten, but that's how it's going to be."
Illinois returns to action on January 3, taking on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, New Jersey. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
NOTES
- Alex Wittinger's three blocks today gives her 165 for her career, passing former Illini Lacey Simpson (2005-10) for third on the program's all-time career blocked shots list.
- Brandi Beasley set a new season high with 19 points, 10 of which came in the second quarter when she shot 4-of-6 from the field.
- The 19 points for Beasley was the 12th time this season Beasley has scored in double digits
- Alex Wittinger shot .727 (8-11) from the field, including 6-8 in the second half, to record her best shooting percentage of the season.
- Petra Holešínská's three three-pointers marks her fifth game of the season with multiple triples and her fourth with at least three.
- Illinois shot 51.7% (15-29) from the field in the second half, including 55.6% (5-9) from three
- Illinois held Northwestern leading scorer Lindsey Pulliam five points below her team-leading 15.2ppg average, allowing her just 10 points on 4 of 13 shooting. The 10 points is the third-lowest output for Pulliam.
