CHAMPAIGN - Fighting Illini junior Alex Wittinger led Illinois with a career-high 30 points on Tuesday night as the Illini hosted the No. 16-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes for the annual Play4Kay game. Wittinger also racked up 16 rebounds and three blocks on the night, as she earned her 10th double-double of the season and the 23rd of her career. The Illini got off to a hot start on the night, but the Buckeyes outlasted Illinois to earn an 88-69 victory. The Orange and Blue move to 9-18 on the season and 0-13 in Big Ten play.
Sophomores Brandi Beasley and Ali Andrews posted double-digit scoring numbers adding 15 points each. Andrews knocked down 5-of-7 from three-point range on the night, while Beasley also dished three assists. The Illini forced 14 Buckeye turnovers and outrebounded Ohio State, 42-38. Illinois capitalized with 21 second chance points off of 21 offensive boards.
"I think the defensive philosophy in the first half was solid," head coach Nancy Fahey said. "You have to make shots and that's what we were doing; we were making shots off the free throw line. I don't think they (Ohio State) shot many free throws in the first half; we kept trying to box them out. In the second half, that's when they started to get to the rim and were getting to the free throw line. They also came out with a lot more aggressive press."
Wittinger knocked down the first points of the game, on her way to a game-high eight points in the first quarter. Ohio State quickly used a 13-2 run to pull ahead to a nine-point lead, but the Illini immediately fought back. Sophomore Petra Holešínská knocked down a three-pointer to stop the Buckeye run, and combined with Wittinger for seven-consecutive points to close the gap. The Illini closed the first frame on a 10-0 run to take a 21-16 lead into the second quarter. Illinois scored seven points off of six Ohio State turnovers to start the game, and also grabbed nine second chance points.
Ohio State picked up momentum in the second quarter, using a run to take back the lead from Illinois. The Buckeyes pulled ahead to an 11-point lead, but Wittinger used her strong play to push right back. She posted 10 of Illinois' 12 points in the second frame, closing the half on an 8-2 run. She led all scorers with 18 first-half points, also adding eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
Trailing by five to start the second half (38-33), sophomore Courtney Joens knocked down a three-pointer for the Illini to start the third quarter. The Buckeyes, however, used four three-pointers and 10-of-12 shooting from the free throw line to hold on to their lead in the contest. Wittinger and Beasley combined for eight of Illinois' points in the third frame, and Wittinger grabbed five of Illinois' nine boards in the period. Heading into the final frame she had racked up 22 points and 13 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season. She currently ranks eighth all-time at Illinois for her 23-career double-doubles.
Illinois used a 7-0 run to kick off the fourth quarter and cut into Ohio State's advantage. The two teams traded buckets throughout the fourth quarter, but the Buckeyes would not go away. Ohio State shot 50-percent in the fourth quarter, and the Illini knocked down 4-of-4 free throws to close the game.
Illinois shot 35.5-percent from the floor and finished the game a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. The Buckeyes knocked down 46.2-percent of their shots from the floor and scored 26 points off of 17 Illinois turnovers.
Next up, Illinois will travel to Northwestern to face the Wildcats on Sunday, Feb. 18. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Evanston, Illinois. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois women's basketball.
Team Notes
- Ohio State is Illinois's seventh opponent that has been ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll.
- The Illinois bench scored 32 points against the Buckeyes, the second-most by the team this season.
Individual Notes
- Junior F Alex Wittinger had her 10th double-double of the season with 30 points and 16 rebounds.
- Tuesday's double-double moved Wittinger into eighth place on Illinois's career double-double list with 23 career double-doubles.
- Wittinger scored a career-best 30 points on 13-for-24 shooting. The 20-plus point performance is the fifth of the season for Wittinger and 13th of her career.
- Wittinger matched her career-best rebound total with 16 on Tuesday night.
- Redshirt-sophomore G Cierra Rice matched her career-best assist total with five.
