INDIANAPOLIS – Fighting Illini women's basketball fell to the Purdue Boilermakers, 72-60, in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday evening. The Orange and Blue were led by senior Brandi Beasley who tallied 18 points and dished four assists. She was joined among Illinois scoring leaders by freshman Mackenzie Blazek who posted a career-best 15 points. Illinois moves to 10-20 for the 2018-19 campaign.
Senior Alex Wittinger recorded four blocked shots in the contest to break Illinois' all-time career blocked shots record, which was previously set at 271 by Karisma Penn (2009-13). Wittinger closed play with a total of 274 career blocks. Her 75 blocked shots this season rank second on UI's single-season blocks list, tying her total from the 2017-18 season. Wittinger now holds Illinois' single-game blocked shots record (11) and career blocked shots record.
"Alex has an incredible motor," head coach Nancy Fahey said of the senior. "As a coach you never want to coach energy and effort, and she checks those boxes every day. That's what translates to her block record, it takes a lot of effort, timing and following your gut. That's why it's so fitting that she got that record today, because she's that kind of a player."
Wittinger wasted no time on defense in the first frame as she tallied her first block of the day, and the record-tying block, in the third minute of the game to stop a Purdue run and help the Illini continue to pick up momentum. The Boilermakers used a 7-0 run in the first frame to pull out to an early lead in the game on Wednesday, but the Orange and Blue responded with a 6-0 run of their own to keep it a one-possession game heading into the second quarter. Illinois forced four Boilermaker turnovers and scored four points off those miscues in the quarter.
Illinois continued its run into the second frame as Blazek netted her first points of the game to start the quarter. The two teams continued to trade buckets in the quarter, but the Boilermakers used another run to again extend their advantage. The Illini continued to fight, using 60-percent shooting in the quarter to cut into Purdue's advantage. Blazek tallied nine points in the second quarter to lead the Illini, and junior Brandi Beasley added four in the frame as well. The two led the Orange and Blue with nine and eight points, respectively, at the halftime break. Illinois shot 50-percent in the first half, and tallied eight points off of turnovers.
The Orange and Blue traded buckets with the Boilermakers out of the halftime break, both also playing tough defense. UI held Purdue to just 33-percent shooting in the third quarter, and Wittinger recorded her record-breaking block at the 6:38 minute of the third quarter, Blazek and Beasley continued to lead Illinois, offensively, both moving into double-digit scoring numbers. The Boilermakers continued to push back against Illinois, however, capitalizing with 12 second chance points in the frame to build on their advantage.
Illinois continued to fight throughout the fourth quarter, using an 11-2 run in the frame to pressure Purdue before the final buzzer. Wittinger added four points for Illinois in the final quarter, also swatting two more blocked shots. She closed the game with six points, five rebounds and four total rejections. Blazek led the Illini on the boards with six rebounds in the game.
The Illini shot 44-percent in Wednesday's season finale, and scored 15 points off of Purdue turnovers. The Illini bench outscored the Boilermaker bench, 23-14, and UI added 30 points in the pain.
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