CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois women's basketball team battled, before falling 75-51 to Rutgers on Thursday (January 9) night in State Farm Center.
Redshirt-junior Petra Holešínská had a stand-out night with a team-high 18 points, including a career-high made free-throws after turning in a 9-for-11 effort from the charity stripe, while also adding a pair of assists.
Sophomore Mackenzie Blazek grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to go along with seven points and two blocks on the night, while freshman Kennedi Myles added eight points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Illini (9-6, 0-4).
After a hot start from the Scarlet Knights (13-2, 3-1) in the opening quarter, the Illini fought back to take the second, 15-9, and ended the half with a Myles bucket at the buzzer to close within 36-26 at halftime. From there, the visitors came out of the break on fire – shooting at a 68.8 percentage in the third – and went on for the 75-51 win.
Illinois continues its two-game homestand on Sunday (Jan. 12) as it hosts Minnesota in State Farm Center at 2 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Team Notes
- Illinois moves to 9-6 on the season and 0-4 in the Big Ten on the season and goes to 1-6 all-time against Rutgers.
- The Illini were 20-of-27 (74.1 percent) from the free throw line on the night, marking the third game this season that UI has made 20 or more free throws.
- The Illini won the second quarter, 15-9, holding Rutgers to a 23.1 shooting percentage and forcing five turnovers.
Individual Notes
- Redshirt-junior Petra Holešínská led the Illini in scoring for the ninth game this season and has reached double digit points on nine occasions in 2019-20, moving her career total to 32.
- Holešínská tied a career-high after going 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. She also converted nine free throws against Nebraska on March 3, 2017.
- With one three-pointer on the night, Holešínská closes within one three of sixth place all-time in program history with 132 career three-pointers. Melissa Parker (1996-00) sits in sixth with 133 made three-pointers.
- Senior Ali Andrews also made one three-pointer on the night, moving her career total to 131 as she continues to sit in eighth place all-time.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Blazek and freshman Kennedi Myles combined for 16 of the Illini's 30 rebounds on the night, with Blazek coming within one board of her career-high (10 rebounds vs. Indiana on Dec. 28, 2018).
For more Fighting Illini women's basketball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniWBB on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
