CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Redshirt junior Petra Holešínská - one of six graduating Fighting Illini players honored during Sunday's Senior Day - poured in a game-high 18 points, but Illinois (11-14, 2-12) was unable to overcome Purdue's rebounding edge as the Boilermakers (17-10, 8-7) pulled away in the second half for a 70-58 win at State Farm Center.
"We could look at all these things, but it's the 42 rebounds (for Purdue), and us getting 19; that to me is where the game tipped," said Illini head coach Nancy Fahey.
The Illini led, 16-15, at the end of the first quarter after senior Courtney Joens hit a three-pointer as time expired. Joens tallied 12 points in the contest to join Holešínská and freshman Jeanae Terry (10 points) in double-figures scoring.
Purdue opened the stanza on a 9-0 run before Illinois countered with a 9-0 run of their own to regain the lead, 25-24 with 1:51 left in the half. The Boilermakers answered swiftly, knocking down three-pointers on their next two possessions to regain 35-25 lead at the half, and never trailed again.
The Boilermakers scored the first four points of the second half to push the Illini deficit to 34-25, and eventually found a rhythm from the three-point line late in the third quarter to push the advantage to double-figures.
After trailing by as many as 19 points midway through the fourth, the Illini used a 10-1 run, capped by a Brandi Beasley trey with 1:43 to play, to cut the deficit to 63-53, but were unable to get within striking distance as Purdue closed out the game by hitting 4-of-7 free-throw attempts in the final 1:36.
Terry and freshman classmate Kennedi Myles led the Illini with five rebounds each. Myles also registered a game-high four steals, while Terry led all players with four assists in the contest.
Up next, Illinois travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to take on the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday (Feb. 19) at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT at Crisler Center.
Team Notes
- Illinois posted a 19-8 advantage in bench scoring led by Joens' 12 points.
- The Illini notched 11 steals in the contest, four from Kennedi Myles. It marks the 12th game this season in which Illinois has recorded 10 or more steals.
- The Fighting Illini were perfect from the free-throw line (4-for-4) vs. Purdue.
Individual Notes
- Petra Holešínská scored in double figures for the 16th time this season, and tallied four three-pointers in the contest, her ninth game of the year with a least four treys.
- Kennedi Myles' four steals vs. Purdue mark the fourth time this season that she has notched at least four swipes in a game.
- Courtney Joens 12 points marked the fourth time that she has reach double-figures scoring this season. She also tallied a pair of three-pointers, her third game of the year with multiple treys.
- Jeanae Terry (10 points) reached double-figures scoring for the sixth time in her freshman campaign. She has eclipsed scored 10 or more in four of the past five games.
- Taylor Edwards, a four-year member of the Illini softball team before joining the women's basketball program, saw her first action Dec. 31 at Iowa. It marked the fifth appearance of the season for the Arcola, Illinois, native.
