Illini Effort Falls Short at No. 15 Michigan

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's basketball team fell to No. 15/14 Michigan, 70-50, Sunday afternoon at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. 

The Illini (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) were led by Michigan native Jeanae Terry who tallied 17 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Kennedi Myles added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Illini. 

The Wolverines (9-0, 4-0 B1G) were led by junior Naz Hillmon (24 points, 13 rebounds) and graduate student Akienreh Johnson (17 points, nine rebounds).

Illinois started fast, with Terry and Myles scoring six apiece in the first quarter. The Illini trailed 17-14 entering the second, but the offense struggled during the period, tallying just three points. Despite the second-quarter scoring drought, the Illini defense stumped the Wolverines and Michigan led 28-17 at the half.

Kennedi Myles is pure from just inside the arc! #Illini 10, No. 15 Michigan 6 | 4:45 1Q pic.twitter.com/t30JUtJncT

— Illinois W Basketball (@IlliniWBB) January 10, 2021

The Illini again played stellar defense in the third quarter, holding the Wolverines to five field goals, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the fourth and Michigan pulled away with the league win. 

STAT OF THE GAME
After battling to a 17-14 score through the first quarter, the Illini shot just 1-for-12 in the second quarter and were outscored 17-3 in the frame. It marked the team's lowest single-quarter scoring output since being held to two points in the third quarter of their contest at Rutgers on Jan. 9, 2020.

TEAM NOTES

• The Illini's longest scoring run came in the third quarter. Illinois rattled off the 6-0 run to pull within 31-23 during that stretch. The run included a Kennedi Myles free-throw, a layup from leading Jeanae Terry, and a three-point play from Eva Rubin. 
• The Orange and Blue had five blocks, the second most this season, and record seven steals for the fourth consecutive game.
• The Illini held the Michigan offense to their second-lowest scoring total of the 2020-21 season. The Wolverines entered the game averaging 84..9 points per game.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sophomore G Jeanae Terry led Illinois in points with 17, marking a career-high versus a Big Ten opponent. Terry went 4-for-4 from the free throw line and shot a 37.5 from the field (6-for-16). It is also Terry's 11th-career game scoring in double figures, and fourth this season. She finished with a team-leading five assists and three steals, and came down with six rebounds.
• Sophomore F Kennedi Myles earned her 19th-career double-digit scoring game, and her fifth this season, after totaling 12 points. Myles led the team with seven rebounds, and earned an assist, a block, and a steal on the afternoon. 
• Senior F Lyric Robins matched her season-high in points with seven, shooting 50 percent from the field (3-for-6), including a drained three-pointer. Robins also matched her career-high in steals with two and pulled down two boards. 

NEXT UP
The Fighting Illini return home to State Farm Center to host No. 23/24-ranked Michigan State on Thursday at State Farm Center. Tipoff between the Spartans (8-1, 6-1 B1G) and the Illini is set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.