CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini women's basketball team jumped out to a 13-1 lead in the opening minutes of the McBride Homes Braggin' Rights game vs. rival Missouri on Wednesday afternoon, but it was not enough to hold off the visiting Tigers who closed the gap by the end of the first quarter and used a second-quarter scoring edge to springboard to an 84-65 win at State Farm Center.
De'Myla Brown and Sara Anastasieska each returned to the starting lineup for the Illini (5-7, 0-1 B1G) and recorded their best offensive games in Orange and Blue. Brown tallied a career-high 22 points, while Anastasieska added a season-high 19 points, tying her career-best with five three-pointers. Anastasieska provided the spark for Illinois' game-opening run by hitting each of her first three three-point attempts during. Brown also added five first-quarter points, but turned it on the second half with a 17 points over the final two periods.
Missouri (11-2) was held without a field goal until the 5:59 mark of the first, but closed the period on a 15-3 run to knot the game at 16-16 after the first. MU's run continued into the second quarter, as they outscored the Illini 24-10 to push the lead into double-digits in their favor. And despite Brown's second-half offensive surge, the Illini were unable to draw any closer than 11 for the remainder of the contest.
Five players finished in double-figures scoring for MU, led by Aijha Blackwell who posted a double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds. Hayley Frank and Lauren Hansen each added 14, while Haley Troup added 10. LaDazhia Williams added 13 points off the bench for the Tigers.
Following a brief holiday break, the Fighting Illini close out 2021 with a return to conference play vs. Big Ten power, No. 6/8-ranked Maryland on Thursday, Dec. 30 at State Farm Center. Tipoff between the Illini and the Terrapins is set for 7 p.m. CT.
TEAM NOTES
- The Fighting Illini move to 5-7 overall and 5-3 at State Farm Center, snapping a two-game home win streak.
- The Illini are now 9-6 in the all-time series vs. Missouri.
- The Illini used their sixth different starting lineup of the season, using four guards – De'Myla Brown, Jada Peebles, Adalia McKenzie, and Sara Anastasieska – along with forward Kendall Bostic who made her 12th straight start.
- The Illini took a season-high 75 field-goal attempts, the most in a game in two seasons since taking 80 shots in a 75-72 win over Merrimack on Dec. 10, 2019.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Junior G De'Myla Brown scored a career-high 22 points on 9-for-21 shooting.
- Brown's nine field goals tied the team season-high, and her 21 attempts were the most by an Illini guard since Brandi Beasley's 24 at Northwestern (02/18/2018).
- Brown also tied her career-high totals with four assists and four steals vs. the Tigers.
- Graduate G Sara Anastasieska finished with a season-high 19 points, and tied her career-high with five three-point field goals.
- Anastasieska's five three-pointers also tied Aaliyah Nye (vs. Eastern Kentucky, 12/5/2021) for the most in a single game this season.
- Sophomore F Kendall Bostic pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds. It marks her eighth game of the season with 10 or more boards. Bostic entered the game ranking first in the Big Ten and 12th nationally at 11.3 rebounds per game.
- Bostic has led the Illini in rebounding in eight consecutive games, and 11 of 12 games overall this season.
- Freshman G Adalia McKenzie dished out a career-high six assists. McKenzie is the first Illini freshman guard to notch at least six assists in a single game in two seasons since Jeanae Terry tallied seven at Penn State (2/9/2020).
- McKenzie also recorded a career-high in steals for the second straight game, tallying three swipes vs. Missouri.
- Sophomore G Aaliyah Nye came off the bench to knock down a pair of three-pointers. It is her ninth game of the season with multiple three-point makes.
PRESS CONFERENCE
HIGHLIGHTS
