Illini Fall at OSU in Return to Big Ten Play

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Fighting Illini women's basketball team returned to Big Ten action on Thursday night at Ohio State, falling 90-69 to the Buckeyes at Value City Arena. 

Sophomore forward Kendall Bostic, the Big Ten's leading rebounder, tallied her third double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 16 boards, helping the Illini to a commanding 48-33 rebounding edge over the Buckeyes in the game. 

The Illini opened the game in impressive fashion and hung on to an 18-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. But OSU found an offensive rhythm in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Illini by a combined 58-30 during that 20-minute stretch. 

Despite a balanced offensive effort that saw De'Myla Brown (13 points) join Bostic in double-figures scoring – and six other players tally at least five points - the Illini were uncharacteristically cold from three-point range, finishing just 4-for-22 from beyond the arc for a season-worst 18.2 percent, while committing a season-most 28 turnovers. 

Four Buckeyes tallied double-figures scoring led by senior guard Taylor Mikesell who poured in a career-high 32 points including eight three-pointers. Tanaya Beacham and Ricki Harris each added 15 points for OSU, also a career-best for Harris. The team's leading scorer, Jacy Sheldon, was limited to 11 points, nearly half her season average of 19.3 points per game. 

The game was Illinois' first in 15 days after the team's holiday break was extended due to the postponement of games vs. Maryland (Dec. 30) and at Iowa (Jan. 2) due to COVID-19-concerns within the Illini  program. 

The Fighting Illini return to State Farm Center to play host to Wisconsin (3-10, 0-3 B1G) on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff between the Illini and the visiting Badgers is set for 2 p.m. CT. The game is Illinois annual "Pack the House" game. Promotions include $1 tickets, $2 hot dogs, and free t-shirts for the first 250 fans.   

TEAM NOTES

• The Fighting Illini move to 5-8 overall and 0-5 away from State Farm Center on the season. 
• The Illini are now 20-55 in the all-time series vs. Ohio State.
• Illinois matched a season-high with 48 rebounds vs. Ohio State. The Illini also pulled down 48 rebounds in a season-opening win over North Carolina Central on Nov. 9.
• Illinois connected on a season-low 18.2 percent (4-for-22) from three-point range vs. OSU. The Illini entered the week ranked 68th in the NCAA with a season three-point percentage of 34.2 percent. 
• Illinois' 28 turnovers on Thursday marked a season-high, and the most since committing 29 vs. Northwestern (2/24/2021). 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES 

• Junior G De'Myla Brown scored a team-leading 13 points, but connected on just 1-of-8 attempts from three-point range. 
• Brown also pulled down a career-high five rebounds. 
• Sophomore F Kendall Bostic recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 16 rebounds. She opened the season with 14 points and 17 rebounds vs. NCCU (11/9/21) and tallied 12 points and 22 rebounds in Illinois' win over Eastern Kentucky (12/5/21). 
• Bostic's game-high 16 rebounds marked her ninth game of the season with 10 or more boards. She entered the game ranking first in the Big Ten and 11th nationally at 11.4 rebounds per game. Bostic has led the Illini in rebounding in nine consecutive games, and 12 of 13 games overall this season. 
• Freshman G Jayla Oden tied her career-best effort with four rebounds vs. OSU. Oden also tallied four rebounds in the Illini's previous game, Dec.. 22 vs. Missouri, after establishing the career-best mark Dec. 5 vs. Eastern Kentucky. 

HIGHLIGHTS