CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The first game of a three-game home stand got off to a slow start for Illinois on Wednesday night, allowing the No. 7-ranked Indiana Hoosiers to race out to a 20-point lead in the first quarter in a 93-61 loss for Illini.
The Fighting Illini (6-13, 1-7) were led by a pair of double-digit scoring games from the freshman duo of Adalia McKenzie and Jayla Oden, who tallied 14 points and 13 points, respectively. Sophomore Kendall Bostic, the Big Ten's top rebounder, once again led the Illini with seven boards, while chipping in six points.
The Hoosiers (17-3, 9-1) were paced by a career night by Ali Patberg, who scored 26 points, including 21 in the first half. Aleksa Gulbe scored 18 points, while Grace Berger notched 13 points to go along with game-high totals with eight rebounds and seven assists. Kaitlin Peterson's 11 points gave IU four double-digit scorers as the team finished with the highest scoring total by an Illini opponent this season.
After jumping out to a 28-8 lead in the first quarter on 68 percent shooting, IU led 54-24 at halftime, and pushed the Illini deficit to as many as 36 points midway through the fourth. But despite the slow start, the Illini battled to the finish, being outscored by just a 39-37 advantage in the second quarter against the top-10-ranked Hoosiers.
Next up, Illinois faces another to tough home challenge on Saturday, welcoming the Nebraska Cornhuskers into State Farm Center for the second game of this home stand. Tipoff between the Illini and the Huskers is set for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
TEAM NOTES
- The Fighting Illini move to 6-13 overall (1-7 B1G), and fall to 6-5 at State Farm Center.
- After playing just six games in a 46-day stretch between Dec. 22 and Feb. 6, Wednesday's game is the first of three games in just six days for the Illini.
- Illinois falls to 30-46 all-time vs. Indiana. The Hoosiers have now win 13 straight in the series.
- The 93 points surrendered by the Illini on Wednesday night are the most by an opponent this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Freshman G Jayla Oden, making the second start of her collegiate career, scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season and the third time in her last four games overall.
- Freshman G Adalia McKenzie led the team with 14 points, matching her personal-best against a Big Ten opponent (also at Michigan State, 12/9/21).
- McKenzie also pulled down four rebounds, her 10th consecutive game with at least four boards.
- Sophomore F Kendall Bostic recorded a team-leading seven rebounds, including four offensive boards vs. the Hoosiers. She entered the game ranking first in the Big Ten and fifth nationally at 11.94 rebounds per game, and has led the Illini in rebounding in 15 consecutive games, and 18 of 19 games overall this season.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
