BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Illinois fought back from a double-digit deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the Illini's comeback effort fell just short against #16/15 Indiana in a 77-71 defeat at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Three Illini scorers finished in double figures in the team's first conference road test of the season and their final contest of the 2023 calendar year.
Makira Cook recorded a season-high 24 points, including 13 points in the final period of play. Cook shot 50% from the field while dishing out five assists and tallying one block and one steal.
Kendall Bostic accounted for the Illini's first eight points of the afternoon, and she ended her outing with 18 points and 11 rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass. The performance marked her fifth double-double of the season and her fifth consecutive game in double figures.
Genesis Bryant knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half, and she amassed 12 points, a team-high four steals, five assists, and four rebounds. Bryant moved her stretch of double-digit scoring displays to four games.
Adalia McKenzie compiled nine points and five rebounds, while Camille Hobby added six points and six rebounds off the bench.
Illinois totaled 17 points off 16 Indiana turnovers, and the Orange and Blue notched 10 second-chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. Recording 10 steals, the Illini combined for 19 fast-break points in the narrow defeat.
Illinois (6-6, 0-2 B1G) returns to State Farm Center on Sunday, Jan. 7, following its three-game road trip. The Fighting Illini will square off with Wisconsin (7-5, 0-2 B1G) in Champaign, with the game airing at 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Postgame Notes
Player Notes:
- Makira Cook scored a team-high 24 points to go along with one rebound and five assists.
- Her first 20-point effort of the season.
- Has at least 17 points in 3-straight games
- Scored 13 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter, going 5-for-8 from the floor.
- Has at least five assists in three-straight games, the longest such streak of her Illini career.
- Went 9-for-18 from the floor, her most field goals of the season.
- Kendall Bostic matched her season-high by scoring 18 points and secured a game-high 11 rebounds.
- Scored the team's first 8 points of the game.
- Scored 14 of her 18 points in the first half to go along with seven rebounds.
- Has scored in double figures in five-straight games, extending her longest such streak of the season.
- Recorded her fifth double-double of the season and the 22nd of her Illini career and is now one double-double away from breaking into Illinois' career top 10.
- Went 9-for-18 from the floor, her most makes of the season.
- Has shot 50 percent or better in 11 of 12 games this campaign.
- Genesis Bryant scored 12 points and added four rebounds and five assists.
- Has scored in double figures in four-straight contests, extending her season-long streak.
- Had four assists in the first half.
- Camille Hobby scored six points and grabbed six rebounds off of the bench.
Team Notes:
- Illinois won the tip but the Hoosiers would open the scoring on their first possession.
- The Illini opened the second half with back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to 2 points before IU responded with a 9-0 run.
- In the third quarter, after IU took a 48-37 lead, Illinois used a 10-1 run to cut the margin to one possession at 49-47.
- Held Indiana without a field goal the last 4:34 of the third quarter.
- Three players (Bostic, Bryant, Cook) finished in double figures for the Illini.
- 10 different Illini have had double-digit scoring efforts this season.
- Illinois out-rebounded Indiana, 35-30, including an 11-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Illini have won the rebounding battle in eight games this season.
- Became just the third team this season to win the rebounding battle against the Hoosiers.
- Scored 10 second-chance points.
- The Illini held a 19-6 advantage in fast break points.
- Season-high mark in that category.
Misc Notes:
- Starters: Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic
- This lineup is now 3-5 on the season.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 28-16 at Illinois
- 155-66 as a Division I coach
- 184-91 overall
- Illinois vs. Indiana: 30-49 (79th meeting)
- Illinois is now 1-2 when wearing orange uniforms
- UI is now 0-2 when playing true road games this season.
- The Illini are now 3-6 in games played before 5 p.m.
- The Illini are now 2-4 in December.
