(From Illinois' Sports Information Office)
January 28, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois fought back from an 11-point halftime deficit to secure a comeback victory over Minnesota, 73-68, at State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Fighting Illini trailed by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, though 12 points from Genesis Bryant and nine points from Camille Hobby in the final period of play helped the Orange and Blue snap a two-game skid and return to winning ways.
Illinois outscored Minnesota, 45-29, in the second half, while the Illini won the battle in the paint both in rebounding (36-34) and in points in the paint (36-26).
After scoring two points in the first half, Bryant scored 17 points while playing all 20 minutes after the break en route to a 19-point performance. Bryant knocked down two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter alone, bringing her up to three on the day, while she also dished a season-high seven assists and grabbed five rebounds. Her two blocks tied a career-best mark, and she also recorded one steal.
Hobby scored the first four points of the afternoon and never slowed down, finishing with a season-high 19 points and six rebounds. Hobby shot 80% from the field in the fourth quarter, and her hook shot with 19 seconds to play clinched the victory. Tallying double figures in four of the last five games, Hobby also recorded one steal on the defensive end of the floor.
Makira Cook reached double figures in the second quarter before amassing a team-high 22 points. The Illini outscored the Golden Gophers by seven points in the third quarter, and Cook played a big role in that turnaround with 10 points in that frame alone. Pouring in double-digit points for the fifth game in a row, Cook also notched four assists, three rebounds, and one steal.
Kendall Bostic dominated on the glass once again, accumulating a team-high 17 rebounds to go along with six points. Bostic has now totaled 35 total rebounds over the last two games, and she also dished out a season-high five assists, the second-highest total in her career and her most in a game since the 2021-22 season.
The Illini's first four points of the day came from Hobby, who began 2-for-2 from the field. After the Golden Gophers took a 9-8 lead, the Orange and Blue used a 7-0 run to turn their one-point deficit into a six-point edge. Cook started the team's scoring stretch with a triple before Gretchen Dolan scored the final four points of that run over the span of 93 seconds. Cook's team-high five points in the first quarter gave the hosts a 15-14 edge through 10 minutes of play.
The two sides traded buckets through the first six minutes of the second quarter, with neither team holding more than a three-point advantage during that span. Cook moved into double figures with her second 3-pointer of the day, though the Golden Gophers scored the final 14 points of the first half.
The visitors held a 39-28 lead through 20 minutes. Six Illini scorers tallied at least one field goal, while Cook's 10 points were a team-high mark at the intermission.
Cook knocked down her third 3-pointer early in the second half, which cut the Illini's deficit to single digits. Trailing by 11 points with two-and-a-half minutes, Illinois used a 7-0 scoring run that included Bryant's first triple of the afternoon to cut their deficit to four points. Cook scored 10 points in the third quarter, though the Illini took a 54-50 deficit into the final period of play.
The Golden Gophers extended their advantage to seven points early in the fourth quarter, though the Illini's next seven points came from Bryant to cut the team's deficit to two points. Those seven points sparked a 16-3 run for the Illini, which put Illinois in front by seven points. Hobby and Bryant combined for all 16 points during that stretch, and the Illini never looked back.
The Orange and Blue fought off a late comeback effort from the Golden Gophers. Minnesota cut its deficit to one point with 35 seconds to play, but Hobby's jumper on a feed from Bostic extended the Illinois edge to three points with 19 seconds left on the clock. Cook hit clutch free throws late in the game to seal the win in front of a rowdy State Farm Center crowd.
Illinois (9-10, 3-6 B1G) begins a two-game road trip on Wednesday, when the Illini travel to the Wolverine State for a rematch with Michigan. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+ from Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.
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