By IlliniGuys Staff 

February 23, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Kendall Bostic posted her 52nd career double-double with 14 points and a season-high tying 16 rebounds, but #25 Illinois came up short in their first ever meeting with 4th ranked USC, 76-66 Sunday afternoon.

The heavily-favored Trojans carved out a 39-28 lead just past the halfway mark in the second quarter, only to go cold against a determined Illini defense. They forced USC to miss 14 consecutive field goals attempts as they went on a 14-2 run across the second and third quarters to take a 42-41 lead. The Trojans went more than eight and a half minutes without a field goal.

But USC answered with a 16-5 spurt to end the third quarter and take a 57-47 lead into the final period. The Big Ten co-leader built their lead to 18 points before Illinois (21-7, 11-6 in Big Ten) put together one more rally to close the gap to 74-66 as they ran out of time.

Genesis Bryant scored nine of her 22 points in the fourth quarter, including a trio of three-pointers. She finished 5-of-10 from the arc overall. Berry Wallace scored 14 points while playing a career-high 40 minutes and Adalia McKenzie added 11 points, but also helped hold Big Ten leading scorer JuJu Watkins to 22 points, below her season average of 24.3.

Kiki Iriafen also scored 22 for USC (25-2, 15-1), which remains tied for the Big Ten lead with crosstown rival UCLA. The two will meet this week in Westwood with the conference title on the line.

Illinois will look to tighten up their handles once returning home. After committing 16 turnovers in Thursday's loss at No. 3 UCLA, they recorded 17 turnovers today, leading to 21 USC points.

With back-to-back losses after a program-record eight straight Big Ten wins, Illinois falls a half-game behind Maryland into fifth place in the standings. The Illini host Michigan next Sunday (12;30pm CT, BTN) on Senior Day with a shot at a fourth-place finish and triple-bye in next month's Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

Bostic will also take aim at Jenna Smith's program record for career double-doubles.

A victory would also be Illinois' 12th in conference play, tying a school record set in 1986 and equaled in 1997.