For the second weekend in a row, the Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball team competed against all men’s teams, winning a 54-33 game against the University of Missouri and barely losing to the University of Alabama 51-49.

“A lot of men play really flashy, but the women played more like a team and we definitely showed that this weekend,” senior captain Carlee Hoffman said. “We came out on fire, we shot really well and we just played fundamental team basketball.”

Indeed, the Illini women shot 46.4 percent to Missouri’s 26.4 percent, and despite losing the game against Alabama, shot 46.8 percent from the field compared to Alabama’s 35.8 percent.

Hoffman scored 20 points in the Missouri win and 25 points against Alabama, shooting 10-for-13 in the latter game and making all four of her three-point shots.

“(Hoffman) really worked on her three-point shot,” head coach Patty Cisneros said. “She was clutch … she had an awesome tournament.”

In addition, the women played the University of Arizona and the University of Texas-Arlington, losing 73-58 and 66-50, respectively.

Cisneros said that she used the tough competition to get some of the younger players more experience since the team will lose some seniors this year. Freshman Shawna Culp saw minutes in every game and tried to work on taking on different roles on the court.

“I’m not a big post player, per se, and I’m not a short, fast ball handler,” Culp said. “I kind of have to play all those roles if I’m needed there.”

Despite some tough losses in the past few tournaments, the team will be playing women’s teams once again at the Denver Invitational tournament this weekend.

“We came out of this tournament with a bigger understanding of what we can do, and not just against men’s teams,” Hoffman said. “We still have to prove to those girls that they can’t touch us, that we’re just so strong and solid.”

The Denver tournament will be the last away tournament for the team as the women’s national tournament is coming up at the end of the month.

“The fact that it’s getting closer really makes us push harder the last stretch to get as good as we can, as fast as we can,” Culp said.