Illinois (16-5, 6-4) held off Rutgers (9-13, 1-10) in a nail-biter, winning 69-65. The Illini fought back to force overtime, where they outscored the Scarlet Knights 8-4. Fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant led both teams in scoring with 28 points. Rutgers freshman guard Kiyomi McMiller finished with 22 points. 

Despite only having one conference win, the Scarlet Knights are not a weak team. They consistently pushed back, no matter how hard the Illini tried to keep a lead. Bryant was the difference, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. 

Here are some highs and lows from a very close game in Piscataway, New Jersey. 

High: Bryant

Unstoppable is too weak a word to describe Bryant’s performance against Rutgers. She scored 28 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win. Even more impressive, she was never benched. Bryant played all 40 minutes in regulation and clocked five more in overtime. 

She was on fire from beyond the arc, making a season-high five three-pointers. Bryant’s timing and effort were impeccable. She made three of her five three-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping the Illini fight back from a 49-42 deficit. 

Not only did she score, she also showed up in the clutch. With less than five seconds left in the game, Bryant stood strong in the paint as McMiller ran into her. Bryant drew the charge and got the ball back for Illinois, stopping Rutgers from attempting a game-winning shot. 

Her clutch performance didn’t stop there. She also got fouled outside the three-point line in overtime. She went to the line and sank all three free throws, giving Illinois a one-point lead. The Illini didn’t give this lead back for the rest of overtime. 

Low: Turnovers

While Illinois is a team that normally excels at keeping the ball safe, it struggled with turnovers against Rutgers. The Illini averaged 12.6 per game this season. They coughed up the ball 10 times in the first half alone. 

The Illini struggled with the full-court press early in the game. They threw errant passes and had a few intercepted while trying to push the ball up the floor. While they did get better playing against the press, the sloppy passing continued throughout the game. 

Passes that are normally effortless for the Illini were thrown away. The Scarlet Knights didn’t make it easy on them, either. Senior forward Destiny Adams had five steals, consistently getting into the passing lanes. Even if she didn’t get a steal, her effort slowed the Illini offense down. 

High: 3-point shooting 

Illinois is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten regarding three-point percentage. It makes 30.6% of its threes and fewer than five each game. Against Rutgers, it made eight three-pointers, much better than its average. The improved shooting made a huge difference in the game for the Illini. 

After a late surge from the Scarlet Knights, the three-point ball from the Illini helped them fight back. Though it failed to make a single three-pointer against No. 22 Michigan State (17-4, 7-3), Illinois has now gone three straight games making six or more three-pointers. It’s been a rocky season from beyond the arc, so seeing consistency is promising as the postseason approaches. 

Low: Foul trouble 

It was a physical battle between both teams, especially under the basket. As a team, the Illini picked up 18 fouls. Every starter had two or more personal fouls. The fouls ramped up even more when Adams returned to action in the second half. 

Combined with the turnovers, the foul trouble for Illinois made the game a tight race. The lead changed multiple times throughout the second half. Rutgers benefitted, visiting the charity stripe 17 times and sinking 12. 

Adams alone went to the line nine times. However, her poor shooting is a huge reason why Illinois hung around late in the game. She missed four total free throws, including two in overtime. It was a huge missed opportunity as the Illini won by four points. 

With a tough trip out west coming up for Illinois at the end of February, it will have to make sure to keep the fouls to a minimum. No. 1 UCLA (20-0, 8-0) and No. 4 USC (18-1, 8-0) have taller, more physical lineups. Fouling too much will make the uphill battle even steeper. 

Next up

Illinois will travel to No. 14 Maryland (17-4, 7-3) next. The Terrapins are the Illini’s highest-ranked opponent since they played the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes (19-1, 8-1) in December. 

@ben_some16

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