Illinois (20-5, 10-4) earned a hard-fought 67-55 win over Penn State (10-15, 1-13). After being down 48-43 late in the third quarter, the Illini stepped on the gas. They scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to turn a five-point deficit into a 12-point lead.
The defense was outstanding, holding Penn State to seven points in the fourth quarter. The Lady Lions shot 2-16 from the floor, and only two players scored. The Illini forced three turnovers in the quarter as well.
On fire in the fourth
Despite a deficit heading into the final frame, the Illini kept their heads in the game. The offense and defense both had fantastic showings to turn the tide and get the win.
On offense, everything started to click in the fourth. Fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant hit two three-pointers. Senior guard Adalia McKenzie found success at the rim, sinking layups. She redeemed herself at the free-throw line, making two on three attempts.
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The crowd was also a big part of the comeback. State Farm Center got louder as the lead grew smaller. When Bryant hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to four, the crowd erupted. The voices of nearly 4,000 Illinois fans blanketed every Penn State offensive play call.
Fast-break magic
Bryant usually plays as an off-ball guard. However, since fellow fifth-year guard Makira Cook was ruled out for the season, she has stepped into the point guard position. It’s something she’s improved on every game, and it showed against Penn State.
All game, her eyes were up, looking for the next teammate to pass to. On every fast break, she was ready to find the open player. Bryant and McKenzie found a groove in the fast break. Four times, the guard found McKenzie, and four times, McKenzie made points from it. She got the layup to go twice and drew a foul twice.
“This (is) my sister,” McKenzie said. “She knows my game, and I already know she’s going to throw it.”
Their effort led the Illini to a solid performance in transition. They finished the game with 12 points off fast breaks. Their fast-break defense was just as good, allowing no fast-break points to the Lady Lions.
A big paint problem
The Illini have struggled in the paint on defense recently. The game against Penn State was no different. They gave up 22 points in the paint in the first half alone. Redshirt sophomore center Gracie Merkle led the charge for the Lady Lions, scoring 10 points in the first half, all in the paint.
Her presence on offense was more than just a thorn in the side for Illinois — it was more like a tree. Her 6-foot-6 height made her the tallest player on the court at all times, so she got the ball in the hoop no matter who guarded her.
However, the second half looked much different. Merkle only scored five points after halftime. The defense focused on her when she had the ball, ensuring she had no chance at an open shot.
Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic and senior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill converged on Merkle whenever she got the ball in the paint. Both players found more success in the second half than in the first, blocking Merkle multiple times.
“Brynn did a really good job,” McKenzie said. “I think KB did a really good job, too, on her.”
The paint defense still suffered, though. The Illini gave up 34 total points in the paint. It is now the fourth time in five games that they have coughed up 30 or more points in the paint. With tough paint teams on the horizon, Illinois must find an answer to its paint problems.
Not-so-charitable stripe
Another problem the Illini faced was their free throw shooting. Even though it’s normally one of their strengths, they went 14-20 from the charity stripe.
Illinois leads the Big Ten in free throw percentage. It’s something the team leans on when the shots aren’t falling. That is exactly what was supposed to happen against Penn State. The team shot poorly from the floor, and its normally stout free-throw shooting did not help.
It was cleaned up in the fourth quarter, where Illinois shot 8-9 from the charity stripe. The improvement from the line helped in its effort to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Lucky number 7
With the win over Penn State, Illinois has a seven-game win streak. After a blowout loss against No. 22 Michigan State (19-5, 9-4), the team won seven straight games and has jumped up to No. 4 in the Big Ten standings.
When asked about the win streak, Bryant spoke about the team’s chemistry.
“I think we’re thriving right now,” Bryant said. “We just are so connected. We’re so together.”
The win also gives the Illini their 20th win of the season. This is the quickest the team has ever gotten to 20 wins in program history.
Next up
Illinois is back home against Nebraska (17-8, 8-6) on Sunday at 4 p.m.
@ben_some16
