Going into this game, No. 25 Illinois (21-6, 11-5) had everything going against it: the highest-ranked opponent all season, a new addition to the injury list and a formidable foe in the post. But the Feb. 13 shocking loss to USC (24-2, 14-1) proved that a previously undefeated giant could be slain.
To begin the issues, sophomore guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger limped out of the Nebraska match with an apparent leg injury. Head coach Shauna Green later told the media that the guard reaggravated a hamstring injury she had sustained in practice earlier last week.
Illinois then looked to take on back-to-back top-five competitors, beginning with this matchup against No. 3 UCLA (25-1, 13-1). Finally, junior center Lauren Betts is a powerhouse player who outsizes the tallest starting Illini by four inches.
Bostic, Betts board battle
UCLA’s offense was expected to stretch the already short Illinois defense incredibly thin. The Bruins played through the Illini defense with ease.
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Betts is among the best in the country in blocks, averaging 2.77. Tonight, she had six stuffs. Betts is right behind sophomore guard JuJu Watkins in the conference with 19.5 points per game. To round out her impressive skillset, she also grabs 9.9 rebounds. These talents add up to a 6-foot-7 team leader who is practically unguardable.
Stepping up to the challenge was the fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic-led Illinois defense. To counter the Los Angeles center, Bostic carries her team’s rebound game, averaging 11.1, and lifts the team in scoring with 15.9 points.
Standing five inches shorter than Betts, it was evident that Bostic couldn’t shut her target down alone. Senior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill and freshman forward Berry Wallace, who got her first start today in place of Brown-Hagger, were tasked to step in and double-team the big. They struggled to contain her, and Betts repeatedly squared up over her opponents to pick up easy paint points.
Shorthanded Illini play sloppy
Early fouling from Bostic in the first half allowed freshman center Hayven Smith to see some court time. Her second-quarter appearance was quiet, playing two minutes and blocking one shot. In the third quarter, she stepped in for Bostic again and put up an electric buzzer-beater off a missed triple attempt from fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant. In her four minutes, she also won two critical rebounds to push the ball back into Illinois’ hands. Both led to misses.
Sophomore guard Cori Allen also stepped up tonight. She was good for one field goal but missed the and-one opportunity. However, this basket gave the Illini a push, and they finished out the third quarter with intensity, coming within four for the first time since the opening minutes.
Despite the solid performances from the bench players, the UCLA starters ran circles around the team. They forced the visitors to commit 16 turnovers, their highest total of the month. The hosts scored 17 points off of these mistakes.
The Illini struggled on fast breaks, throwing the ball to players’ feet or directly into their opponents’ hands. They also scored a disappointing two points on fast breaks.
McKenzie steps up, Bryant struggles
Senior guard Adalia McKenzie was why the Illini could stay in sight of a comeback. She was 4-11 from the floor, but the Bruins’ defense stopped her drive attempts. Against bigger opponents, the guard loves to hit a Euro step to get a clear look, but UCLA studied up and shut her out.
However, McKenzie led the low-scoring Illini with 18 points, close to her three most recent outings of 18, 19 and 23, respectively. She has been hitting her stride recently, and this comes at a good time. Her team needs a starting guard who can shoot efficiently and hold her own on defense.
McKenzie looked how Bryant looked in previous games. The latter had an incredibly quiet night, only coming alive in the fourth quarter. She finally showed her chops again beyond the arc, sinking two. This performance would have been better used when it was a two-possession game, but Illinois fell regardless.
Comeback looks
The Bruins were expected to run away with this game, but the Illini certainly made it interesting. The largest lead was a solid 14 points, but the Illini reduced that down to four twice.
The most electric came in the fourth quarter when Bryant knocked down a step-back three. But the Bruins responded with a triple of their own on the next possession, pulling away again. From there, the Illini stayed strong but played a demoralized last period. Illinois converted a solid 16 points to UCLA’s much better 27.
The bench players, Smith and Allen, played a good game, keeping the Illini in it whenever possible. McKenzie put up her fourth 18-plus point game in a row, Bostic had another night of double-digit rebounds and Wallace secured six of her own boards, but it wasn’t enough to beat one of the best teams in the nation.
