No. 25 Illinois (15-4, 5-3) earned itself a very deserving 74-71 win at home against Northwestern (8-11, 2-6). Despite pressure in the first half from the Wildcats’ defense, the Illini found a surge of energy late in the second quarter that kept going into the last two quarters.
“I’m really proud of how we finished the game and our toughness down the stretch getting stops,” said head coach Shauna Green.
Despite being without redshirt sophomore guard Gretchen Dolan once again, the Illini worked around her absence in a much better way than they did Thursday against the Wolverines.
”We look a little different right?” Green said. “We need Gretch (Dolan). Everyone knows that. She’s a great player. She does so much on both ends.”
Even without one of their star players, the Illini found a way to come out on top against the Wildcats in a dramatic fashion.
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Second chance points, free throws allow Illini to maintain lead
“That’s all we’ve been talking about,” Green said. “We have not been rebounding well and we have not been getting to the free-throw line. You guys know us. That’s who we are. That’s in our DNA.”
The Illini got back to some of their core principles, like Green mentioned, and that desperately helped them win.
Miraculously, Illinois managed a win despite Northwestern’s better shooting percentages in the paint and from beyond the arc. The win all boiled down to the Illini’s 19 made free throws.
From the free-throw line, the Illini went 19 for 22, whereas the Wildcats only went 7 for 9. If free throws weren’t a factor, the Illini would’ve lost 55-64. Illinois can’t keep relying on its opponents to foul so they can get to the free-throw line. Instead, Illinois needs to focus more on making shots in the paint and from beyond the arc.
The Illini were 37.9% from their field goals and 27.8% from three. The Wildcats, on the other hand, shot 45.2% on their field goals and 40% from three. Northwestern definitely outperformed Illinois today and it truly could have gone either way.
Another way the Illini managed to have a lead was their efficiency when it came to offensive rebounds and second chance points. The Illini clearly outperformed the Wildcats when it came to these two factors. Northwestern only had eight second chance points and seven offensive rebounds, but Illinois had 23 and 18, respectively.
The offensive rebounds Illinois managed were a great way for it to keep the ball in its hand and make up for a previously missed attempt. On the other end of the court, Illinois was also active grabbing defensive rebounds. The Illini once again out-rebounded the Wildcats 24 to their 20. Illinois being active on the glass was a key way to shut down Northwestern and take the victory.
Guyton, Vasconcelos step up to the plate
The Illini had two players step up to the plate against Northwestern: sophomore guard Aaliyah Guyton and redshirt sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos. Guyton filled the shoes of Dolan in the starting lineup and had one of her best games yet.
Guyton had her best game with minutes and scoring as a result of her field goals made and three-point shots.
“She’s been out of games, but she’s been out of a lot of practice,” Green said about Guyton. “She’s finally been consistent and practiced high game times.”
After Guyton was out earlier in the season on and off, it’s great to finally see her playing at a high level. All around, Guyton showcased that she is a dependable player on the court and can step up and be a starter when needed.
Vasconcelos was one of the Illini’s most consistent players on the court today. In 14 minutes, she scored eight points. She made 2 out of her 3 free throws and went 3 for 4 on her field goal attempts. The Brazilian especially stepped up to the plate with four offensive rebounds and one defensive rebound. She was also an active part of the defense and used her size as an advantage against Northwestern’s offense.
“I think this was her best game in a long time,” Green said about Vasconcelos. “Everyday she’s putting in the work. She’s getting extra workouts individually in terms of basketball, in terms of conditioning, in terms of everything. She’s putting the work in and when you do that you know that it’s going to show up at some point.”
Vasconcelos’ continued growth on the court and her dedication off the court showcase her determination to show up for her team. If she continues to perform at the level she did today, she should be seeing much more time on the court in the latter half of the season.
Consistent yet frustrating game play
While frustrating at times, the Illini stayed consistent against the Wildcats. Each quarter, the Illini let the Wildcats get close before taking the lead. Just when fans thought Illinois had a steady lead, Northwestern managed to get close yet again
The majority of the fourth quarter consisted of Northwestern trailing closely behind Illinois. Sunday’s game truly boiled down to the final seconds. After Illinois ended the second and third quarter with a seven-point lead, it appeared that it had finally found its footing
That was not the case. The Wildcats charged after the Illini in the fourth quarter, and due to their fouls, they handed the Illini a victory. Northwestern had six team fouls in the final ten minutes. That resulted in sending Illinois to the free-throw line 10 times, where it went 8 for 10.
Illinois’ gameplay today was consistent since it followed the same cycle of getting in the lead then letting Northwestern get close. However, this proved to be frustrating in the final minutes of the game since the Wildcats were able to keep it at a one-possession game.
Even though they managed to win, it might not be enough for the Illini to hold onto their Associated Press ranking before facing the No. 24 Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-4, 3-4) on Saturday.
@lauram0131
