Illinois (18-8, 8-7) closed out its homestand with a 76-56 win against Rutgers (9-17, 1-14). The Illini came together to outscore and outperform Scarlet Knights in every aspect. Illinois put up a better shooting performance from all three levels, outscored Rutgers in the paint, got nearly double points off of turnovers and got five times the amount of fast break points.
“I thought we played a really solid game overall, for a good solid three quarters,” said head coach Shauna Green. “Again, that last couple minutes wasn’t up to par, but overall, I’m really, really happy with how we defended. We got good shots, we just didn’t make some of those shots.”
Illinois had four key players that were crucial for the victory that now starts Illinois on a two game win streak after back-to-back losses.
Parchment powers through all
Freshman forward Cearah Parchment once again proved why she is a force to be reckoned with. She was a key piece of Illinois’ offense once again on Tuesday night. She ended the night with 20 points. These 20 points came from 8 for 12 overall and 3 for 5 from beyond the arc and-1 for 1 from the free throw line.
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Near the end of the first quarter, Parchment seemed to be the only one with extra drive and motivation. She was fighting on the glass to grab rebounds and had a newfound sense of urgency and when it came to playing defense.
The Canadian was super active on both ends of the court. She was a clear fighter for Illinois. With minutes to go in the second quarter, Parchment got a fast break layup and an and-1 to help push Illinois further in the lead.
On top of her offensive efforts, Parchment was also once again the most active player when it came to grabbing rebounds. She amassed a total of 10 rebounds, all of which were defensive rebounds.
“I think I’ve just seen her grow a lot in her leadership on the court,” said sophomore forward Berry Wallace of Parchment. “I think she always steps up to the moment and she does a great job just taking whatever the defense gives her.”
Her constant energy, grit and determination on the court is reflected with her performance each game. On top of that, her points-rebound performance marks her tenth double-double of the season, the most out of anyone on the team this season.
Berry bounces back
Ever since a broken nose and black eye during Illinois’ West Coast trip, Wallace has been struggling to play to her normal standard. However, against Rutgers, Wallace bounced back to her normal 20 point games. In addition to her 20 points, she nearly secured a double-double on top of it.
Wallace ended the night as Illinois’ leading scorer with 21 points. The Ohio native also had five offensive rebounds and four defensive rebounds. She was the most active player when it came to grabbing offensive rebounds and it paid off since Illinois got nine second chance points.
“She doesn’t get to move anywhere without someone hitting her and chucking her, whatever you want to say,” Green said of the defensive pressure on Wallace. “It’s a physical game at the highest level. I think she’s starting to understand how to still do what she does.”
Another way Wallace is able to succeed is taking all of the hits and contacts she does during the game. No matter what gets thrown at her, Wallace is always back up on her feet and ready to continue to help her team out.
Against Rutgers, Wallace was the player who attempted the most field goals. Overall, she went 9 for 18 from the field. Her fight to take shots no matter what is partially what makes her play like a more experienced veteran despite just being on her second collegiate season.
The sophomore was leading Illinois and seemed to have her normal energy on the court once again. On top of 20 points and nine rebounds, Wallace also grabbed a steal and a block during her defensive performance.
Vasconcelos’ fight
Redshirt sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos proved that you don’t need the most minutes on the court to make an impact. Despite only playing 13 minutes, the Brazilian made the most out of those minutes.
Vasconcelos had her best night from the paint. She made four out of her five shots for a total of 8 points in the paint. While her only shot from the charity stripe was from an and-1, she made that as well for easy points for Illinois.
On the glass, Vasconcelos used her height to her advantage and was towering over Rutgers to grab rebounds.
As for her defense, Vasconcelos is learning consistency when it comes to clean and accurate defensive skills. She ended the contest with two fouls. Both of these fouls also came late in the fourth quarter right before Green put in her full bench rotation. This has not always been the case for Vasconcelos this season. She has fouled out of several games this season so far.
It is important that she is growing in the right direction as the season goes on. Not only is she growing her defense and learning to minimize her fouls, but she is also becoming a consistent scorer. With her 9 points against Rutgers, Vasconcelos set a new career high in points.
“It wasn’t your normal just ACL,” Green said of Vasconcelos’ injury last season. “The girl, she went through it, right? And to see her now out there and calling her own play and the reaction and the passion that she’s playing with after, it’s awesome.”
Vasconcelos’ fight and determination has been a long time coming. After being out for nearly two years from a game, she is finally back. Her return is showcasing just how much talent she can bring to Illinois.
Maddie’s X-factor
Junior guard Maddie Webber was also doing a little bit of it all during the contest against Rutgers.
From defensive pressure on Rutgers, to rebounds, assists and making her shots, Webber was moving nonstop on the court.
Webber secured her first points of the night with just over 30 seconds to go in the second quarter. After grabbing a defensive rebound, Webber went back and got a buzzer beater layup to help Illinois enter halftime 35-21.
That sequence of events from Webber showcases just how impactful her spark off the bench can be. In her almost 25 minutes of play, Webber went 4 for 8 from the field including one three-point shot made. Webber’s spark is undeniable and translates to the crowd. When she made her three-point shot during the third quarter, the crowd at State Farm Center completely erupted and started cheering.
“She’s been absolutely huge,” Green said of Webber’s impact on the team. “I’ve said it all along, she’s our X-factor. She’s just so efficient right now and that’s the biggest thing, right?”
Another special factor about Webber is her transition into the team. Despite being a rookie player this season, Webber already has two seasons of collegiate basketball under her belt.
Illinois a short break before traveling up to Evanston, IL this weekend. Sunday, Illinois takes on the Northwestern Wildcats (8-17, 2-12) for the second time this season. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CST.
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