State Farm Center was filled with energetic fans of all ages as No. 3 Illinois (11-16) women’s wheelchair basketball defeated No. 6 City University of New York (CUNY) in dominating fashion, 72-17 on Friday.
The energy in the arena was through the roof as schools took the opportunity to bring their students on a Friday field trip to enjoy the game. Head coach Stephanie Wheeler complimented the atmosphere.
“You could hear their screams, you could hear their I-L-Ls, you could hear them say the names of the players,” Wheeler said. “It’s that kind of energy that translates on court.”
Before moving on to the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBIT) semifinals later, here’s what the Illini did to come out on top Friday morning.
Getting it done early
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From the tip, Illinois had an energy on offense that couldn’t be outmatched. This energy began with its defense. CUNY struggled to find any way to put points on the board early because of Illinois’s size inside and ball pressure on the perimeter.
“We’ve been talking a lot about controlling the things that we can control,” Wheeler said. “We can always control how much we talk to each other and then our defense, being really aggressive and communicating to each other.”
Illinois’ defensive intensity boosted its offense to success in the first quarter. As the Beavers continued to not convert near the rim, the Illini used that to fuel their fast break. Graduate student Jade Atkin scored four quick points on the break and forced a timeout by CUNY to stop Illinois’ 10-2 run.
However, the timeout wasn’t much help for the Beavers. Illinois sustained its dominance on both ends of the floor. Later, the team went on a 14-0 run before CUNY called another timeout. Then, a backcourt violation from the Beavers to end the quarter placed the cherry on top of the Illini’s 26-2 start.
No answer for Atkin
The Illini’s offensive strength lies in the paint where most of their points are scored. This is greatly due to Atkin’s domination. Her height and strength give Illinois the edge it needs to outmatch its opponents.
“I use it (strength and height) well,” Atkin said. “Through my dominance, I know where I want to go. I work to get to that place and then my height is just a bonus.”
Atkin finished the game Friday morning with 21 points to lead all scorers and out-score the Beavers by herself. Although she is strongest by the basket, Atkin scored her points in various ways. Whether it was on leading the fast break or putting in a short jump shot, Atkin made her presence known, and CUNY suffered because of it.
While Atkin’s scoring is a huge contribution to the team, her ability to lead on and off the court shouldn’t be overlooked. As one of the oldest Illini, Atkin emphasizes guiding her younger teammates.
“I have a lot more experience than a lot of the other players,” Atkin said. “I come from the UK, so I have the experience of playing with Great Britain. I think my leadership skills come from all my experiences and I love to share my experiences with others and equally grow with them.”
When Atkin was on the sidelines, scoring was tougher for the rest of her teammates. In the second quarter, the Illini only scored two points in their first five minutes of play. Luckily, the team regrouped and another graduate student stepped up. Mary Wagstaff had seven points in the quarter to rejuvenate the Illinois offense before halftime.
After the game, Wheeler touched on her eagerness to see her team’s ability to fight hard in the finales of the tournament.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them come out and be able to show on the court the things that we’ve been working on all season in practice,” Wheeler said. “Also just to be in the moment and have fun with each other. You don’t get to play in this kind of environment often.”
Finishing strong
After this victory, Illinois played No. 2 University of Texas-Arlington at 6 p.m. on Friday. In this semifinal matchup, the Illini gave it all they had, but fell short to the Mavericks, 59-40. That loss set them up to play the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats in hopes of securing the third-place title.
Against the Wildcats, the first half was neck-and-neck almost the entire way through. The Illini then began to pull away and led 26-18 going into halftime. After the break, Illinois came out strong and never looked back.
The Illini were smart on defense and made multiple vital steals from the Wildcats. Simultaneously, they kept up their offensive prowess and maintained a lead the whole half. Arizona crept up at the end of the third, but Illinois soared past in the fourth and sealed the deal.
Illinois took home third place with a 62-37 finish in front of its home crowd with pride.
