2/12- Illini Women Win 2nd Straight

Illini Continue Late-Season Run with 60-46 Win Over Northwestern Smith, Simpson Propel Illinois 19th Straight Victory Over Wildcats CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini continued their winning ways over Northwestern, defeating the Wildcats 60-46 at Assembly Hall on Thursday. Illinois has now won 19 straight games over Northwestern and eight straight in Champaign. The Orange and Blue also continued their winning ways in the Big Ten, with four victories in the last five games. As they have all season, junior stars Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson led Illinois on both ends of the court. Smith scored a game-high 21 points, also contributing six rebounds and four blocks. Simpson, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Smith has now scored in double figures in 33 consecutive games and scored over 20 points for the 10th time this season, while Simpson now has nine double-doubles on the season and conference-best seven in Big Ten play. The difference in the game was turnovers, with Illinois committing a season-low seven miscues and forcing Northwestern into 18 turnovers. The Orange and Blue then capitalized on the other end, outscoring the Wildcats 17-1 on points off turnovers, led by Simpson and Smiths defensive efforts. The game was played evenly in the first half, with Northwestern taking a 6-2 lead at the 14:28 mark. Illinois then scored six quick points over the next 1:30 capped by a jumper from Simpson to take an 8-6 lead. The Wildcats would never lead the rest of the way, but hung close in the first half, keeping the game within six points, 26-20, at the break. For the half, Illinois had seven steals and scored 12 points off turnovers to Northwesterns zero. The Illini broke the game open in the second half, as a three-pointer by freshman Macie Blinn pushed the lead to 10 points, 35-25, at the 16:02 mark. Northwestern clawed back to within six points behind five straight points from sophomore center Amy Jaeschke to make the score 46-40 at the 7:20 mark and got as close as four points, 48-44, with 5:11 to play. From that point on it was all Orange and Blue, however, as Illinois held Northwestern without a field goal the rest of the way and went on a 12-2 run to close out the game. Freshman guard Fabiola Josil was a key factor down the stretch, hitting four-of-five free throw attempts. In the game, Illinois shot 38 percent (25-66) to Northwesterns 31 percent (16-of-51). Both teams struggled from behind the arc, with the Illini hitting just 1-of-7 three-point attempts and the Wildcats shooting 10 percent (1-of-10). Northwestern won the rebounding battle 41-37 behind a game-high 16 boards by Jaeschke, while Illinois outscored the Wildcats 24-16 in the paint. Northwestern got to the free throw line nearly double what Illinois did, but shot only 62 percent (13-of-21) from the charity stripe. Josil and fellow freshman Lydia McCully each scored eight points, with McCully grabbing a career-high seven rebounds. Blinn had seven points and also had a career-high with five boards. The Fighting Illini will now head to West Lafayette, Ind., to face Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 15. The Illinois-Purdue game will be televised regionally on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT as part of ESPNs "February Frenzy" to support the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund of the V Foundation.