ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Leigha Brown scored 27 points to propel No. 18 Michigan to a 74-57 victory over Illinois on Thursday night.
Brown sank 10 of 13 shots from the floor and all seven of her free throws for the Wolverines (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten Conference). She added five assists and four rebounds. Maddie Nolan and Emily Kiser scored 10 points apiece. Kiser snagged six rebounds.
Kendall Bostic and Genesis Bryant both had 18 points to pace the Fighting Illini (17-6, 7-5).
Brown scored 11 points in the second quarter and Michigan turned a five-point first-quarter lead into a 41-22 advantage at halftime. The Wolverines shot a blistering 59.3% in the first half (16 of 27). Illinois shot 28.6% overall (8 of 28) and made only 3 of 15 from 3-point range.
Bostic scored eight points in the third quarter and the Illini pulled within 55-41 by quarter’s end.
Michigan made half of its 52 shots in the game, but the Wolverines connected on only 3 of 17 from distance. Michigan was 19 of 22 at the free-throw line. Illinois shot 38% overall and hit 6 of 25 from beyond the arc. The Illini made 5 of 6 foul shots. Illinois grabbed 11 offensive rebounds but scored just two second-chance points.
Illinois, which hasn’t beaten Michigan since 2014, trailed for all but 61 seconds and never led.
It was the only meeting of the season between the two schools and the first time they matched up against each other in a little over two years. Last season’s scheduled meeting was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.