Fighting Illini Women’s Basketball was unable to complete a comeback against its toughest opponent of the season, losing 80-67 against No. 2 UCLA (20-1, 10-0). The team has now lost five out of its last seven games since upsetting No. 7 Maryland on New Year’s Day.
Illinois struggles in first half, finds a second wind
The Illini were only able to make nine out of their 30 shots in the first half, leaving them to play catch-up to the Bruins.
Sophomore Lety Vasconcelos made her first start of the season with the hopes of slowing down the Bruins leading scorer, senior center Lauren Betts. As the first half went on, Illinois dug itself into a deeper hole as the Bruins gained a 16-point lead near halftime.
Coming out of halftime, the Illini found some life in the third quarter as the team was able to cut the lead down to within five points.
Freshman center Cearah Parchment scored 19 points in the second half to give the Illini a fighting chance heading into the final quarter. But Illinois’ rough shooting night continued through the end left no time for Illinois to upset the Bruins.
Parchment ultimately fouled out of the game with 26 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard Destiny Jackson scored 15 points in the loss.
UCLA dominates in State Farm Center
The Bruins made sure to use Illinois’ focus on Betts to its advantage. UCLA attacked the basket and kept the Illini on their toes, scoring 26 of their 45 first-half points in the paint.
The Bruins only made one three-point shot the entire game.
UCLA head coach Cori Close said Illinois was one of the first teams in a while that avoided trying to double-team Betts and focus on stopping the three-point show.
“If you are going to do that then we are going to pound the paint,” said Close. “It got us to the free throw line. So it was much more of a stylistic thing, and not a ‘we didn’t make threes’ thing.”
After a low-scoring third quarter, UCLA went into the fourth quarter scoring seven straight points to bring its lead back to 14. Betts took the game into her hands as she went on to score 23 points and lead the Bruins to stay undefeated in the Big Ten.
At the end of the game, Close had a message for Illinois as it grows its program.
“If [Illinois] can stay together through the ups and downs and fight the urge to choose themselves and look elsewhere…they can be in a special place,” said Close. “The grass isn’t greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water.”
Up next
Illinois will travel to Seattle and take on No. 25 Washington in hopes of regaining some winning momentum to start off the new month. Tipoff is set for Sunday, February 1st at 5 PM.