Round 1 loss likely ends IU’s season

Third time’s not the charm.

The IU women’s basketball team won both games against Illinois in the regular season but lost when it mattered most.

The Hoosiers (14-16, 7-12) overcame a sloppy offensive performance and nearly pulled off a comeback before falling to the Fighting Illini (16-13, 8-11) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“We wanted that game so bad,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said of the 59-53 loss. “I thought we had a great game plan. We got opening shots. Just the stars weren’t lined up.”

All game long, IU could not capitalize on offense when given breaks in the form of 25 Illinois turnovers.

The Hoosiers shot a meager 27.4 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers themselves.

Junior guard Jori Davis led IU in scoring with 20 points, but the Second Team All-Big Ten selection couldn’t find her rhythm until midway through the second half. Davis scored just three points in the first half.

Senior guard Jamie Braun scored 13 points, all in the first half, and led the Hoosiers with eight rebounds in what was probably her final game at IU.

“I’m only taking the positives out of this,” Braun said. “We may not have hung up a banner or made the NCAA tournament, but we worked hard every day to do what we needed to do and just fell short.”

While the Fighting Illini weren’t able to run away with the game, they rode the monster performances of their two senior stars, center Jenna Smith and guard Lacey Simpson.
“I trust those seniors and knew they would come through for us down the stretch,” Illinois coach Jolette Law said.

The Hoosiers had no answer for Smith, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 19 rebounds despite being double- and triple-teamed throughout the game.

“I was playing like it was my last (game),” said the First Team All-Big Ten selection. “I give it up for my teammates and family. When we have confidence, it’s hard to stop us.”

Simpson added 12 points, seven rebounds and eight steals while IU concentrated heavily on Smith.

The play of the Illinois seniors and the offensive struggles of the Hoosiers were evident early.

The Fighting Illini led by six points twice in the first half, and Braun was IU’s only scoring threat. Davis went 1-for-7, and junior forward Hope Elam had the Hoosiers’ second-highest scoring total — four points.

Davis finally hit her first field goal with 5:12 left in the first half to bring IU within a point.

However, the Hoosiers couldn’t take the lead from Illinois because of missed shots
and turnovers and trailed the Fighting Illini 26-25 at the break.

Smith and Simpson continued dominating in the second half, and the game seemed
well in hand with Smith’s jump shot to put Illinois up 52-43 with 6:26 remaining.

However, Davis hit her stride in the second half and would not let her team concede defeat, scoring a jumper with 3:38 to put IU back within seven.

“The time was against us, and we really needed to take it to another level, and that’s basically what we did,” she said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t take it to that other level earlier in the game.”

Neither team scored again until 1:04 to play, when Davis again stepped up and drained a 3-pointer to bring IU within four.

But despite the late comeback, it was not enough for the Hoosiers.  

With the win, the Fighting Illini advanced to the quarterfinals and will play top-seeded Ohio State.

The Hoosiers must wait and learn if their season has come to an end. Legette-Jack said that either way, the program’s long-term goals remain the same.

“We’re not going anywhere until we add to those five championships that our men put up there in that beautiful hall,” she said. “Our goals are big; our dreams are high.
We’re going to go out there and attain them.”