INDIANAPOLIS, IL (Chambana Today) — The Illini women’s basketball earned a hard-fought 71-69 win over #7 No. 18 Michigan State Spartans women’s basketball on Thursday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
Five Illini players scored in double figures, led by Cearah Parchment with 15 points and six rebounds and Destiny Jackson who added 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a block. Berry Wallace extended her streak of double-digit games to 21 with 11 points, while Jasmine Brown-Hagger and Maddie Webber contributed 12 and 13 points, respectively.
Illinois overcame a slow start and seven first-quarter turnovers, holding Michigan State to one field goal in the final four minutes of the third quarter to enter the fourth with a 53-48 lead. The Illini established their largest advantage of the night, 57-48, early in the fourth quarter and held off the Spartans to secure the win.
The victory marks Illinois’ first multiple-win performance at a single Big Ten Tournament since the 2010-11 season and the third ranked victory of the campaign under head coach Shauna Green. With the win, Green moved into sole possession of second place on Illinois’ all-time coaching win list with 84 victories.
Illinois will face No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball in the quarterfinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.