CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois remained perfect on its home court this season with a 64-59 victory over Oregon on Saturday afternoon in the Fighting Illini's Big Ten home opener.
Four scorers finished in double figures as the Orange and Blue won its 13th-consecutive game at State Farm Center.
Scoring in double figures for the fifth-straight game, Bryant registered a game-high 23 points while going 16-for-17 from the free-throw line. Bryant also totaled a season-high seven rebounds and made one assist.
Gretchen Dolan marked her return following a five-game absence with 13 points on a 5-for-9 shooting mark. Dolan, who recorded a team-best +13 when she was on the floor, made three 3-pointers, grabbed five rebounds, and made a steal.
Kendall Bostic secured her fifth-consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and she also added a block and a steal.
Adalia McKenzie poured in 10 points while making eight free throws. She also hauled in seven rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block.
Bryant scored the Illini's first eight points of the afternoon, but the Ducks took a six-point edge within the first three minutes of the game. Holding Oregon to only one made field goal over the final five-and-a-half minutes of the first quarter, Illinois started to find its groove offensively. Five-consecutive points from Dolan gave the home side its first lead of the day, and the Orange and Blue scored the final eight points of the frame to take a 21-11 advantage after one period of play.
The Illini extended their lead to 12 within the first 30 seconds of the second quarter, but the visitors reduced their deficit to 23-22 following an 11-0 run from the Ducks. Bryant's 3-pointer ended that scoring stretch to push the hosts' lead up to four, but a buzzer-beating trey from Oregon sent the sides into the break with the Illini narrowly ahead, 28-27.
Bryant, the lone scorer to reach double figures in the first half, posted a game-high 13 points after the first 20 minutes of action.
With Illinois' advantage still sitting at just one point halfway through the third quarter, a 7-2 Illini run moved the home side's edge to 40-34 with 2:19 left in the frame. Brown-Hagger scored the first four points and converted an and-1 layup during that stretch before McKenzie tallied the final three points to give Illinois a six-point lead.
An 8-0 Oregon run between the third and fourth quarters saw the Ducks take a 42-40 advantage, the visitors' first lead since the first quarter. After Dolan made a 3-pointer to put Illinois back in front, Oregon made a triple of its own on its next possession to retake the lead.
The away side extended their edge to four points, but a 7-0 Illini run put the Orange and Blue ahead once again. Dolan scored five points during that 90-second stretch, including a corner three to send Illinois' advantage to 50-47 with 6:46 to play.
A 4-0 Oregon run put the visitors briefly in front before Illinois countered with a 4-0 run of its own to establish a 54-51 edge. With the Illini's advantage down to two points with under one minute remaining, Bostic corralled an offensive rebound before getting fouled. Making both free throws, Bostic secured her double-double and moved Illinois' lead to 59-55 with 47.9 seconds left.
The Ducks cut their deficit in half before McKenzie's two free throws re-established the Illini's four-point lead, 61-57, with 33 seconds to go. Oregon once again found an answer to cut into Illinois' advantage before Illinois made its final three free throws while getting stops on the other end of the floor to secure the five-point win.
Illinois concludes its five-game homestand on Tuesday, when Washington comes to town. The New Year's Eve conference clash is set for 12 p.m. CT and will air on Big Ten Network, while tickets are available at
FightingIllini.com.
