Michigan
9-0,4-0Big Ten
Illinois
2-6,0-5Big Ten
Michigan Defeats Illinois to Close Out Homestand
1/10/2021 4:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan is 4-0 to start Big Ten Conference play for just the second time. U-M also started 4-0 in 2012-13.
» Naz Hillmon recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
» Akienreh Johnson scored 17 points and had nine rebounds, with Amy Dilk chipping in 11 points and nine boards.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #15 Michigan 70, Illinois 50
Records: U-M (9-0, 4-0 B1G), Illinois (2-6, 0-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, Jan. 14 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 7 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team remained perfect after grabbing a 70-50 victory over Illinois to close out its two-game homestand Sunday (Jan. 10) at Crisler Center.
With the win, U-M starts Big Ten Conference play 4-0 for just the second time (2012-13)Â in program history. The Wolverines (9-0) held Illinois to just three points in the second quarter, the fewest allowed in program history to a Big Ten Conference opponent in a quarter, to solidify the win over the Fighting Illini.
Junior Naz Hillmon earned her seventh double-double of the season, scoring a team-best 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, while senior Akienreh Johnson added 17 points and nine boards. Junior Amy Dilk put together a double-digit outing with 11 points and added nine rebounds and five assists.
Michigan outrebounded Illinois, 44-34, with Hillmon pulling down double-digit boards, with Dilk and Johnson finishing the game with nine rebounds.
U-M started slow, turning the ball over five times before Hillmon scored a quick five points to give Michigan a 13-12 advantage with 1:43 remaining in the opening quarter. Hillmon had her first opportunity at an and-one play, missing the free throw, but grabbed her own rebound to score again and earned a second and-one opportunity to complete the five-point play. Four straight points from Johnson gave the Wolverines a 17-14 lead heading into the second 10 minutes of play.
The Michigan defense kept Illinois (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) scoreless for all but 1:37 of the second quarter, going on a 9-0 run and taking a 28-15 lead over the Fighting Illini. U-M suffered a 2:42 scoring drought, but gave up just three points to Illinois in the entire quarter as Michigan headed into the halftime break with a 28-17 lead.
Hillmon scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Johnson and Dilk were the only other Wolverines to find the scoring column with six and five points, respectively, in the first half.
Michigan went just 2-for-10 from the field in the first five minutes of the third quarter as Illinois came within eight, 25-23. Hailey Brown pushed U-M's lead to 10 when she drove the lane for a left-handed layup and converted the and-one free throw to put the Wolverines up, 38-28, with 2:24 left in the third quarter.
With a minute left in the third quarter, junior Emily Kiser swung the ball to Brown, who drilled a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to bring the bench to its feet. Illinois added a free throw at the end of the quarter and Michigan carried a 13-point advantage, 43-30, into the final 10 minutes.
Junior Danielle Rauch hit a triple to start the final quarter and Brown followed it up with a jump shot on the ensuing possession to give U-M a 48-30 lead and force Illinois to call a timeout with 8:46 remaining in the contest.
Five straight Wolverine baskets and four Illinois misses extended the U-M advantage to 67-46 with 1:30 remaining. The Wolverines added three final points to stay unbeaten on the season.
Michigan will be back on the road Thursday (Jan. 14), when they take on Wisconsin in Madison. The game is set for a 7 p.m. CST tipoff and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
