Fighting Illini Come Up Short against Purdue Boilermakers

By Blake Landa

Fighting Illini Women’s Basketball had their senior day this past Sunday afternoon at the State Farm Center to celebrate the six graduating seniors on the team.  Before the action got started, the senior players received framed versions of their jerseys at half court.

Redshirt  junior Petra Holešínská, one of the seniors being celebrated, led the Illini (11-14, 2-12) with a game high 18 points, but that wasn’t enough to defeat the Purdue Boilermakers (17-10, 8-7) who dominated the boards, out rebounding the Illini 42-19, and finished the game with a win and a score of 70-58.

“We could look at all these things, but it’s the 42 rebounds (for Purdue), and us getting 19; that to me is where the game tipped,” said Illini head coach Nancy Fahey.

At the end of the first quarter the Illini lead 16-15 after senior Courtney Joens drained a three-pointer at the buzzer.  Joens (12) was among three Illini to score in double figures, including  Holešínská (18) and freshman Jeanae Terry (10).

The Illini were able to gain a slight lead, 25-24, towards the end of the first half but Purdue answered with a pair of three-pointers as well as a couple more baskets to finish the quarter with a leading score of 35-25.

The Boilermakers would never lose their lead as the rest of the game progressed, thanks in part to their shooting abilities from beyond the arc late in the third quarter and the entirety of the fourth.

It was too little, too late, when senior Brandi Beasley came to life in the fourth quarter and led the team in a comeback with a 10-1 run including a three pointer.   Purdue would go on to finish the game shooting 4-7 from the charity line and a final score of 70-58.

Next up on the schedule the Illini travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan on Wednesday, February 19th, to challenge the Michigan Wolverines at 6p.m. CT at the Crisler Center.