Second Half Pushes Indiana Past Illinois, 74-60; Secures Back-to-Back 20-Win Seasons

Saturday, February 25

Urbana-Champaign, IL

1 PM ET

Indiana University

20-9, 10-6B1G

Illinois

8-21, 3-13,B1G

Indiana

Illinois

Second Half Pushes Indiana Past Illinois, 74-60; Secures Back-to-Back 20-Win Seasons

2/25/2017 3:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Juniors Amanda Cahill and Tyra Buss both turned in double-doubles as Indiana used a strong second half to push past Illinois, 74-60, on Saturday afternoon inside State Farm Center.

The win gives the Hoosiers a 20-9 overall record (10-6 B1G) to end the regular season, marking the first back-to-back 20 win seasons in program history.

Buss led IU with 21 points and grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds to go along with four assists while Cahill grabbed a season-high 15 board and contributed 13 points. Senior guard Karlee McBride also hit a career-high five 3-pointers for 15 points in the win while senior center Jenn Anderson reached double figures as well with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting.

Indiana shot 44.4 percent on the afternoon and also winning on the glass, 48-26. They were also fueled by nine 3-pointers and an 88.2 percent (15-for-17) clip from the free throw line.

It was a tale of two quarters in the first half for Indiana, who were outscored by the Illini (8-21, 3-13 B1G) 19-11 in the opening period. The opening frame included a scoreless streak for over three minutes and without a field goal for over four as IU shot just 22.2 percent to open the game. Indiana finally found its rhythm on the offensive end in the second quarter as back-to-back three pointers from McBride helped cut the deficit down to six with 6:30 to play.

Before it was all said and done, IU would use a 24-8 run to take its first lead of the game with just 22 ticks left in the quarter senior guard Amber Deane hit a pair at the line. It was part of a six-straight at the charity stripe, to go up 35-33 at halftime.

Buss would score on the Hoosiers' opening possession of the third quarter, as they would combine to go 48.1 percent in the second half. IU used a 16-8 advantage in the third quarter, going 56.5 percent from the floor to take a 51-41 lead into the fourth. A second-chance opportunity for Cahill gave Indiana its largest lead of the day, 59-43, with less than three minutes off the clock in the final frame, as IU cruised to its sixth-straight win over the Illini.

NOTABLE

Indiana closes the regular season with a 20-9 overall record, marking the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history. Indiana went 21-12 in 2015-16.
Junior guard Tyra Buss made history yet again as she became the second player all-time to register in the top 10 of career points, assists and steals. She has now scored 1,522 career points, which ranks 10^th all-time in school history.
Buss also posted her second double-double of the season and sixth of her career.
Junior forward Amanda Cahill recorded her 11^th double-double of the season, with a 13 point and season-high 15 rebound performance. It also marked the 28^th career double-double for the Clyde, Ohio native.
Senior guard Karlee McBride hit five 3-pointers in the win, setting a new career-high.
Indiana dished out 17 assists on 25 made shots, including a game-high five for senior guard Alexis Gassion
The win is the sixth-straight in the series with the Fighting Illini, dating back to the 2013-14 season.

UP NEXT
Indiana will have to wait on tomorrow's league results to see whether it will be a will be the No. 4 seed or No. 5 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament March 1-5 in Indianapolis.

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