Box Score PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley committed a season-high 28 turnovers and Illinois connected on 9-of-18 three-point attempts, including eight of its last 11 attempts from beyond the arc, as the Braves fell 73-51 to the Illini Friday at Renaissance Coliseum. Junior Latasha Hollingshed (Bellwood, Ill./St. Joseph/Illinois Central) led Bradley with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for her second career double-double.
Sophomore guard Katie Yohn (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) missed the game after suffering a concussion Tuesday at #22 Iowa and the Braves struggled from long range in her absence, making just 1-of-12 three-point attempts against Illinois. Bradley (1-2 overall) outrebounded Illinois 35-24, but the Illini turned 28 BU turnovers into 21 points and the Illinois reserves outscored the Braves' bench 38-6.
Illinois (1-2 overall) scored on six of its first nine possessions en route to an early 13-3 lead in the opening minutes of the contest. Bradley fought back, holding the Illini to just one field goal over a four and a half minute stretch and pulled to within 15-12 with 8:21 left in the first half on a MacKenzie Westcott (Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg) driving layup.
The Braves cut the deficit to two points (22-20) with under three minutes before the break, when Macie Blinn got the long range barrage going with back-to-back three-pointers to push the Illini advantage to 28-20 at the half. Bradley finished with 16 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of play.
Blinn hit another trey in the opening minutes of the second half and Amber Moore added four three-pointers in a 3:15 span as Illinois extended the lead to 20 points midway through the period. The Illini made 6-of-8 three-pointers in the final 20 minutes and cruised to the 73-51 victory.
Hollingshed finished with a career high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and also added a career-best 12 boards to lead the Braves. Senior Raisa Taylor (Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower) added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Blinn and Moore combined to made 9-of-13 three-pointers and the duo totaled 38 points off the bench. Blinn had a game-high 22 points and was 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, while Moore scored all 16 of her points in the second half and was 4-for-5 from three-point range. Karisma Penn (11 points) and Lydia McCully (10 points) also scored in double figures to pace the Illini.
Bradley opens a season-long, four-game road swing Monday with a 12:05 p.m. game at Eastern Illinois.
