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Saturday, Dec. 4 3:00pm ET
Illini suffer second straight loss | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas coach Jody Conradt has been waiting a long time for a victory like this one. After spending most of the last two seasons out of the Top 25 with a close overtime loss to No. 4 UCLA last week, Texas rebounded Saturday with an 87-84 win over Illinois (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP). JoRuth Woods scored 22 points and Edwina Brown had 19 for Texas (5-2). The Longhorns, one of the most tradition-rich teams in women's college basketball, got their first win over a non-conference AP Top 10 opponent since beating No. 8 Penn State in Austin in 1992. Although Texas beat No. 10 Texas Tech last year, it was important to beat a quality opponent from another region, Conradt said. "It was a good win for this program and one that was a long time coming," said Conradt, the winningest coach in women's basketball history with 730 victories. "This was our second chance against a Top Ten team," Brown said. "We let the first one get away. We can't go up and down and up and down if we're going to make a statement on the national scene." Texas shot 50 percent from the field and matched the taller Illini with 39 rebounds. Center Carla Littleton had a game-high 12 rebounds, eight more than her season average, in her second start of the season. Illinois (5-3) led 41-29 with 2:38 left in the first half before a 9-2 Texas run pulled the Longhorns within 43-38. The Illini took an 82-78 lead with 3:12 remaining after consecutive breakaway layups by Susan Blauser and Allison Curtin before Woods brought Texas back with two free throws and a layup. After Illinois' Dawn Vana put the Illini ahead with a short jumper, Asha Hill made her fourth 3-pointer with 1:27 left to put Texas ahead 85-84. Texas got a break on Illinois' next possession when Hill stole the ball in the key and fed an outlet pass to Brown, who was streaking downcourt. Brown appeared to get her own feet tangled up in a behind-the-back dribble and fell to the floor. But instead of turning the ball over, Brown drew a fifth foul from Curtin, the Illini's leading scorer this season who had 16 points. Trailing by two after Brown made one free throw, Illinois got the ball downcourt to Vana near the foul line. Vana turned to shoot but was tied up by Hill and two other Texas defenders. Instead of a foul, the officials called a jump ball, giving Texas possession. "Asha's defense in the second half was a key. She plays by feel and instinct," Conradt said. Illinois was forced to foul Alisha Sare after the inbounds pass and the freshman made one of two foul shots with 3.3 seconds left for the final margin. Illinois coach Theresa Grentz thought both tough calls should have gone her team's way but declined to publicly criticize the officials. Illinois moved the ball past midcourt on its final possession but Kristi Faulkner couldn't get off her 3-point attempt to tie before the final buzzer. While Texas hopes the victory can get the Longhorns back into the Top 25 for the first time since the 1997-98 season, it is likely to be a short stay in the Top Ten for the Illini. Illinois had just cracked the Top Ten last week before losing to No. 1 Connecticut and Texas. Blauser led Illinois with 21 points and Kylie Martin added 18. Curtin had 16 before fouling out. | ALSO SEE Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
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