CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Chyna Cornwell recorded her third double-doubles (10 pts, 11 reb) of the season as the Rutgers women’s basketball team (4-7, 0-2 B1G) fell to Illinois (8-2, 1-1 B1G) on Wednesday night.
Kaylene Smikle paced the Scarlet Knights with 22 points for her second consecutive performance with 20+ points. Awa Sidibe also netted 13 points, in addition to eight boards, to round out the group in double-figure scoring.
How it Happened
- Rutgers got out to a lightening quick start, as the team won the opening tip and scored four seconds into the contest. Illinois turned around and quickly took the lead with a three on its first possession.
- After both teams went scoreless through the 5:30 mark, the Illini broke through to build on their lead, 7-4. The opposition continued to go on a 6-0 run into the 4:42 media timeout.
- Out of the stop, Kassondra Brown hit a three to put an end to the run for Illinois. Both teams traded points as the Illini stayed in front, 14-10.
- With under two minutes to play, Illinois hit back-to-back three’s to force RU’s first timeout of the game and make the score 20-10. The team hit one more shot from deep before the end of the first to carry the 23-10 edge into the second period.
- Sidibe added three field goals early for the Scarlet Knights to secure six points in beginning 2:12 of the quarter. Illinios recorded three shots from the line in addition to another three to keep the 29-16 lead.
- At the halfway point of the second 10…
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