CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — No. 23 Illinois women’s basketball relied on its frontcourt and overcame a sloppy first half to defeat Detroit Mercy 84-50 on Wednesday night at State Farm Center.
Cearah Parchment led Illinois with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, while Berry Wallace added 21 points and 11 rebounds. The two helped the Illini finish with a 38-22 points-in-the-paint advantage and a 53-23 edge rebounding advantage.
“I knew we had to get them there, and it’s hard to stop them when they both get the ball
down there,” head coach Shauna Green said.
Illinois built a 21-6 lead behind two early Gretchen Dolan 3-pointers and a 14-0 run, but turnovers helped Detroit Mercy work its way back.
Illinois committed 15 turnovers before halftime and went the final 4:32 without a field goal, allowing Detroit Mercy to close on a 9-2 run and cut the lead to 36-32.
“When we go rogue and start doing our own stuff, it doesn’t end well, and that’s the best film that I have to show them,” Green said.
After the half, a Detroit Mercy free throw brought the Titans within three, but afterward, Illinois began to build momentum.
The Illini committed just three turnovers after halftime and outscored Detroit Mercy 48-18 over the final two quarters.
“So the pace didn’t change,” Green said. “We just made better decisions within the pace.”
Wallace scored 11 points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer that started a 14-0 run to close the period.
Parchment scored two early layups in the fourth, as well as converted a three-point play to extend the lead to 29.
Wallace and Parchment became the first Illinois women’s teammates to record 20-point double-doubles in the same game since Karisma Penn and Adrienne GodBold in February 2013.
“I think it’s just dangerous because we’re both so versatile,” Parchment said of playing alongside Wallace. “We can both shoot, we can both post up.”
Illinois also turned its rebound advantage into 18 second-chance points, doubling the nine of Detroit Mercy.
Dolan finished with 10 points, while Aaliyah Guyton scored nine and Destiny Jackson contributed seven points, as well as nine assists.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Dolan knocks down two first-quarter 3-pointers.
Wallace starts Illinois’ 14-0 third-quarter run with a triple.
Parchment converts a three-point play early in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 29.
STAT STUFFERS
Parchment and Wallace combined for 43 points and 22 rebounds.
Illinois outrebounded Detroit Mercy 53-23 and scored 38 points in the paint.
The Illini reduced their turnovers from 15 in the first half to three in the second.
Destiny Jackson records nine of Illinois’ 21 assists.
UP NEXT
Illinois hosts Southern University on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. on B1G+.
