CHAMPAIGN — Makira Cook scored 26 points, Genesis Bryant added 21 and Adalia McKenzie had a double-double to help No. 22 Illinois beat Michigan State 86-76 on Sunday at the State Farm Center.
Cook sank 8 of 21 shots from the field and all 10 of her free throws for the Illini (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten). Bryant made 5 of 9 shots with three 3-pointers and hit all eight of her free throws.
Advertisement
McKenzie contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Kendall Bostic had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Kamaria McDaniel led the Spartans (11-10, 3-7) with 23 points. Taiyier Parks had 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Moira Joiner added 11 points and six rebounds and DeeDee Hagemann had 10 points and eight assists before fouling out.
Advertisement
Spartans coach Suzy Merchant didn’t travel with the team after a “minor one-car accident due to a medical incident” Saturday morning, the school announced. Merchant, 53, is in stable condition and undergoing testing at a local hospital. Dean Lockwood served as interim coach against Illinois.
Hagemann had seven points, McDaniel five and Joiner four as the trio led Michigan State to a 16-13 lead after one quarter.
Jayla Oden came off the bench to score all six of her points in the second quarter, and the Illini used a 10-0 run to grab a 28-22 lead with 4:12 left before halftime.
Abbey Kimball hit a 3-pointer to end the run, but Bostic answered with a layup and Bryant buried a 3-pointer to ignite a 9-0 Illinois spurt that led to a 37-29 halftime lead.
Michigan State battled back in the third quarter, closing to 53-51 on a three-point play by Hagemann at the 2:49 mark. But Cook hit two free throws and Bostic scored the final six points as the Illini took a 61-52 lead into the fourth quarter.
Bryant sank a 3-pointer, McKenzie hit a jumper and Illinois pushed its lead to 66-54 just 63 seconds into the fourth quarter. McDaniel made a 3-pointer to cut the Spartans’ deficit to 76-72 with 1:07 left.
Bryant and Cook both went 4 for 4 at the line in the final minute to preserve the win.
Illinois shot 51% overall and made 5 of 12 (42%) beyond the arc. Michigan State shot 46% overall but just 30% (8 of 27) from distance.
Advertisement
The Illini cracked the AP Top 25 earlier this month for the first time since Nov. 27, 2000, under first-year coach Shauna Green.
