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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Illini cracked the AP Top 25 earlier this month for the first time since Nov. 27, 2000, under first-year coach Shauna Green.
