CHAMPAIGN — Makira Cook scored 22 points, Kendall Bostic had 12 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season and Illinois closed on a 15-3 run to beat No. 14 Indiana 86-66 on Monday.
Illinois pulled away in the second quarter after an 18-2 run extended its lead to 44-26. Adalia McKenzie scored eight of her 14 points during the spurt. The Illini led by double figures for more than nine minutes in the third quarter.
Indiana got as close as 71-63 in the fourth, but Illinois scored the next 10 to stay in control. Yarden Garzon’s 3-pointer with 34 seconds left was Indiana’s only field goal in the final three minutes.
Illinois (13-12, 7-8 Big Ten) had just six players get playing time — and each of them scored in double figures. Genesis Bryant scored 15 points, Camille Hobby had 12 and Gretchen Dolan added 11. Cook has scored 12 or more points in 14 of the last 16 games.
Mackenzie Holmes led Indiana (21-4, 12-3) with 24 points, going 10 of 14 from the field. Garzon had 17 points and eight rebounds and Sara Scalia scored 10. Senior Sydney Parrish played for the first time since Jan. 17 and logged six minutes.
Illinois coach Shauna Green beat Indiana for the first time in four games — in the 80th all-time meeting between the programs.
Both teams play No. 4 Iowa later this week. Indiana hosts Caitlin Clark’s squad on Thursday and Illinois visits the Hawkeyes on Sunday.
