Grentz sparks win over Iowa
Erik Hall
The Daily Illini
Iowa started well against the Illinois women's basketball team Sunday after the Hawkeyes' April Calhoun knocked down a three and then Tracy Schrupp put Iowa up 5-2. Illinois head coach Theresa Grentz wouldn't let the trend continue.
"When we started this game, if this wasn't going the way I wanted, I told them I am going to have an answer," Grentz said. "A minute and a half in, I didn't like what I saw."
So Grentz called a timeout that sparked a 9-0 run by the Illini. The team never looked back on its way to a 73-58 victory over Iowa at Assembly Hall.
"We had to respond. We couldn't play like we did on Thursday," said senior forward Cindy Dallas.
On Thursday, Illinois lost to No. 13 Penn State at home 82-69.
"On Friday morning I went back in and did some reflective reading," Grentz said. "Rather than be harsh with them, I went in and was completely merciful and forgiving."
It appears Grentz chose the right approach as her team responded by taking a lead as large as 19 points in the second half.
"Illinois came out and did a great job defensively against us," Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. "They forced us into doing things we didn't want to do. I think they did a very good job of not letting us have any good shots."
Four blocked shots by Illinois helped to cause problems for the Hawkeyes' offense. Iowa shot just 24 for 64 in the game, an improvement from shooting 11 of 34 in the first half.
"We didn't take the things they were giving us, and we didn't run our offense," Iowa junior forward Jennie Lillis said.
Iowa has been promoting Lillis as an All-Big Ten candidate, but her performance of 2-for-12 shooting and four points in 33 minutes didn't seem deserving of being in the conference's elite.
Aminata Yanni continued to play like one of the conference's best as she scored 17 points, dished four assists and picked up one steal.
"Aminata has matured very nicely," Grentz said. "She has become very comfortable out there."
Yanni keyed each of Illinois' two big runs of the first half that pushed Illinois ahead. She scored four of the points in the 9-0 run that spanned from the 18 minute, 13 second mark until 14:17 remained in the first half.
The 8-0 run that increased Illinois' lead from four points to 12 points saw Yanni post six points.
With 8:41 remaining in the first half, Yanni contributed two free throws and then at 8:13 made a backdoor cut from the wing to add a lay-up.
A fast break bucket by Yanni closed out the scoring of the 8-0 run. Freshman forward Brittney Daugherty blocked an Iowa shot attempt and then sent the outlet down court to Yanni. Yanni converted the freshman's defense into two points.
Illinois (14-7, 6-5) held a small half-game lead over Iowa in the Big Ten standings entering Sunday's game, but now have increased the margin to 1.5 games.
Bluder said she felt that Sunday's game will be damaging to Iowa's chances at making the NCAA tournament.
"I know they have swept us and that definitely hurt us," Bluder said. "It puts a decisive line between the two teams."
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