INDIANAPOLIS - The Fighting Illini's Big Ten Tournament run came to a close in a six-point loss to No. 9/9 Iowa in the quarterfinals from Indianapolis.Â
Jasmine Brown-Hagger led the Fighting Illini (21-11) with a season-high 22 points. Berry Wallace tacked on 13 points and Destiny Jackson helped out with 10 points and six assists.
Brown-Hagger pulled down three offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Illinois, grabbing 11 boards and turning them into 11 second chance points.
Illinois forced 16 Iowa turnovers while committing 11 themselves in Friday's game. The Fighting Illini turned those takeaways into 17 points on the offensive end of the floor. Cearah Parchment led the way individually with three steals.
Iowa held a 37-23 lead at halftime and grew that advantage to as many as 22 points before Illinois gained some traction. The Fighting Illini closed the game on a 15-0 and 17-2 run, outscoring the Hawkeyes 27-11 in the final 10 minutes.
The Fighting Illini now await their fate in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will take place at 7 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 15.