MADISON, Wis. -- Despite a career high 31 points from senior Dakota Whyte, the Wisconsin women's basketball team lost to Illinois, 76-56, on Wednesday night in the Kohl Center.

Whyte's performance was the highlight for the Badgers (7-18, 3-12 Big Ten) as the Fighting Illini outscored Wisconsin 25-7 in the second quarter after being tied at 13 after the first period.

Wisconsin led 8-5 with just over four minutes to play in the first quarter behind five points from Whyte but Illinois (9-17, 2-13) went on an 8-0 run to take a 13-8 lead with 1:55 to play in the quarter. The Badgers ended the quarter on a 5-0 run with Whyte hitting a 3-pointer to knot the score at 13 at the end of the period.

Sophomore Cayla McMorris gave the Badgers a 15-13 lead with less than a minute gone in the second quarter but that is the last time they would lead. Illinois' Chatrice White scored 20 first-half points, including 10 in the second quarter, to key the Illini's dominance in the second period. A 14-2 Illinois run made it 27-17 with 6:01 to play and the Illini finished the period on an 11-0 rally to lead 38-20 at the half.

After a basket by Tessa Cichy made it 40-22 with 7:58 remaining in the third quarter, the Badgers were never able to cut Illinois' lead to less than 20 points. Wisconsin finished out the third period with a 23-point deficit, 57-34.

Despite UW's full-court pressure, Illinois led by as many as 27 points (74-47) with less than three minutes to play. Whyte tried to turn the game around by making a jumper followed by two free throws with 1:34 remaining to bring the score to 74-51. Illinois scored one more time before a jumper by Cichy and a 3-pointer by Nicole Bauman finished the game. The Badgers managed to make it a 20-point game at the end.

Bauman added 11 points as the only other Badger in double figures.

In the end, the game came down to shooting. The Fighting Illini hit 54.7 percent (29-of-53) from the field including 50.0 percent (10-of-20) from behind the arc. The Badgers made 35.5 percent (22-of-62) from the field including 26.9 percent (7-of-26) from behind the arc.

Illinois had three players in double figures led by White with 28 points. The sophomore recorded a double-double with a game-high of 12 rebounds.

Illinois shot 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the free-throw line while Wisconsin made 45.5 percent (5-of-11).

Wisconsin was outrebounded 39-26 with three Badgers, Whyte, Avyanna Young, and Tessa Cichy, pulling down five boards.

The Badgers turned the ball over just 10 times while the Illini had 15 giveaways. Wisconsin scored 13 points off turnovers.

Wisconsin concludes its home season on Saturday when it hosts Northwestern in Senior Day at 1 p.m. at the Kohl Center.