MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women's basketball team fell to the Illinois Fighting Illini, 74-51, on Sunday afternoon in the Kohl Center.

Serah Williams led the Badgers with 14 points, marking her 22nd game this season in double-digit scoring. 

Wisconsin's bench made a notable impact, outscoring Illinois' bench 17-10.

The Badgers shot 35.4% (17-48) from the field, 40% (4-10) from beyond the arc, and 68.4% (13-19) at the free-throw line. 

In contrast, the Fighting Illini shot 45.6% (26-57) from the field, 52.4% (11-21) from three, and an impressive 91.7% (11-12) from the charity stripe.

How it Happened
Wisconsin battled from the start, with Illinois opening with four quick points. Ronnie Porter got the Badgers on the board with a layup. Tess Myers then hit a big three-pointer to spark some momentum, but Wisconsin trailed 25-10 at the end of the first quarter.

The Badgers showed fight in the second quarter, knocking down three straight shots midway through. D'Yanis Jimenez capitalized on a turnover for an easy two and followed with another basket to help Wisconsin find rhythm. The Badgers went into halftime trailing, 42-25.

After the break, Illinois extended its lead with a deep two-pointer. Serah Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and scored, marking her 22nd game of double-digit points. This fueled an 8-0 run, with the Badgers holding Illinois to just 10 points in the quarter. Heading into the final minutes, the score was 52-40.

The Badgers struggled to find consistent offense in the fourth, despite Carter McCray scoring three consecutive points and Halle Douglass hitting a deep three and forcing a turnover. Alie Bisballe added an offensive rebound and layup to close out the game. However, Illinois' strong shooting kept them in control, and Wisconsin ultimately fell 74-51.

Up Next
The Badgers head to Spartan territory to face No. 20 Michigan State at the Breslin Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on B1G+, with radio coverage available on 1070 AM and the iHeartRadio app.