INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Makira Cook scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half and Genesis Bryant finished with 18 points as fourth-seeded Illinois beat top-seeded Washington State 81-58 in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament semifinals Monday night.
Cook and Bryant combined to make 15 of 24 shots from the field and four 3-pointers. Adalia McKenzie added 14 points and Camille Hobby had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Fighting Illini.
Illinois (18-15) faces top-seeded Villanova (22-12) in Wednesday night's championship game. Illinois won four postseason games in a single tournament for the first time in school history and is chasing the school's first postseason tourney title.