University of North Texas Athletics
University of North Texas
6-4,0-0American
Illinois
10-1,1-0Big Ten
Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short at Illinois
12/14/2025 4:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TK Hammond led the Mean Green with 16 points
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The UNT women's basketball team battled until the end but ultimately fell to 6-4 on the season with an 81-69 loss to Illinois Sunday inside the State Farm Center in Champaign.
Tiffany Hammond led the way for the Mean Green with 16 points, including 11 first-half points. It was Hammond's first game back in double figures since she posted a career-high 22 points in the season opener against Oklahoma Christian on Nov. 3.
Jason Burton was forced to go deep into the UNT bench early, using all 12 available players in the first half to combat foul trouble. In total, the teams were called for 50 fouls, which resulted in 33 free throw attempts for the Fighting Illini to the Mean Green's 15.
The foul trouble paired with a Fighting Illini team that shot a season-high 65% from behind-the-arc was too much for the Mean Green to overcome despite a late 11-3 run in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 79-69. Berry Wallace led all players with 28 points, while Gretchen Dolan and Maddie Webber added 19 and 16, respectively.
North Texas will return home for a pair of games this week to close out its nonconference schedule. The Mean Green will host Oral Roberts Thursday, Dec 18 at 6 p.m. and Santa Clara Sunday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. CT.
