CHICAGO – The Beloit College Women's Basketball team erased a 22-point deficit, but fell 61-57 to Illinois Tech on Friday night at Keating Sports Center. The Buccaneers open the 2026-27 season 0-1, and Illinois Tech improves to 1-0.
Illinois Tech built a 36-16 halftime lead behind 50 percent shooting in the second quarter. The Buccaneers turned the game around after the break, outscoring Illinois Tech 41-25 over the final two quarters. The Buccaneers shot 30.4 percent from the field (17-of-56), compared with 43.1 percent (22-of-51) for the Scarlet Hawks. Beloit made 18 of 25 free throws, with 12 of its 57 points coming in the final period from the line. Illinois Tech was 12-of-25 at the stripe.
In the opening possession, Leila Boykin (Los Angeles, CA) drew a foul and made both free throws for a 2-0 edge at 9:12, but Illinois Tech answered with a 14-0 stretch to lead 14-2. Brooke Foster (Machesney Park, Ill.) hit a three from a Bailey Darneal (Colorado Springs, CO) assist at 4:29, and Foster added two free throws at 1:36. Darneal knocked down a three at 2:44 to help the Buccaneers cut it to 16-10 by the break. In the second quarter, Anna Marie Godina (Shorewood, IL) layup at 7:14 was one of the few bright spots, and Boykin added two free throws at 2:57. Reagan Gregonis (Lexington, KY) capped the period with a layup at 0:28, but Illinois Tech took a 36-16 lead into the locker room.
After the half, the Buccaneers took over the game. After trailing 38-16 early, Beloit ripped off a 14-0 run, its best of the game, through the 3:45 mark. Gregonis scored inside at 9:21, Godina hit a three at 8:48, and Julia Kennedy (South Milwaukee, WI) added a jumper at 6:39. Emma Bird (Littleton, CO) scored off a turnover at 5:04, Gregonis hit a jumper at 4:14, and Foster's free throw made it 38-30. Illinois Tech got a three from Sydney Johnson, but Beloit closed the period with a Boykin three off a turnover, trailing 45-36.
In the closing quarter, Kaitlin Davis (Platte City, Mo.) hit two layups early to make it 47-40, and Boykin and Gregonis kept the pressure on. Boykin scored on consecutive layups at 5:36 and 4:36, and her free throw at 3:40 made it 55-50. Kennedy's three off a Darneal assist at 3:06 cut it to 55-53, and Gregonis made it 56-54 at the line at 2:18. Illinois Tech answered with a jumper at 1:33, and after Boykin's free throw made it 58-55 with 43 seconds left, Illinois Tech's Frehiwot Vowels scored on a fast-break layup at 0:12 to extend the lead to 61-55. Gregonis grabbed an offensive rebound off Boykin's missed three and made two free throws at 0:02 to set the final margin.
The Bucs look to build on the second half momentum as they take on Aurora University next Wednesday, November 11th at 6pm in Aurora, IL.
