DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.  – The University of Dayton women's basketball team finished the Daytona Beach Invitational with a 67-53 victory over the University of Illinois Friday afternoon.

The Flyers (4-2) win their invitational finale while the Fighting Illini (3-2) opened with their second loss on the year.

Sophomore Makira Cook was named the Player of the Game and to the All-Tournament Team by hosts Destination Basketball.

KEY MOMENT
3^rd quarter – 5:37 – The game was tied at 38-38, but Dayton took over down the stretch and led by 10 at the end of the third.

1^st Quarter: Dayton 22, Illinois 14

• Both teams got off to a slow start, but it was the Flyers that scored first with a corner three from graduate student Jenna Giacone at the 8:30 mark. She followed that up with another to give Dayton an early 6-0 lead in the first three minutes.
• Illinois didn't get its first points until the 6:38 mark, going 0-4 up to that point.
• The Flyers' first six buckets came from the three-point line, forcing an IIini timeout with 4:26 to play. That total already was the second most threes for Dayton in a game this season.
• UD outrebounded UI in the first quarter, 13-8.

2^nd Quarter: Dayton 32, Illinois 30

• UD maintained its advantage over the first three minutes of the second quarter, holding Illinois to just one basket.
• Both teams went cold from the field with three straight minutes without a point by either team.
• Junior Mariah Perez broke the drought with a layup on the assist from sophomore Makira Cook.
• By the media break, Dayton held a 28-16 lead over Illinois. The Flyers were holding the Illini to 4:10 without a point.
• Illinois managed to close the gap to four points at 32-28 with a 12-2 run and under two minutes to play.
• The Flyers held a two-point lead at the break. UD lead by as much as 14 points.

3^rd Quarter: Dayton 52, Illinois 42

• The Illini hit a pair of free throws to start the third and tie the game up at 32-32. They then took their first lead of the game at the 8:31 mark.
• Giacone drilled a three with 7:46 to play and put UD back on top 37-35, her fourth of the game.
• Illinois was held without a field goal for three minutes, only getting their points from the charity stripe during that stretch.
• Graduate student Erin Whalen nailed a three at the 2:11 mark amidst a 1-for-8 stretch by Illinois and the Flyers led, 47-41. UD was on a 7-0 run.
• Cook scored nine points in the third quarter alone.

4^th Quarter: Dayton

• Fouls slowed the tempo down in the beginning of the fourth quarter with neither team willing to give way.
• Giacone gave Dayton its first points of the quarter at the 7:36 mark with another three, putting the Flyers up 11, 55-44. It was her career-high fifth made three of the game.
• Illinois was forced to call a timeout with 6:24 to go in the game as UD was up 57-44 and the Illini were on a 2:42 drought.
• The Illini had to call yet another timeout at the 3:19 mark as the Flyers added to their lead to make it a 63-48 ball game after a putback by senior Kyla Whitehead.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
12 – Dayton hit 12 three-pointers in the game, a season-high.
21 – Makira Cook had a team-high 21 points and three assists.
17 – Jenna Giacone had 17 points in the game on 5-of-9 three point shooting.
38 to 36 – The Flyers outrebounded the Illini 38-36.
38.2% - Dayton shot 38.2 percent in the game and held Illinois to 35.1 percent.

KEY STAT
6 – Dayton hit six three pointers to start the game, already making it the second most threes in a game this season for the Flyers.

UP NEXT
Dayton will return home to host Florida A&M Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. at UD Arena.