Rene Portland thanks God for her seniors. The coach of the women's basketball team knows the leadership her two captains provide paid off once again yesterday.

With an 86-57 romp of unranked Illinois in Champaign, the No. 3 Lady Lions (10-0, 2-0 in the Big Ten) ended their six-game road trip undefeated.

The Lady Lions had a tough battle on their hands the first half, which ended in a 37-36 Penn State advantage. Illinois (5-6, 0-2) couldn't hang on in the second half, however, as the Illini was outscored 49-21.

Portland said she tried every combination in the book to make things work. Senior forward Helen Holloway led the Lady Lions with 23 points, tying her career high.

"Helen, in the second half, just went off and refused to lose," Portland said. "That's the bottom line with the two seniors."

Senior guard Jackie Donovan notched 13 points and led the team in rebounds with nine, five of them offensive. She said applying defensive pressure and rebounding were the keys in the second.

"There was a couple times we got steals, and (Illinois) got called for walking and some turnovers," she said. "Helen, Katina (Mack) and Tina (Nicholson) were up front doing traps and jumping around -- they were getting a lot off that."

Holloway said rebounding was the biggest factor that kept the game close in the first half.

"The shots were coming off pretty hard, so it was hard to (rebound) anyway," she said. "(Illinois was) getting too many second-chance shots. That's why it was so close."

Illinois out-rebounded Penn State by 10 in the first half, when the Lady Lions gave up 13 offensive boards.

"That's just flat-out embarrassing," Portland said. "We called boxing out or checking out, and my line was, 'You guys couldn't check out of a grocery store.' "

Portland was pleased with the play provided by sophomore guard Nicholson, who contributed 14 points.

"She's just been playing very smart basketball," Portland said. "She had a few turnovers today, but a lot of them weren't her fault."

Junior guard Mack entered yesterday's match averaging a team-leading 15.7 points, but she could only manage six against Illinois. Portland said Mack over-extended herself from the Northwestern game and just needs rest.

Senior guard Tonya Booker led Illinois with 14 points. Junior forward Kris Dupps was averaging 21.7 points a game before yesterday, a figure placing her second in the Big Ten. But the Lady Lions contained her to just seven.

"Our goal is not to let a person score more than 20 points," Holloway said. "I guess Kris Dupps was having a hard time her last couple of games anyway, so I don't know if it was us that shut her down."

The Lady Lions shot 56.7 percent in field goals (38-for-67) and averaged 69.2 percent from the free throw line (9-for-13). Illinois could only make six field goals in 22 tries in the second half.

The Lady Lions now have more depth to rely on in the forward position -- both freshman Toya Crumpton and sophomore Jen Reimers saw playing time during the Lady Lions' road trip.

Crumpton had six points against Illinois. She played her first game in December after health problems forced her to miss the opening matches. Reimers, who has now finished her season with the women's volleyball team, also had six points yesterday.

Note:

-- The Lady Lions started their vacation with an 84-75 triumph at Rutgers Dec. 11. They went on to compile six more victories, defeating Pittsburgh 94-65, Niagara 83-56, Morgan State 118-31, Clemson 85-75, St. Joseph's 77-48 and Northwestern 80-63.