Berggren's perfect showing boosts Illinois over Lady Lions

Perfect.

The word that best describes Illinois guard Ashley Berggren's second-half performance yesterday at The Bryce Jordan Center. The Big Ten Player of the Year lived up to her title, torching the Lady Lions for 19 points on 6 for 6 shooting from the field and at the foul line after intermission as Illinois cruised to a 78-69 victory.

Berggren's first-half effort was not too shabby either. Her 12 points and three assists helped the Illini (15-6, 9-2 Big Ten) jump out to a 46-29 halftime lead. She finished the game with a game-high 31 points, shooting an astounding 12 for 14 from the field and 7 for 7 from the free throw line.

"(Berggren) gives us matchup problems. She is bigger and stronger. She would send Jamie (Parsons) like a flea off her back," Lion coach Rene Portland said. "She's real intelligent. She upped their shooting percentage all by herself."

More impressive than Berggren's statistics, though, was the way she single-handedly held off Penn State's furious second-half comeback. The All-American candidate played the role of the evil actress, putting a knife in the Lions' hearts every time they threatened to get back in the game.

Any time Penn State made a run Berggren found a way to snuff it out. Whenever the Jordan Center crowd began to rock, the All-American candidate hit a clutch shot to muzzle the fans. Playing in front of the Lions' largest crowd of the year, the senior tri-captain ruined what Penn State hoped would be a story book ending to its biggest game of the season.

After the Lions went on a 7-0 flurry to pull within seven points late in the game Berggren muscled her way inside, drew a foul and hit two free throws to end the rally. Any final hopes of a dramatic finish were laid to rest by Berggren when she grabbed two key offensive rebounds in the final minutes and put both in.

Even when she was not scoring, Berggren found a way to assault the Lions. Early in the second half it appeared she had dribbled herself into trouble underneath the basket. Before Penn State could force a turnover, though, Berggren zipped a pass that split the Lions' defense to Alicia Sheeler for an easy layup.

If Penn State hoped to win it should have found a way to bar Berggren from the Jordan Center. The Illinois scoring leader has made the building her own personal playground, averaging 29 points per game in her three visits. Berggren's 23-point performance last year brought the Lions' 34-game home unbeaten streak against Big Ten opponents to a screeching halt.

"I enjoy this arena and I enjoy the fans here," Berggren said. "Sometimes that's a motivator, but whatever team is on the court it doesn't matter to me."

With the numbers Berggren has racked up during her career it is hard to imagine her not being highly sought after coming out of high school. Many colleges, however, did not think the Barrington, Ill., native was good enough for Division I basketball and thus she was not heavily recruited.

Fortunately for Illinois, former coach Kathy Lindsey was not one of those doubters. Lindsey recruited Berggren a year before her departure and Illini basketball has been on the rise ever since.

"Ashley is a kid who is self-made. This is a kid who has worked hard in the weight room. This is a kid who has dared to dream out loud," current Illinois coach Theresa Grentz said. "A lot of people say she can't do this she can't do that. I just tell her forget it and go out and do what you do best and that's play your game."

A game most college players can only dream about.