CHAMPAIGN  After Illinois lost its season opener to then-No. 3 Old Dominion, guard Ashley Berggren spoke of how tired she was getting at seeing yet another big game slip away.

   On Sunday, the senior co-captain didn''t wait until after the final buzzer to speak up.

   With the Illini trailing No. 15 Duke 30-27 at halftime in the title game of the San Juan Shootout, Berggren repeated what she had told the media on Nov. 23 to her teammates before they returned to the court.

   "I just basically said I was tired of coming in the locker room after a defeat and having all those negative emotions," Berggren said Tuesday. "And I didn''t want to experience that again, and it was time that we changed all that."

   If Illinois'' second-half performance was any indication, Berggren touched a nerve. Hitting the Blue Devils with a 50-point salvo during the final 20 minutes, the Illini pulled away to a decisive 77-65 victory.

   It was obvious Berggren took her words to heart. After scoring three first-half points, the reigning Big Ten Conference Player of the Year came through with 14 in the second half. Fellow senior guard Krista Reinking responded with 12 second-half points, and sophomore forward Tauja Catchings contributed nine in that span.

   "At halftime, the most important words were said by one of our captains, who laid it on the line about what they wanted to do," UI coach Theresa Grentz said. "Their thing was they don''t want to be disappointed anymore."

   Since emerging as a national power last season, the sixth-ranked Illini have known their share of disappointment.

   With an undisputed Big Ten Conference title in Illinois'' grasp last February, close losses to Michigan State and Purdue forced the Illini to share the league crown with the Spartans and Boilermakers.

   Then there was the seven-point defeat to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament title game.

   And weeks later, with Illinois in the NCAA Sweet 16 and No. 1 Connecticut seemingly ripe for an upset, there was the 78-73 loss.

   Those losses and the one to Old Dominion had eaten at Berggren. Eaten at her to the point that she felt compelled, uncharacteristically, to speak up at halftime on Sunday.

   "I am vocal and very emotional on the court, but I''m very seldom someone who will do that," Berggren said of her halftime message. "This game meant a lot to me, and I wanted to make this trip a success.

   "I''m tired of asking all the questions  What if? We could have won. All that. It''s time we get the business done on the court."

Familiar face

   When Marquette comes to Huff Hall on Sunday, several Illini won''t need to be introduced to the Golden Eagles'' starting center. In fact, they used to be teammates of Arlington Heights native Abbie Willenborg.

   "We played together for about three or four years," said Illini sophomore Katie Coleman of the Marquette sophomore. "She''s a good player."

   Willenborg joined current Illini Coleman, Casey Leonhardt and Melissa Parker on a Chicago-area Amateur Athletic Union team that won a national title.

Flashback

   Marquette''s Terri Mitchell hopes she''ll fare better as a coach against one of Grentz''s teams than she did as a player.

   Mitchell played her collegiate ball for a budding Duquesne program that regularly faced national power Rutgers when it was coached by Grentz.

   "We used to get pounded religiously by Rutgers," Mitchell said.

Parker update

   Sophomore Melissa Parker, who had arthroscopic surgery on her right knee Nov. 19, is at least 10 days to two weeks away from returning.

   The reserve point guard continues to make progress. During Tuesday''s practice, Parker joined her teammates for the shooting-only session and was jumping and landing without apparent problem.