Check out photos of Sunday's loss here.

CHAMPAIGN – With 5:45 remaining in the first half of Sunday's Illinois-Indiana game, Hoosiers coach Felisha Legette-Jack pulled forward Hope Elam from the game and gave the former Champaign Central star a loud verbal lashing in plain sight – and earshot – of just about everyone at the Assembly Hall.

But moments after the Hoosiers polished off a 67-54 victory, Legette-Jack was lavishing praise on Elam, who had an unheralded role (seven points, six rebounds, four steals) in the win.

"I'm really proud we were able to infiltrate your state and come out with this young lady," Legette-Jack said. "Not only does she give us great basketball and great character, she gives us great off-the-court conversations with our team and she helps us grow in more ways than anybody can imagine.

"We're truly blessed with two things: One, that we won; and two, that we have Hope Elam on our team."

Though she struggled Sunday (1 for 6), Elam has been a major factor in Indiana's solid recent play (three wins in five games). Elam has scored in double figures in five of her last eight games, but it wasn't individual achievements she had on her mind Sunday. Beating her hometown team was.

"It felt good coming home to play in front of the home crowd," Elam said. "But the best thing is that my team got the win today."

In the pink. The attendance was a season-high 2,482, no doubt boosted by the Pink Zone promotion that raises funds and awareness for breast cancer. Many in the crowd were decked out in pink, and breast cancer survivors were on the court before the game and honored at halftime. Among the honorees was Kathy Hug, a UI assistant athletic director in event management who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. Hug and her family presented UI coach Jolette Law with the game ball before tipoff.

Illinois also honored seniors Jenna Smith (1,000 career rebounds) and Lacey Simpson (1,000 career points) for their recent achievements.

Short shots. Simpson's two steals moved her into ninth place on the Big Ten's career steals list. ... UI athletic director Ron Guenther was in attendance for the second straight home game.