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CHAMPAIGN – The Assembly Hall hardly was a quiet place following the Illini women's loss to Indiana on Thursday.

But if that surprised anyone, then "You don't know the Elams, do you?" Indiana coach Felisha Legette-Jack cracked.

Hope Elam, the Hoosiers' senior guard from Champaign Central, had 13 points and seven rebounds to help the Hoosiers win in the building for the second straight year. As she did last year, Elam downplayed her personal feelings afterward, but her wide smile moments after the final buzzer told the true story.

"Honestly, I'm just excited we got the win today," said Elam, backed by her family and friends sitting behind the Indiana bench. "The fan base was great, but getting that win is what's great for me."

Elam, though she wasn't in the starting lineup, had a big part. She buried her first four shots, three of which were from three-point range, to help stake the Hoosiers to a 10-point halftime lead that was never completely erased.

She played with a mask to protect the nose she broke last season. Elam said she received another elbow to the face in practice earlier this week, forcing her to bring out the custom-fitted protective device again.

"I'm surprised she didn't start, but being from Champaign, I knew she'd come out with energy and want to get a win," UI coach Jolette Law said. "We knew today they would fight a little harder."

Right combo. For a large segment of the second half, Law stayed with the same five players – Karisma Penn, Lana Rukavina, Adrienne GodBold, Centrese McGee and Amber Moore – who spearheaded the Illini's comeback that pulled them within one.

"They got us back in the game," Law said. "I wish I had them in the first half."

Law said GodBold, who has come off the bench in all 20 games she's played, likely earned a starting spot for Sunday's game at Purdue.

Short shots. For those keeping track, Law wore a blue blouse under a dark suit on the Illini sideline. ... Thursday's announced crowd was 670, the lowest this season for a UI home game. Illinois ranks 10th in the conference in home attendance, ahead of Northwestern.