If you like watching post players go to work, the fourth quarter of Nebraska’s game against Illinois on Sunday was for you.

Nebraska has a really good one in Alexis Markowski. With the game on the verge of slipping away, Markowski scored Nebraska’s first nine points of the fourth quarter to pull NU within three points. Her game-high 28 points included 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Illinois has a good center also with senior Kendall Bostic. Her big shots kept Nebraska from ever taking a lead in the fourth quarter as Illinois won 77-68 in Champaign, Illinois.

Bostic scored eight points in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Illinois (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) remained the Big Ten’s hottest team. Its eight-game winning streak is the longest winning streak for Big Ten games in program history.

Now Nebraska hopes Sunday won’t be remembered for more than a loss after Nebraska freshman guard Britt Prince went down with a right ankle injury with about one minute left in the fourth quarter. Prince landed on an opponent’s foot on a 3-point attempt and fell to the floor.

Prince went straight to the locker room but was able to return to the court using leg crutches by the end of the game. Prince is Nebraska’s second-leading scorer at 13 points per game.

Nebraska coach Amy Williams said that Prince will be evaluated after the team returns to Lincoln. The next game is Wednesday against Oregon.

With Markowski and Bostic battling in the paint, Illinois had an X-factor in the game with senior guard Adalia McKenzie. She was able to drive to the basket on several occasions, finishing with 23 points.

“Adalia McKenzie was able to get downhill at will,” Williams said to the Huskers Radio Network.

Markowski tied her career high with 28 points. She finished 9 for 20 from the field and 9 for 11 on free throws.

“I challenged (Markowski) at halftime,” Williams said. “She was 3 for 10 at halftime and I thought she could have been more efficient there in the first half. She really rose to the occasion and came out in the second half and was 6 for 10 in the second half.”

Markowski has scored in double figures in 11 of the past 12 games.

Nebraska led 31-30 at halftime. The Huskers were fortunate to be in that spot after going about 4 ½ minutes without scoring late in the second quarter, when Illinois went on a 10-0 run.

While Nebraska wanted to get Markowski the ball a lot, it needed a little more scoring balance to match the four players in double figures for the Illinois.

Markowski was the only Husker to reach double figures. Prince added nine points for the Huskers and Alberte Rimdal scored seven.

Jessica Petrie contributed five points and a team-high nine rebounds. Freshman forward Amiah Hargrove added four points and six rebounds off the bench.

Nebraska finished with six 3-pointers after going 1 for 7 beyond the arc in the second half.