CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — IU women's basketball fell flat in a shocking loss to Illinois, 86-66, at State Farm Center on Monday afternoon.

The No. 14 Hoosiers (21-4, 12-3) came into the game solidly in third place in the Big Ten with an outside shot at the league title. Now, with this loss to the middling Illini (13-12, 7-8), the Hoosiers will need a miracle to repeat as conference champions.

'We gotta figure things out.' IU women out of Big Ten race, risks losing NCAA home games

Five Illini players ended the game in double figures, with Makira Cook leading the way with 22 points. IU senior Mackenzie Holmes carried the Hoosiers with 24 points and Yarden Garzon ended with 17.

Here are three observations:

Illinois adapts. Indiana doesn't.

Illinois averages 5.3 3-pointers per game, and IU averages 8.5, but neither team was hitting shots beyond the arc Monday afternoon. By halftime, IU was 1-of-7 from the arc, while Illinois was 1-of-4. There was one key difference in the 44-28 disparity in the break — Illinois adapted, and Indiana didn't.

The Fighting Illini took advantage of the Hoosiers' lazy defense in the first half, finding easy lanes in the paint to methodically increase their lead. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers couldn't buy a bucket. IU went the final five minutes of the second quarter without a field goal, while Illinois went on a 10-0 run to score 26 points in the second quarter alone. IU only scored 11.

The adaption was simple; Illinois realized the 3-ball wasn't working in the first half, so it adapted to a 2-point layup barrage with 32 point paints in the first half. Indiana kept the "it'll go in eventually" mentality, launching off 3-pointers to the tune of four per quarter.

Eventually, those 3-pointers started going in — the Hoosiers made three 3-pointers in the third quarter.

Still, it was too little too late.

IU had gotten used to guarding the paint in the first half, which left Illini shooters open beyond the arc in the second. Illinois heated up at the 3-point line about the same time as IU did, draining three 3-pointers in the third quarter and pushing out to a 14-point lead — one IU could never overcome.

IU's lost hopes of Big Ten title

Barring a meltdown from both No. 4 Iowa and No. 2 Ohio State in the final games of the regular season, Indiana has all but lost out on its chances to repeat as Big Ten champions this season.

IU now sits at 12-3 in the conference, behind 13-1 Ohio State and 12-2 Iowa. Iowa visits Assembly Hall on Thursday night.

Outside of the Buckeyes' regular season finale against Iowa, Ohio State plays Maryland, Penn State and Michigan — all games they are likely to win. Iowa has IU, Illinois and Minnesota before Ohio State.

Ohio State will likely, at worst, go 3-1 in its final four games of the season. That will easily eliminate Indiana from any contention from the Big Ten title. Even if Iowa beats Ohio State on March 3, the Buckeyes will likely win the conference on tiebreakers.

Ohio State controls its destiny. There is an outside shot at Iowa winning the title, but the top of the Big Ten would need to crumble entirely for IU to come out on top.

Sydney Parrish returns to play

There was one bright spot for the Hoosiers in this uncharacteristic loss — senior starter Sydney Parrish got back on the floor for the first time in eight games. Parrish hadn't played since Jan. 17 in a win over Minnesota, nursing an injury to her foot.

Parrish came off the bench for the Hoosiers and played limited minutes, getting in the first and third quarters and playing a total of six minutes. She didn't take any shots, only grabbing one defensive rebound in the first possession she entered

Parrish's return is big for the Hoosiers' depth ahead of one of their biggest games of the year against Iowa. The senior played against Iowa on Jan. 13 when the Hoosiers suffered an 84-57 loss in Iowa.

If Parrish is able to play meaningful minutes against Iowa on Thursday night, the Hoosiers will be able to space out the floor more beyond the arc and give Iowa a run for its money.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana women's basketball falls flat, loses to middling Illinois