Going after their third straight win and trying to end a nine-game losing streak to Indiana State, Illinois State travels to Terre Haute wanting to start the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference season on a winning note.
The Redbirds, 2-7, are coming off back-to-back wins over Northern Illinois and Western Illinois in which the defense was the star. The 102 total points allowed in those two games (55-52 over Northern, 53-50 over Western) are the fewest points allowed in back-to-back games by a Redbird team since the 1996-96 season. ISU beat Indiana State 77-43 Feb. 3 and Wichita State 69-51 Feb. 9 (94 points total) in those two games.
The defensive effort has pleased Redbird coach Jenny Yopp.
"We have worked very hard on our defensse and our young players continue to work hard to improve," said Yopp. "It's a fantastic effort from our players. They are playing hard on defense and realize our best offensive opportunities come out of our defense."
The Redbirds have tightened the bolts on opposing shooters to eal both victories: the Huskies made just 2 of their last 10 field goal attempts and the Westerwinds made just one of their last 12 from the field. In each game, Steph Reichle denied the other team's best perimeter shooter aiming for the lead in the waning seconds. She blocked Kristan Knake's three-pointer for NIU and pressured WIU's Tugba Palazolglu into an off-balance jumper which could have put WIU ahead in the final 10 seconds. In both games, Stacey White's key rebound and two free throws gave ISU a three-point lead before the opponent's last possession.
Yopp used Reichle's effort contsting the sharp-shooting Palazoglu as an example of how her defense has succeeded.
"Steph played smart defense and contested that shot exactly the way we want it," said Yopp. "Our team has come a long way and our hard work is paying off."
Taren O'Brien leads the 'Birds in scoring with 9.8 points perg ame and assists with 3.4 per game. Freshman Katie Donovan's 6.7 rebuonsd per game lead the team, which is out-rebounding its opponents for the season.
Indiana State, 4-5, looks a lot better than that record on paper. Junior Kourtney Mennen, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, is having a spectacular season as the Sycamore small forward, averaging 91.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. Mennen's 31 three-point field goals are one less than the Redbirds have scored as a team this seaon, but she has done it in just 70 attempts for a .443 three-point field goal percentage.
Senior Kristin Stewart averages 11.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game--No. 2 in the league. With almost half of her rebounds on the offensive end, it's no surprise Stewart also is shooting 54 percent from the field. Senior guard April Kirby compliments Mennen with .407 three-point shooting (22 of 54). Kirby and Mennen are No. 1 and No. 2 in Sycamore history in fee throw percentage and are the big reasons Indiana State shoots 74 percent from the line.
Junior college transfer Marcie Pahl runs the Indiana State offense with 4.8 assists per game for second-year head coach Jim Wiedie, who took over last December and led the Sycamores to a 9-13 record.
