Jaci McCormacks 14 points and career-high 8 rebounds paced an Illinois State offense which shot 57 percent and a defense which limited Wichita State to just 33 percent in a 67-52 victory Saturday night.
The Redbirds, 7-15 overall, 5-8 in the Missouri Valley had a 36-30 rebounding edge over the Shockers and held Wichita State to just four points in the final eight minutes of the game. Sharon Blade added 12 points for the Redbirds and Stacey White had 11 while Taren OBrien had a season-high eight assists and just one turnover against the relentless Shocker full-court press.
Redbird coach Jenny Yopp felt that preparation and composure made the difference in a game which included two Shocker technical fouls and plenty of physical play at both ends of the court. She complemented assistant coaches Cherie Swarthout, Christy Thomaskutty and Chris Mennig for helping with a game plan to contain the Shockers, who scored 87 points in beating Indiana State just two nights earlier.
I am proud and appreciative of my staff, said Yopp. All three of them have played huge roles in preparing this team all season long and tonight, they were great. Im also proud of our leadership (on the court) right now. We got after it on defense and Wichita State took it right to us just like we expected and we stayed poised throughout the game.
The victory at Wichita made Illinois State just the fifth team in the last 15 seasons to sweep the Bear-muda Triangle road trip to Southwest Missouri State and Wichita State. Jill Hutchisons 1997 Redbirds also did it, as did Drake teams in 1998 and 2002 and Creighton last year. Illinois State has won five straight games while leading at halftime.
ISU trailed 11-4 in the first four minutes before Blades two straight baskets along with some better defense got ISU started. A pair of OBrien layups tie the score at 14-apiece and Whites reverse layup on a lob pass from McCormack put ISU ahead 16-14 with 9:43 left in the half. That was part of an 11-2 run capped by a McCormack three-pointer which put ISU ahead 21-16. The Birds had an assist for each of their first nine baskets, four by OBrien.
Illinois State led 29-26 at halftime as the Birds limited WSU to just 2 of its last 13 field goal attempts before intermission. But WSU went to the free throw line 14 times, converting 10 to stay close. White had eight points for ISU in the first half as the Birds led at the intermission despite four players having to sit down with two fouls each.
Early in the second half, Zora Skrabalova picked up her third and fourth fouls and Blade was called for her third as WSU, 12-10, 6-7 in the Valley, battled to a 36-36 tie on Carlesa Dixons basket with 16:35 left. Stacey Nickerson, playing because of the foul trouble, got ISU bask in the lead on a layup with 15:48 left. But Raeven Kings two free throws and a Buckner basket inside gave the Shocks a 40-38 lead. Buckner led the Shockers with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
White answered with a short jumper and McCormack followed a pair of Redbird steals with a three pointer from the left wing and a free throw line jumper as ISU went no a 7-0 run to lead 45-40 with 12:57 left. The Birds had a 49-48 lead heading into the final eight minutes and raised it to 54-48 with a five unanswered points topped by two free throws by Sara Stevenson with 5:13 left to play.
Dixon got WSUs first points in more than three minutes on a looping shot ahead of the shot clock to cut the lead to four, but a bank shot by Skrabalova and an old-fashioned three-point play by Blade gave ISU a 59-50 lead into the final 2:30.
Illinois State returns home to face Evansville at 7:05 p.m. Thursday and Southern Illinois at 2:05 pm. Saturday, both at Redbird Arena.
