Katie Donovan scored 19 of her game-high 22 points in helping Illinois State build a 25-point halftime lead on the way to a 91-62 Redbird win over Evansville Friday at Redbird Arena. Donovan led five Redbirds, all starters, in double figures scoring as Taren OBrien had a season-high 17, Erin Keeney had 15, Zora Skrabalova 12 and Jaci McCormack added 11.
O'Brien added a career-high 9 assists to her 17 points. Although, Donovan only scored 3 points in the second half, but she felt that Evansvilles defense paved the way for her teammates to step up.
The second half they double-teamed me, Donovan said. I was impressed with my teammates stepping up and playing hard. Were a team and one person cant going to do it all.
ISU tied two three-point records by hitting 13 of 27. The 13 tied the Redbird single-game record. That gave ISU 113 for the season, which ties the single-season mark set in 1996-97. The Redbirds, 9-5, 3-2 in the Missouri Valley, ended Evansvilles season -long pattern of alternating wins and losses. The Aces, 6-7, 1-3, have lost two straight. ISU extended its winning streak in Redbird Arena to six by scoring the most points in a home game in eight years.
Keeney was pleased with the win at home but feels that the team needs to work on its performance on the road.
We feel more relaxed at home, but we need to become more disciplined and take our intensity with us on the road, Keeney said. Thats our weakness right now and we are going to keep working on it.
Donovan lit-up Redbird Arena with three three-pointers, a driving lay-up and a pair of free throws in the first seven minutes to help ISU take a 17-7 lead. That advantage grew to as many as 19. ISU led 35-16 on Donovans two free throws with 5:36 left in the half. ISU made 13 of its first 20 shots and 5 of its first 9 three-pointers. The halftime score was the product of 61 percent field goal shooting effort by ISU. Evansville made just 9 of 30 from the field and had 12 turnovers to just 7 for Illinois State.
Coach Robin Pingeton was proud of the team for playing so tough after coming off two losses in a row.
It feels good to be back on the winning side, Pingeton said. We challenged our players to get tougher mentally and physically. Our intensity was at another level tonight and it showed during the game,
The Birds continue their three-game homestand with a 4:05 p.m. game Sunday against Southern Illinois.\
