Taren OBriens press-breaking layup with 15 seconds left was the key shot for Illinois State in an 84-80 win over Evansville Thursday in a Missouri Valley Conference game at Roberts Stadium.
The Redbirds 13-8, 7-5 in the Missouri Valley, had five player in double figures scoring for the second time this season, led by Katie Donovan with 20 points. Erin Keeney added 13, Beth Huston had 13 off the bench. OBrien had 11 and tied her career with 9 assists and Zora Skrabalova had 10.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton was proud of the way her team overcame foul trouble for McCormack, OBrien and Skrabalova, and got help from the bench, led by Hustons 13 and 7 from Sophie Tirtiaux.
It was a tough, physical game for us, said Pingeton, whose team made 12 three-pointers including three by Huston. We had some huge play from our bench today. It was exciting for Beth and Sophie. They had huge minutes and we found a way to win. Beth had a nice game for us. She took very good care of the ball and did a very good job creating shots for her teammates and herself.
The Aces, 9-11, 4-7, got a career-high 32 points and 9 rebounds from Jamie Gray and led into the final 5:30, but ISU out-scored the Aces 11-4 the rest of the way.
Unlike the early hammering the Redbirds put on the Aces last month in a 91-66 ISU win in Normal, UE started fast, taking a 16-7 lead in the first five minutes and forcing McCormack to the bench with three fouls that early. But Huston, McCormacks replacement -- and Sundays hero against Drake, led the charge back by Illinois State.
UE led 35-31 with 4:50 remaining in the half when Tirtiaux and Donovan each hit a free throw to cut the lead to two. Then Huston hit a pair of long threes, sandwiched around a layup off a OBrien steal, closed out a 10-0 run which put the Redbirds up 41-35. The half ended with ISU ahead 44-39 thanks to 18 points from non-starters.
Four fouls moved OBrien to the bench three minutes into the second half and Skrabalova, who got her fourth with 11:31 remaining in the game. UE caught the Redbirds at 62-apiece a minute later and sped by the Redbirds to take a 68-64 lead on the second of Megan Lifficks back-to-back baskets with 8:42 left.
A McCormack three-pointer from the left wing brought the Birds back to within 68-67. Donovan hit a three-pointer and then a conventional three-point play to put ISU ahead 73-70 with 6:49 left. But Gray scored on four straight possessions to help UE earn a 76-73 lead. A Skrabalova layup and a McCormack trey put the Birds back on top 78-76 with 4:56 left.
Donovan split a pair of free throws and then the Redbird defense went to work. McCormack had deflections on three straight UE possesions and ISU stretched the lead to 81-76 on an OBrien layup with 1:40 left. Two free throws by Gray cut that lead to a three-point field goal 13 seconds left, but ISU got the stops it needed and, after Olivia Grant cut the lead to 81-80 with 17 seconds left, OBrien caught a long pass from McCormack and layed it in for the clincher.
Our posts did a nice job of setting up the play, said Pingeton. Jaci made a great pass and Taren finished it. Our kids really had to battle hard tonight and they did it.
The road trip continues with a 4:05 p.m. Saturday tipoff at Southern Illinois and a Feb. 22 game at Indiana State.
