Nov. 28, 2005
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
Kristi Cirone scored 11 of her team-high 15 points after halftime to lead Illinois State to a 57-50 win over South Alabama in a non-conference women's basketball game Monday at Redbird Arena. The Redbirds are 4-0, the first ISU women's basketball team to be 4-0 since 1973-74.
The Jaguars, 1-3, got 11 points from Ashley Gamble, but were out-rebounded 28-24 by the Redbirds after halftime and had eight turnovers to Illinois State's four after intermission. ISU made 20 of 32 free throws and USA shot none.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton was pleased with her team's defense, even though the `Birds shot just 31 percent from the field for the game. Cirone was one of the keys to that defense, taking four charges. It was the trademark of former Redbird point guard and current director of basketball operations Taren O'Brien Martin.
"Our kids, for the most part, did a great job on defense," said Pingeton. "We showed the players a highlight tape of Taren O'Brien taking charges her senior year to demonstrate what we wanted and that's what they're doing. Some nights, the ball won't go in the hoop for you, but I'm not concerned because we have a great offensive team."
Illinois State took a 12-8 lead on Ashley Sandstead's short jumper with 11:52 left in the first half and, after Cortney Brown answered with a baseline shot, both teams went cold for more than six minutes. Brown hit a three-pointer with 5:43 left to give the Jags a 13-12 lead. Cirone's free throw with 3:29 left broke ISU's scoring draught after 8:23 to retie the score.
A Gamble three gave USA a 16-13 lead, but back-to-back baskets by Sandstead and Holly Hallstrom gave ISU a 17-16 lead. The half ended in a 20-20 tie.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton thought the 15 second-half offensive rebounds were a key.
"To see our team go from one offensive rebound (in the first half) to 16 for the game, makes me ecstatic," said Pingeton. "Our composure with the ball was tremendous in the second half."
Amber Shelton, who had 13 points and four steals, was part of her team's third straight second-half sprint. ISU has out-scored its opponents 162-111 after halftime.
"We had to focus on the defensive end and box them out on the boards," said Shelton. "I guess we need a half to get warmed up. This is our home court; we need to defend it from the get-go. We need to be tougher in the first half."
Baskets by Shelton and Hallstrom and a Shelton three-pointer helped ISU take a 27-22 lead in the first four minutes of the second half. Raena Ellis hit back-to-back threes to help USA take a 34-32 when Hallstrom hit the first of two free throws, Lashawn Johnson rebounded the second and Shelton hit a driving pull-up jumper at the right edge of the lane. At 11:28, Cirone broke the Jaguar press and hit Sandstead in the corner for an open three and ISU had a 38-34 lead.
The next eight Redbird points came on free throws, six by Cirone and two by Johnson, and ISU led 46-40 heading into the final six minutes. A Sandstead runner in the lane gave ISU its biggest lead of the night 48-40 with 3:49 left, and ISU used free throws and lay-ups to cement their seventh straight home victory, matching the longest home-court winning streak by the `Birds since 1996-97.
Jaguars coach Rick Pietri thought his team lost track of Illinois State at key points on defense, and the Redbirds were able to score on those possessions.
"We had isolated breakdowns in the second half, defensively, and every time we had a breakdown, Illinois State made us pay," said Pietri. "Illinois State beat us tonight. Take nothing away from them. They did what they had to do down the stretch to win this game."
Illinois State plays Wednesday at Ball State.
