Megan McCracken had 21 points and Jaci McCormack had 17, including back-to-back scores in the final two minutes to give Illinois State the lead for good as the No. 8 seed Redbirds shocked No. 1 seed Southwest Missouri State, 61-57 in the first round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Womens Basketball Tournament at Redbird Arena. It is the first time in Valley basketball historymens or womensthat a No. 8 seed has beaten a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
SMS led 49-38 with 9:31 left to play before McCormack hit back-to-back baskets, then McCracken drained a three-pointer followed by a fast-break jumper and ISU, now 11-17, was within 49-47 with 6:42 remaining. Michelle Harakas put-back a rebound to tie at 49-49 at the 4:41 mark. Donovan put the Birds back on top with 3:19 left with a free throw, 50-49, finishing a 12-0 Redbird run.
SMS, 20-8, scrambled back to take a 52-50 lead on a free throw by Kari Koch, who led SMS with 18 points, and a short jumper by Sarah Klaassen after the Birds held SMS without a field goal from 9:31 to 2:26 remaining. The Birds out-shot the Bears .411 to .357 from the field and held SMS, the nations leading three-point shooting team, to just 5 of 27 from beyond the arc. ISUs seven threes put the Birds above 200 treys for the season for the second year in a row, but just the second time in school history.
But ISU bounced back as McCormacks three-pointer with 1:58 left beat the shot clock and put ISU ahead 53-52. ISU added to the leadwith another McCormack jumper with 38 seconds left. Kochs two free throws with 32 seconds left cut the lead to 55-54, but, in between two more Redbird defensive stops, McCracken hit two free throws, Holly Hallstrom hit one and Katie Donovan added another pair to put ISU ahead 60-54 with 16 seconds left. Jenni Lingor, who had 16 points and nine rebounds, hit a three with four seconds left to cut the lead in half, but ISU ran out the clock and had the stunning upset.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton thought the win erased a lot of heartache this season.
Weve listened all season about how weve underachieved, said Pingeton, and tonights win erased all of that. This is a tremendous win for our team and our program. Ive never been more proud of a team than I am tonight.
McCormacks go-ahead jumper in the final two minutes was another in a long line of big shots by the senior guard.
It wasnt supposed to be that late (in the shot clock), said McCormack, who also led the Birds with eight rebounds and two steals, but I knew that the clock was running down and I had to put up a shot. Im just glad it fell in.
SMS, 20-7, came into the game the nations leading three-point field goal shooting team , but the Bears missed their first nine threes in the first half as ISU built a 22-11 lead.
The Birds came out of the gate with strong ball movement. Jaci McCormacks three-point at the 17:50 mark of the first half broke a 4-4 tie and was followed by a low-post basket by Amber Shelton and a McCormack jumper to put ISU ahead 11-4 with 15:38 left in the half.
SMS matched scores with the Birds until ISU led 16-11. Donovans layup off a McCracken steal and assist was followed by a McCracken jumper and a Sophie Tirtiaux baseline basket from McCormacks assist and ISU led 22-11 with 9:26 left in the half. Tirtiaux came off the Redbird bench for just two points, but led her team with four assists. Donovan chipped in on the victory with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Koch scored on a jumper and then hit SMS first three-point field goal of the game after an 0-9 start with 5;56 left spurred a 15-3 SMS run which gave the Bears a 26-25 lead into the intermission. After an 8-13 shooting start, ISU made just three of their last 16 before halftime.
The Birds play at 8:30 p.m. Friday against the winner of the final first-round match between No. 4 seed Northern Iowa and No. 5 seed Evansville.
In the afternoon session, No. 2 seed Indiana State hammered No. 7 Bradley 82-59 and No.
