Jaci McCormack scored 15 points to lead the Redbirds, but Illinois States poor shooting and turnover count allowed Indiana State to beat the Birds 68-48 in the final regular-season Missouri Valley Conference basketball game for both teams.
The Redbirds, 10-17, 7-11, saw their three-game winning streak in the ISU-ISU series come to an end thanks to 16 first-half turnovers and icy 29 percent field goal shooting in the first 20 minutes, allowi8ng Indiana State, 20-7, 13-5, to build a 13-point halftime lead. McCormack was 4-of-7 in the first half, scoring 13 of her points, but the rest of the Redbirds were an aggregate 3-of-17 from the field.
Illinois States final field goal percentage was .309 and the Birds had 26 turnovers, Indiana State shot just 33 percent from the field, but took advantage of 24 offensive rebounds and a 30-16 free throw advantage.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton cited the offensive rebounds and Indiana States defense as factors.
We shot 30 percent for the game and they werent much better, so it wasnt a great offensive game for either team, said Pingeton. But they really hit the offensive boards and we struggled against their defensive pressure. You cant give up 24 offensive boards and turn the ball over 26 times against them.
The Redbirds had nine turnovers in the first nine minutes as Indiana State took a 16-8 lead. That lead grew to 22-11 as Illinois State went nearly eight minutes without a field goal. Catherine Grahams three-pointer got the Birds within eight with 5:46 left in the half. But the 16 first-half turnovers and just 7 of 24 shooting put ISU in a 37-24 halftime hole.
Seven more Redbird turnovers in the first seven minutes of the second half helped Indiana State build a 22-point lead as Illinois State missed its first eight field goals after intermission.
The Sycamore led 48-26 with 12:40 left in the game when ISU put together an 11-4 run featuring seven points by Michelle Harakas, who had nine of her 11 points in the second half. The spurt got ISU within 52-39 at the eight-minute media time out.
At times I thought we fought back, said Pingeton. We played hard in stretches but Indiana State is a tremendous team and always plays well at home. They played hard today.
But two free throws by Lisa Verhoff and a layup by Ashley Clark, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana State, put the Sycamores back in charge.
The Redbirds play Thursday in the opening round of the eight-team State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Redbird Arena.
