Jan. 15, 2006
Box Score
Peoria, Ill. -
Kristi Cirone scored 11 of her team-high 17 points in the second half and Amber Shelton scored 11 of her 12 after intermission, but their efforts weren't enough for Illinois State to prevent a 71-63 loss at Bradley in a Missouri Valley Conference basketball game Sunday at Robertson Fieldhouse.
The Redbirds, 5-9-, 0-5 in the Valley, played well in the opening minutes. Cirone drained a three-pointer from a Tiffany Hudson assist with 16:19 left in the first half to tie the score at 8-8, but then the `Birds went cold and Bradley got hot. During a 24-3 Bradley run, ISU made just 1 of 13 field goals. The Braves led 36-28 at halftime.
The Braves, 5-10, 1-5, stretched that 12-point halftime lead to 19 in the first eight minutes of the second half. Bradley led 53-34 when Holly Hallstrom, Megan McCracken andShelton all hit layups to cut the lead 53-40 with 10:24 left.
Although McCracken fouled out with 11 points at that point, the `Birds kept up the run with Shelton hitting two free throws and three-pointer, Hallstrom hitting a jumper and two free throws and Cirone scored on a steal and layup as ISU closed to 55-51 with 6:07 left.
But Devyn Flanagan, who had 16 points for Bradley, hit a three-pointer to end the Redbird run at 17-2 with 4:34 left in the game. Flanagan hit another jumper at the four-minute mark and Bradley finished the game by hitting free throws, 23-28 altogether to just 12-16 for the `Birds.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton thought Bradley came out stronger.
"It took us 30 minutes to get warmed up," said Pingeton. "The team with more heart and more guts got the job done today. Hats off to Bradley--they played harder."
But Pingeton still thinks her team can rebound from an 0-5 Valley start.
"We're not going to quit," said Pingeton. "We've got a lot of work to do as players and as a staff. The only option is to roll up our sleeves and get to work and get the ship righted. We can't let adversity get us down."
Illinois State returns home to face Missouri State at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Wichita State at 2:05 p.m. Sunday in Redbird Arena.
