Jan. 29, 2006
Final Stats
Des Moines, Iowa -
Holly Hallstrom had 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for Illinois State, but it wasn't enough for the Redbirds to overcome 53-18 free throw deficit by in overtime a Missouri Valley Conference game Saturday at the Knapp Center. Drake's 53 free throws attempted were three short of the Valley single-game record.
The Bulldogs, 9-9, 5-4 in the Valley, ended a three-game losing streak by converting 33 of those 53 free throws, a record by an Illinois State opponent. Seventeen of Drake's last 22 points, scored in the last five minutes of regulation and in the overtime, came from the free throw line. Jill Martin led Drake with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
The `Birds had a one-point lead with 14 seconds left and thought it had the ball when a held ball was called, but the officials huddled and called a foul on Kristi Cirone of Illinois State. Martin split a pair of free throws for the tie. Lori Trumblee had a shot to win it at the buzzer for ISU, but it rolled out and Drake went on to overtime.
In the extra period, ISU had five field goals to Drake's two, but the Bulldogs made 13 of 19 free throws in the extra session to pull away. ISU got 14 points from Amber Shelton, seven points and 10 rebounds from Trumblee and 12 points from Cirone before she fouled out. Megan McCracken had 13 points for ISU off the bench.
The Redbirds, 8-10, 3-6 in the Valley, lost its 12th straight game to Drake in Des Moines and its fifth straight overtime contest dating back to last season despite a 28-21 edge in field goals and a 45-39 rebounding edge. ISU made just 11 of 18 free throws and didn't shoot any until the second half.
The free throws were a problem, but there were things Redbird coach Robin Pingeton thought her team could have done better.
"We didn't execute like we could have," said Pingeton. "The held ball at the end of regulation was tough, but there were situations we could control that just didn't get done. Our effort was there. We played hard. We showed some poise, but it just didn't happen."
Pingeton thinks her team could benefit from the experience.
"We're going to learn from it and move," said Pingeton, whose team plays Indiana State at home on Saturday.
The Redbirds took a 4-2 lead in the first two minutes and held that lead throughout the first half. A Kristi Cirone jumper gave ISU a 22-14 lead with 9:25 left in the half, but Drake crawled back within 31-30 at halftime. ISU shot 54 percent in the first half, but didn't get to the free throw line. Some costly fouls by the `Birds allowed Drake to hit 10 of 14 free throws to stay close. But the Bulldogs had barely started to shoot free throws.
Hallstrom opened the second half with a pair of free throws, ISU's first, and that was followed by a Shelton jumper and a Tiffany Hudson bucket as ISU went on a 12-4 run, stretching the lead to 43-34, the biggest to that point. ISU took a 44-35 advantage into the final 13 minutes, but Drake started clawing back and eventually broke even at 46-46 with 9:07 left in the game.
Hallstrom's layup put the `Birds back on top 50-48, but Tori Runner hit two free throws to put Drake up two. Hallstrom's free throw was the only Redbird point from the 8:39 mark to the 4:27 point as Drake took a 54-49 lead. Hallstrom's bucket-and-one three-point play cut the lead to 54-52.
Drake made two free throws before Shelton hit a layup with 3:45 left to slice the Bulldog lead back to two. Lindsey Whorton's free throw made the lead three, but Trumblee put-back an offensive rebound and the lead was just one.
Hallstrom's two free throws with 38 seconds left put the `Birds ahead, but the held ball and Martin's free throw sent the game to overtime.
The `Birds return home to play three straight league games at home starting with a 4:05 p.m. Saturday tip against Indiana State. The Sycamores have won 14 in a row.
