Nov. 14, 2006
Box Score
CHICAGO, Ill. - Freshmen Maggie Krick and Kenyatta Shelton combined for 32 points to lead Illinois State's women's basketball team to its first victory of the 2006-07 season, as the Redbirds used a strong defensive effort to upend host Loyola Chicago, 77-66, at the Joseph. J. Gentile Center Tuesday night. Illinois State has now defeated the Ramblers in each of the last three seasons.
Krick had a game-high 18 points; Shelton had her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Lashawn Johnson collected 12 points and four rebounds. Loyola was led by Jenna Real's 14 points. The `Birds held the Ramblers' leading scorer Marquise Hanser to just 10 points on 4of-15 shooting.
Illinois State head coach Robin Pingeton was pleased with the effort of her team, especially on the defensive end.
"I'm really pleased with the way we responded tonight," said Pingeton. "I thought our freshmen really came out and played much more composed. We've got a lot of room for improvement, but I thought we did some really good things tonight, especially on the defensive end.
"We missed a couple of rotations in the first half, but we made some adjustments at halftime, and in the second half our post players really played well. We're fortunate to have some post players that can switch on a high ball screen and are athletic enough to step out and defend some quick guards."
Kenyatta Shelton gave the Redbirds the early 2-0 lead on their first offensive possession, but Illinois State was held without a field goal for the ensuing four minutes heading into the first media timeout, allowing Loyola to claim a 12-4 lead. But the `Birds responded with a 9-4 spurt out of the timeout, and pulled within three, 16-13, at the ensuing break. Shelton had four quick points in the stretch.
Maggie Krick answered with an 8-0 individual run, connecting on a runner in the lane and back-to-back three-pointers to give ISU its first lead, 21-19, and force Loyola head coach Shannon Reidy into her first timeout. The run ended as a 16-2 spurt heading into the half's third media timeout (7:55), as Nicolle Lewis and Shelton combined for eight points in the paint to push ISU's lead to 29-21.
Loyola recorded an 11-6 run in the next four-plus minutes to trim the ISU edge to three, 35-32. Hanser had five points in the spurt. But Illinois State finished the half on a 10-3 run in the final 3:45 to push the advantage to 45-35 heading into the locker room at halftime. Krick, who finished the half with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, hit an isolated jump shot with three seconds left to clinch the double-digit lead. Shelton had a game-high 14 points and four rebounds to lead the Redbirds. Emily Ponder led Loyola with six first-half points. Illinois State shot 64.5 percent in the half.
ISU extended its lead to 12 points in the early stages of the second-half before the Ramblers countered with a 5-1 spurt to pull within seven, 47-40, forcing Pingeton into her first timeout. Loyola cut the lead to 47-45 less than one minute later after a 5-0 surge. Jenna Real hit two free throws and Maggie McCloskey connected on a transition three-pointer in the stretch.
After a three-pointer by Krick with 14:15 remaining, the Redbirds pushed their lead to eight, 53-45. But they were held scoreless for the ensuing 5:15, and allowed Loyola to pull within one point (53-52) with 11:15 left after Ponder's fourth field goal. Lewis and Lashawn Johnson broke the draught with back-to-back field goals in the paint, and after Krick completed a three-point play with a layup and ensuing free throw, the `Birds led by eight again, 60-52. Loyola never got closer than eight points for the remainder of the half, as the Redbirds finished the game on a 17-14 run, and coasted to the 77-66 win.
Illinois State will continue its three-game Chicago road swing by competing in this weekend's DePaul Invitational, where they will face Stony Brook (Nov. 17) and either No. 22 DePaul or Yale (Nov. 18).
