Nov. 16, 2006
Illinois State-Stony Brook Game Notes in PDF Format
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NORMAL, Ill. - Fresh off their first win of the season, the Illinois State women's basketball will return to Chicago for the second time in three days for two games at this weekend's DePaul Invitational. The Redbirds play Stony Brook Friday afternoon (5:30 p.m.) in the first-round, and will face either No. 22 DePaul or Yale on Saturday.
The Redbirds are coming off Tuesday night's 77-66 win at Loyola-Chicago, their third victory over the Ramblers in as many seasons. Illinois State's freshmen duo of Maggie Krick and Kenyatta Shelton combined for 32 points and 17 rebounds in the game, and the Redbirds held Loyola-Chicago to just eight field goals (30.8 percent) in the second-half.
Illinois State head coach Robin Pingeton was pleased with her team's performance against the Ramblers, and looks for another opportunity to compete this weekend.
"We made some significant improvements from our game against Northern Illinois to when we played Loyola," said Pingeton. "I was really pleased with our defensive effort. There were some key times down the stretch of the second half when we were able to get some big stops and forced some turnovers.
"It was also an opportunity for our freshmen to get out there on the court again, and they seemed much more comfortable than they were the first time around. Any time you play on the road for the first time as a freshman, it is definitely an eye opener. So there were some positives to take away, but we still have a long way to go. I'm particularly concerned with improving our transition defense."
Illinois State has never played Stony Brook or Yale. The Redbirds and DePaul have played six times in the all-time series, with the last meeting occurring in the 1984 campaign. Illinois State has won the last two decisions against the Blue Demons.
Stony Brook went 21-10 last season, recording the biggest turnaround in the NCAA. The Seawolves return three starters from that squad. They dropped a season-opening 82-72 decisions at Marist on Nov. 10.
"We've got our hands full with Stony Brook," said Pingeton. "They are a very talented team with some quickness and a strong backcourt. They also have some size inside that will pose a challenge for us. Any time a team wins 20-plus games in a season, you know they are a solid squad."
Pingeton sees numerous advantages to playing in the Chicago metropolitan area as part of a non-conference schedule.
"Playing in this tournament is a great opportunity for us," Pingeton said. "It's nice to bring some of our kids back to close to home, because they are able to play in front of their family and friends. From a recruiting standpoint, these types of events are great, especially if you perform well."
