Nov. 21, 2008
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. -
Illinois State (0-2) suffered its second loss in the Preseason WNIT, falling to Cleveland State (2-1), 64-50, Friday in the consolation round game at Ball State's Worthen Arena. The Redbirds had their worst scoring output since scoring 50 in a loss to Creighton in 2003 and fell to 0-3 all-time in the Preseason WNIT.
Ashleen Bracey recorded her eighth-career double-double, her first this season, with 11 points and 10 rebounds. She came on strong in the second half, with 10 points and eight rebounds coming after halftime. Shala Jackson also had a game-high 11 points and four rebounds. Ashley Sandstead contributed six points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.
"If we played the entire game with the intensity we did in the last few minutes, we would have put ourselves in position to win," said head coach Robin Pingeton. ""Cleveland State came out and played harder than us at the beginning. We missed some open shots, both inside and outside, and turned the ball over, which isn't what we need to do to win.
Illinois State struggled in the second half, making just five field goals in the first 14 minutes of play, but showed life at the end of the half with six field goals in a five-minute span. ISU shot just 33.9 percent from the field, marking its second-consecutive game shooting under 40 percent. The Redbirds also struggled from three-point range, making just 3-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Cleveland came out firing, making its first six shots from the field to take a 13-6 lead. Angel Roque nailed two three-pointers and her sister, Jessica, completed a three-point play to place the Vikings. Ashley Sandstead provided a spark off the bench with a back-to-back three-pointers, but the Vikings answered each with a three of their own to maintain a seven-point edge, 19-12.
Three-straight Redbird baskets pull ISU within one point, 19-18. Cleveland State closed the half with a 10-4 run, including eight unanswered points, and went to the locker room with a seven-point lead, 29-22. ISU shot just 37 percent from the field in the first half and was only 2-for-10 from three point range.
ISU kept the game close in the opening minutes of the second half and Cirone got into the scoring column with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to six points. The Vikings came right back with an 8-2 run to take a 44-31 lead. Krick snapped a four-minute ISU scoreless streak with a layup at the 10-minute mark.
A three-point play and a long three-pointer gave Cleveland State its largest lead of the game, 53-36, with 6:10 remaining in the game. ISU started to attack the basket on offense and went on a 13-4 run to pull within eight points, 57-49. Bracey and Jackson each scored six points during the Redbird run. ISU did not score after that and Cleveland State made seven free throws in the final 90 seconds.
ISU will play the loser of the Ball State/Robert Morris game Saturday. If Robert Morris loses, the game will be at 4:30 p.m. CST. If Ball State loses, the game will be at 7 p.m. CST.
