Dec. 18, 2009
Box Score
CHICAGO -
For the final 10 minutes of the first half, Illinois State dominated Illinois-Chicago, outscoring the Flames by nearly 20 points. That run helped the Redbirds (5-3) topped the Flames (2-7), 73-59, at the UIC Pavilion Friday night. Junior Hannah Spanich led the Redbirds with 14 points.
Senior Ashleen Bracey added 12 points in just 21 minutes, fouling out with seven minutes left in the game. Freshman Alexis Jenkins played well in front of her home crowd, scoring a career-high eight points and making her first-career three-pointer. Junior Emily Hanley tied her career-high with 10 rebounds, which she set as a freshman at Eastern Michigan.
UIC pulled within three midway through the first half, but the Redbirds outscored the Flames 28-9 over the final 10 minutes. ISU used a 12-0 run over the span of three minutes to stretch its lead to double-figures and Jenkins' first-career three-pointer put the `Birds ahead by 20 at the end of the half.
ISU shot a blistering 51.6 percent (16-31) from the field in the first half and hit six three-pointers to score the most points in a half this season. The Redbirds outrebounded the Flames 26-10 and had 10 second chance points. The four Redbird bench players combined for 22 points, nearly outscoring UIC (23).
The hot shooting did not last into the second half, as the Redbirds suffered through a stretch of 11:05 without a field goal. The'Birds missed 14-straight shots, but did make eight free throws to keep the lead at 13 points.
Illinois State shot just 21.4 percent (6-28) in the second half and gave up 36 points to UIC. The Redbirds did shoot 13-of-16 from the free throw line in the second half.
Illinois State visits Eastern Illinois Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
