Dec. 28, 2009
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NORMAL, Ill. -
Senior Nicolle Lewis made a jumper at the buzzer to take the game into overtime, but Illinois State (6-3) was held without a field goal in overtime and fell to DePaul (10-3), 63-61, Monday night.
Lewis notched her third double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Senior Maggie Krick helped give support to the `Birds as she scored 13 points and came down with eight rebounds.
It was apparent throughout the game that the Redbird's three-point shooting was not on point. Illinois State missed 20 three-point shots during the game and finished just 20 percent on attempts from beyond the arc.
DePaul's speed, midrange game and three-pointers put the Blue Demons in front of Illinois State early on. DePaul went on a 7-2 run in the final two minutes of the first half to take a 36-29 lead at halftime. Illinois State struggled shooting from the outside, making just one of its 11 three-point attempts.
Midway through the second half the Redbirds used an 8-0 run to pull within one point of the Blue Demons at 45-44. The Redbirds had four steals during the run; three by junior Amanda Clifton. With less than three minutes left on the game Krick hit a three-pointer to bring the `Birds to within one at 55-54.
Off of a rebound from a missed shot by junior Hannah Spanich, Lewis hit a jumper from inside the paint to tie the game at 59-59 with 0.2 seconds left on the clock which led to overtime.
Illinois State picked up its percentages across the board in the second half by making 11-of-29 from inside the arc and 4-of-11 three-pointer shots. Lewis scored two points for ISU with a pair of free throws in the overtime, but the Redbirds were held without a field goal in the extra period and DePaul scored twice to squeak out the win.
Kristi Cirone (2005-09) was honored at the start of Monday night's game with the retirement of the No. 10 Redbird jersey. The Redbirds begin Missouri Valley Conference play Thursday when they host Drake for a New Year's Eve tilt at Redbird Arena.
