Feb. 14, 2009
Final Stats |
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NORMAL, Ill. - Kristi Cirone and Ashleen Bracey notched double-doubles and all five of Illinois State's starters scored in double figures as the Redbirds routed Wichita State, 94-68, on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena Thursday. The Redbirds made a season-high 12 three-pointers while capturing their ninth-consecutive win, and have won 18 of the last 19 games.
Cirone led all scorers with 21 points and tallied 11 assists while helping Illinois State (20-4, 11-1 MVC) capture its third-consecutive 20-win season. Bracey finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds and had the double-double secured by the end of the first half. Bracey hit 7-of-8 shot attempts from the field, including three of the Redbirds' three-pointers.
Maggie Krick (13), Nicolle Lewis (12), and Shala Jackson (10) joined Cirone and Bracey in the starting lineup and in double figures. Illinois State shot 60 percent from beyond the three-point arc and hit 12-of-20 attempts - tied for fifth-most in a single game by a Redbird basketball team.
Bracey had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half while helping the Redbirds jump out to a 47-33 lead at the break. Wichita State's leading-scorer, Marcy Sudbeck, was called for a pair of fouls early and was limited to two points in the first half. Cirone had 12 points and six of her assists in the opening period.
Illinois State continued its pace in the second half, scoring another 47 points on the Shockers (10-14, 2-11 MVC). The Redbirds had 11 players get more than nine minutes of playing time and all finished with at least one made basket.
Sudbeck (12), Jacie Hoyt (12), Val Siemens (12) and Marisah Henderson (10) all reached double figures for Wichita State but the Shockers were held to 36.9 percent shooting as a team. Haleigh Lankster scored eight points in the first half for WSU but fouled out with 12:43 left in the contest and didn't make a basket in the second half.
The Redbirds out-rebounded the Shockers 39-33 and collected seven blocks. Illinois State had 25 passes lead to buckets while Wichita State mustered just 11 assists. The Redbirds scored 34 points in the paint and 20 points off the fast break.
Illinois State embarks on a two-game round swing that takes them through Southern Illinois (Feb. 19) and Evansville (Feb. 21) before the Redbirds return to Redbird Arena to face Bradley Feb. 26 at 7:05 p.m.
