March 24, 2009
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NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State used a season-high 25 points from Maggie Krick and 22 points from Kristi Cirone to win its first-ever game against Louisiana Tech, 73-59, in the second round of the 2009 Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena Tuesday night.
Krick and Cirone filled the basket and the stat sheet throughout the contest. Krick finished behind Nicolle Lewis (11) for the team lead in rebounds with eight and added five assists. Krick finished 6-for-6 from the free throw line, including four in the final minute. Cirone, the three-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, dished out a team-high six assists and pulled down seven rebounds.
Illinois State dominated the first seven minutes of the game, building a 17-2 lead, while grabbing a 9-1 advantage on the glass. Louisiana Tech looked stunned from the start and struggled to make a field goal, starting the contest 1-for-9 from the field. The Lady Techsters regrouped and rattled off 12 unanswered points to make it a 17-14 game with 8:49 to play in the opening period, but were left in a constant chase of the Redbirds. A free throw by Whitney Jones tied the game with just over a minute left in the first period, and the teams ended the half tied at 28.
The Redbirds outscored Louisiana Tech, 14-7, to start the second half, and again, the Lady Techsters found themselves in catch-up mode. A three-pointer by Brietta Thomas, one of three for her in the game, gave Louisiana Tech its first lead at 35-34 with 15:47 remaining in the game. The lead would prove to be the Lady Techsters' only of the game, and the Redbirds pushed the advantage to double digits with five minutes to go.
Whitney Jones led the Lady Techsters with 22 points in the loss, with nine points coming off of three desperation three-pointers in the final 1:30. Lewis and the Redbirds kept WAC Player of the Year Shanavia Dowdell in check during the game, limiting the Louisiana Tech post player to nine points and 13 rebounds.
Lewis finished with a double-double, chipping in 12 points in addition to her eight rebounds. Lewis collected three blocks in the game, and in the process, set the Illinois State single-season block record at 75.
With the win, Illinois State advances to face Marquette in the third round of the WNIT, to be played Thursday at 7 p.m. on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
