Feb. 28, 2010
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
NORMAL, Ill. - Although it was senior day at Redbird Arena Sunday, the game's standout was Illinois State freshman Alexis Jenkins, scoring a career-high 21-points, as Illinois State claimed its 15th-straight victory in the home finale against Northern Iowa, 69-66, on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
Jenkins (21), Maggie Krick (16) and Nicolle Lewis (13) all scored in double-figures for the Redbirds (22-6, 15-1 MVC). With her career-high points, Jenkins also added three steals and grabbed five boards. Lewis was just shy of her 18th double-double, after coming down with eight rebounds.
Erin Brocka (21) Lizzie Broeck (21) and Kalin Jacqui (14) all scored in double-figures for Northern Iowa (13-14, 9-7 MVC). Brocka and Broeck each recorded double-doubles with 15 and 10 rebounds, respectively. As the two best free throw shooting teams in the nation, Illinois State (10-14) and Northern Iowa (5-7) both made 71.4 percent of the free throws attempted.
Lewis led Illinois State in the first nine minutes of play, as she tallied six of the team's first eight points. At the 11-minute mark, ISU went on a 10-0 run to pull ahead 14-5. UNI quickly answered back with an 8-0 run to shorten the gap to 14-13 with 8:50 left on the clock. Jenkins ended the Panther's streak with a steal and converted a layup and completed the and-one to keep the `Birds ahead. After a back and forth battle for the remainder of the half, the Redbirds went into halftime leading, 34-28.
Krick and Jenkins led the Redbirds in the first half with 10-points each, as Ashleen Bracey kept the ball in Redbird hands with three steals. Illinois State shot 43.3 percent (13-of-30) from the field and 40 percent (2-of-5) from beyond the arc.
The Panthers started the first three-minutes of the second half with a 21-2 run to pull ahead 49-36. After a six-minute drought, Jenkins stepped out beyond the line and drained a three-pointer to start a 6-0 run for the `Birds. With 6:12 remaining in the game, Lewis stepped up to the arc and sank a three-pointer to put the `Birds back in front, 56-55.
With 1:08 left on the clock, Jenkins stepped up to the arc again to hit another clutch three-pointer and to put the `Birds ahead by two possessions. After a turnover by UNI, Jenkins converted on a layup to put the `Birds up 66-60. The Panther's Boeck and K.K. Armstrong refused to let the `Birds pull farther ahead with two last-minute three-pointers to keep the score within one at 67-66. Lewis closed out the game by draining two free throws with .02-seconds left in the game to give the Redbirds a 69-66 final tally.
The Redbirds will finish the regular season with a two-game road trip to Creighton and Drake. ISU will head to Omaha, Neb., to take on the Bluejays at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, March 4, and will conclude the regular season in Des Moines, Iowa, against Drake on Saturday, March 6, at 2:05 p.m.
