March 17, 2010
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NORMAL, Ill. - Ashleen Bracey was one of three Illinois State players in double figures with a team-best 15 points and 13 rebounds and helped the Redbirds stave off a late charge in a 57-54 win over Butler in the opening round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament at Redbird Arena Wednesday night.
Bracey hit 3-of-4 shot attempts from beyond the arc and was joined in double figure scoring by Nicolle Lewis and Maggie Krick, who each had 11. Illinois State (25-7) led by as many as 15 points in the second half, but a late surge by the Bulldogs (23-10) made it a one-point contest with 26 seconds remaining. Krick hit a pair of late free throws to make it a three-point game and two late shots by Butler's Alyssa Pittman went awry. Illinois State's stifling defense limited the Bulldogs to a 27.7 percent shooting mark for the game and the Redbirds redirected eight shots.
Both teams struggled shooting the ball early and the Bulldogs built a 13-8 lead at the 11:15 mark. ISU finally found an offensive rhythm, scoring 17 unanswered points in just under four minutes to take the lead for the first time, 29-15. Bracey scored eight points, making a pair of three-pointers, and Krick added five, including a three of her own, during the run.
Butler went nearly five minutes without scoring, allowing the Redbird run, before Melanie Thornton converted a layup. The Bulldogs scored 10 points in the paint through the first 12 minutes of the game and had just four the rest of the first half.
The Redbird seniors combined for 24 of ISU's 33 points in the first half.
A Katie Broadway three-pointer and Bracey jumper in the opening minutes of the second half stretched the ISU lead to 15 points, 38-23. After Butler pulled within 11, the duo knocked down three-pointers on consecutive possessions to keep the lead at 15.
Eight-straight points pulled Butler within eight, 48-40, with 8:59 left in the game. After a pair of Butler free throws cut the lead to six, Broadway knocked down her third three of the game as the shot clock nearly expired. ISU had gone 7:20 with just one basket prior to that three.
Butler came right back with a three-pointer and layup off a turnover on consecutive possessions. A Thornton free throw capped the Bulldog run at 17-5 and cut the lead down to three, 53-50, with 2:09 remaining. Krick missed a jumper off an inbounds play and Devin Brierly raced down the floor for a layup, pulling the Bulldogs within a point, 55-54, with 26 seconds remaining.
ISU inbounded the ball three times and was fouled by Butler each time before reaching the bonus. Krick calmly knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Redbirds a three-point cushion, 57-54. Butler got off two three-pointers but couldn't connect on either attempt.
Butler's Thornton led all scorers with 25 points and snagged a game-high 15 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. Brittany Bowen also reached double digits with 14 points in the contest. Butler outscored Illinois State 30-10 in the paint and used a 17-10 advantage on the offensive glass to score 20 second chance points.
Illinois State will face Purdue in the second round of the WNIT Sunday in West Lafayette, Ind. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. CST.
