March 21, 2010
Box Score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Illinois State (26-7) held on to beat Purdue (15-17), 59-57, in the second round of the WNIT at Mackey Arena Sunday afternoon. A WNIT career-high 21 points from Nicolle Lewis propelled the Redbirds, who never trailed in the game, to the win and into the third round.
Lewis was 6-of-15 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the game. She scored 17 points in the second half, including 15 of ISU's final 21 points. She also had nine rebounds.
Ashleen Bracey added 11 points and six rebounds. Katie Broadway scored eight points, all in the first half to lead the Redbirds, and Shala Jackson also scored eight.
Illinois State advances to the third round and will host Kansas at Redbird Arena, Thursday at 7:05 p.m.
A Krick jumper and a Broadway three-point play gave ISU a quick five-point lead to start the game, before Purdue even got a shot off. A three-pointer by Emily Hanley and a Bracey jumper gave ISU a six-point lead, 17-11, at the second media timeout.
With the lead still at seven, Purdue used full-court pressure and a 2-3 zone to force four turnovers and keep the Redbirds scoreless for more than three minutes. The Boilermakers chipped the deficit down to two points before Jackson and Broadway knocked down three-pointers and Krick made a pull-up jumper to give ISU its biggest lead of the half, 29-19.
Illinois State shot 46.2 percent in the first half and made four three-pointers. The Redbirds committed 10 turnovers and only forced five, but surprisingly had more point of turnovers, 8-7.
Purdue pulled within two points early in the second half, but a 9-3 run, capped by a driving jumper by Alexis Jenkins, kept ISU ahead by eight, 42-34, at the 12-minute mark.
Later in the half, Broadway grabbed a rebound off a missed fastbreak layup by Purdue. She tried to outlet the ball to the sideline, but FahKara Malone intercepted the pass, drove the basket and scored as she was fouled by Krick. She made the free throw to make it a two-point game, 44-42, with 8:11 remaining.
The Redbirds answered right away with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes. Lewis scored seven of the points, including a spinning layup that put ISU up, 53-44. Two Purdue three-pointers around a pair of ISU free throws cut the deficit down to five points, 55-50, at the final media timeout.
A layup and two free throws by Lewis put ISU ahead by six, but two Purdue baskets pulled the Boilermakers within two with 32 seconds left. The Redbirds had the final possession and were able to take the clock all the way down before Amanda Clifton put up a running jumper. The rebound was batted around momentarily and the buzzer sounded before Purdue could gain possession.
