March 6, 2010
Box Score
DES MOINES, Iowa -
In the final regular-season game of the season, Ashleen Bracey scored a career-high 32 points to lead Illinois State (23-6, 16-2 MVC) over Drake (14-14, 7-11 MVC), 80-66, at the Knapp Center Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds secured their second-best conference record and second-most regular-season wins ever.
Bracey's 32 points came on a career-best 14-of-19 shooting, including three three-pointers, and she became the first Redbird to score 30 in a game since Kristi Cirone had 34 against Bradley last season. She added seven rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal. She came through when the Redbirds needed her, scoring 12 of ISU's final 23 points.
ISU's 16-2 Valley record tied the second-best conference record in school history, previously achieved in the 1988-89 season. The Redbirds' 23 regular-season wins are also tied for the second-most ever with the 1984-85 and 2007-08 seasons.
Katie Broadway contributed 19 points, connecting on four three-pointers, to go along with four rebounds and a career-high three steals. The Redbirds shot 59.3 percent (35-59) from the field, falling just short of the team's season-best of 59.6 percent (31-52) against Indiana State.
"We really wanted to come out and play well in the last game before the conference tournament and I think we did a solid job, showed great toughness. After a tough loss at Creighton Thursday, there are a lot of positives to take from this game," said ISU head coach Robin Pingeton. "We talked a lot about ending the regular season on a positive note and now we can focus our attention on the Valley Tournament."
After allowing Drake to score the first two baskets of the game, ISU went on a 15-3 run to take a 15-7 lead at the 12:33 mark. Bracey made four of her first five shots, including a three-pointer to cap the run. Broadway made a three-pointer off a transition pass from Bracey and then drove for a score on the next possession to double up the Bulldogs, 22-11.
Emily Hanley and Shala Jackson then got in the on the action, providing all the scoring in a 9-0 run that put ISU ahead, 33-14, with 4:40 remaining in the half. Bracey's second three-pointer gave ISU a 20-point lead, 38-18, its biggest of the half.
Illinois State shot 54.8 percent (17-33) from the field in the opening half and scored 20 points in the paint. Drake made only three field goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half and finished the period 8-for-29 (27.6%) from the field.
ISU came out in the second half just as hot, making its first nine shots. A three-pointer by Broadway, jumper by Bracey and consecutive buckets by Lewis gave ISU a 24-point lead, 51-27, three minutes into the period.
Drake found its offense in the second half, scoring 29 points in the first 10 minutes. Kristin Turk made three three-pointers in less than two minutes to fuel 16 unanswered Drake points, cutting the deficit down to six points, 57-51, with 9:49 remaining in the half. After starting the half perfect from the field, ISU missed seven-consecutive shots and went nearly five minutes without a field goal.
After that point, Drake appeared to run out of gas on both ends of the floor. Bracey and Broadway combined for 17 of the next 19 ISU points, putting the Redbirds ahead, 75-58, with 4:31 remaining A layup by Bracey and three-pointer by Broadway snapped the scoring drought and put the Redbird lead back to 10 points. They later hit back-to-back three-pointers on consecutive possessions to give ISU an 18-point advantage.
Bracey converted a three-point play with a layup and free throw at 2:39 to put her over the 30 point mark.
Illinois State is the No. 1 seed in the 2010 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Charles Missouri. The Redbirds will play the winner of No. 8 Indiana State and No. 9 Southern Illinois Friday, March 12, at 12:05 p.m.
