Jan. 27, 2011
Box Score
Post-Game Interview
CARBONDALE, Ill. -
Illinois State (13-6, 5-3 MVC) won its first Valley road game in commanding fashion, topping Southern Illinois (2-17, 0-8 MVC), 82-44, Thursday afternoon at SIU Arena. The Redbirds allowed under 50 points for the second-consecutive game and had their most steals in 16 seasons.
Southern Illinois entered the game averaging 23.6 turnovers per game, the most in the Valley. The Redbirds took full advantage of that stat, forcing 31 turnovers and scoring a season-high 38 points off turnovers. ISU held a 27-3 advantage in points off turnovers in the first half. The Redbirds' 19 steals tied for the seventh-most in school history and were the most since recording 20 against Howard on Dec. 2, 1994.
"This win was a real team effort. We were able to give everyone significant minutes and everyone contributed," said head coach Stephanie Glance. "I was very pleased with our defensive effort the entire game. We were tough on the ball, disrupted passing lanes and turned turnovers into points."
The Redbirds utilized a balanced scoring attack with 12 of the 13 players scoring, including five in double-figures, and scored 48 bench points. Candace Sykes led the team with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Hannah Spanich scored 12 points off the bench and Emily Hanley scored in double-figures for the 10th time in the last 12 games with 11 points. Megan Grace scored a career-high 11 points. Shala Jackson added 10 points and had a career-high five steals.
A three-pointer and a transition layup gave SIU the lead in the first 90 seconds of action. Sykes capped a run of seven-straight points with a deep three-pointer to give ISU a 9-5 lead at the first media timeout.
After that run, the offense came to a halt on both ends of the floor. The Redbirds went nearly five minutes without scoring, but Southern Illinois' offensive struggles were even greater. The Salukis suffered through a scoring drought of eight minutes, missing seven shots and turning the ball over six times. SIU point guard Brooke LeMar appeared to have snapped the drought with a driving layup, but she was whistled for a charge, taking the score away.
Illinois State found its offense again from beyond the arc, as three-straight three-pointers put the Redbirds ahead, 20-19, at the eight-minute mark. ISU started the game 4-for-5 from three-point range, with Sykes and Spanich each knocking down a pair.
SIU turnovers really came into play over a 90-second stretch when ISU scored nine-straight points of Saluki miscues to stretch its lead to 20 points, 29-9. Hanley and Jackson both converted fastbreak layups off intercepted passes at midcourt, Broadway made a three-pointer after two Redbird offensive rebounds and Jackson picked off an inbounds pass for a layup.
ISU went on a 15-0 run in the final 2:30 to build its largest halftime lead of the season, 46-15. The Redbirds scored the second-most points in a half and allowed the fewest points to an opponent in a half of the season.
Five minutes into the second half, a Sykes layup stretched the ISU lead to 54-19. ISU was called for a technical foul for having six players on the court after a substitution stoppage. The Salukis followed the ensuing two free throws with consecutive three-pointers and a fastbreak layup for a 10-0 run in just one minute to cut the deficit to 54-27. The Salukis would get no closer, as the Redbirds responded with three-straight scores to maintain a 30-point advantage, 60-27.
Chloe Nelson made two free throws in the final seconds to produce the final margin of 38 points, the biggest led ISU has had all season.
Illinois State visits Evansville Saturday at 2 p.m.
