Jan. 8, 2011
Box Score
Post-Game Interview
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -
Illinois State (10-4, 2-1 MVC) lost its first Missouri Valley Conference game of the season at Indiana State (8-6, 2-1 MVC), 74-55, Saturday afternoon. A hot start by Indiana State and the worst offensive performance of the season by Illinois State snapped ISU's five-game winning streak.
Illinois State, the top-scoring team in the Valley, had its lowest point total of the season; held under 60 points for the first time. The Redbirds also shot a season-low 29.9 percent from the field and had just one player score in double-figures for this first time this year. Candace Sykes led the Redbirds with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Kenyatta Shelton had nine points and a team-high six rebounds.
Indiana State streaked out to a 16-2 lead in the first five minutes of action, scoring on its first five possessions. A three-point play by Shannon Thomas made the score 19-2 at the 13:30 mark and gave the Sycamores 17 unanswered points. The Sycamores made their first four shots and made two long three-pointers.
The Redbirds struggled offensively, shooting 1-for-14 from the field and turning the ball over three times in the first seven minutes of action. Sykes snapped a nearly six-minute scoring drought for the Redbirds with a long jumper. A deep three-pointer by Sykes and a transition layup by Marley Hall got the Redbird offense moving with seven-straight points and cut the deficit down to 19-9, with 10:34 remaining in the half.
ISU continued to chip away as Hall scored inside again and Katie Broadway nailed a three-pointer to pull the `Birds within seven. Indiana State answered right back with a 10-0 run to match their biggest lead to that point of the game, 31-14. The Sycamores made two three-pointers and four free throws after a foul and a technical foul on the Redbirds on one possession.
The technical was called on Amanda Clifton when she spoke to the referee after ISU was called for its seventh foul of the half and Indiana State had none. The Redbirds were whistled for nine fouls in the half and Indiana State took full advantage, shooting 13-for-13 from the free throw line.
Indiana State closed out the half with a fastbreak layup at the buzzer to take its largest lead of the game, 43-24, into halftime. Indiana State shot 44.8 percent from the field, outrebounded ISU 25-18, and blocked five shots in the half. Thomas led the charge with 17 points, six rebounds and four blocks. Sykes scored seven points to lead the Redbirds, who shot 25.7 percent from the field.
The Redbirds scored on their first three possessions of the second half, but couldn't cut into the deficit significantly. Six-straight points by Thomas pushed the Sycamore lead past 20 for the first time, 54-32.
A 10-2 run pulled cut the Indiana State lead down to 14, 56-42, with just under nine minutes left. The Redbird offense was still too inconsistent to continue the run, scoring just once in the next four and a half minutes. Hannah Spanich was able to penetrate and score five-straight points with a three-point play and two free throws.
Illinois State is back on the road to face Missouri State Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.
