Nov. 1, 2011
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NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State scored 21-unanswered points to start the game and never trailed, as the ISU women's basketball team beat Division II Missouri-St. Louis, 92-52, in exhibition play Tuesday night at Redbird Arena.
Junior Candace Sykes led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 total from three-point range and also a 3-for-3 mark at the free throw line. Sykes also grabbed six rebounds and totaled two steals. Junior-transfer Jamie Russell totaled 15 points with a team-best nine rebounds and seven assists. Caitlyn Moody and Devonna Smith each contributed a team-high 12 points for Missouri-St. Louis.
Illinois State shot 55 percent from the field, 40 percent on three-point attempts and 76 percent from the free throw line. ISU's defense held UMSL to 26 percent shooting. Illinois State narrowly outrebounded the Tritons, 48-to-47. Ten of 11 Redbirds who played, scored, including newcomers Jazmyne Green, Maddie Oliver, and Katy Winge, along with Russell.
During the Redbirds' opening 21-to-nothing run, ISU shot 7-for-8 (88 percent) from the field, 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The Redbirds also had five steals over the first six and a half minutes. The Tritons did not score until Angela Johnson netted a fast-break layup with 13:33 left in the first half. ISU proceeded to score six more unanswered points before UMSL went on a 5-to-nothing run.
The Redbirds shot 67 percent in the first half, including 50 percent from three-point range, compared to Missouri-St. Louis' 36 percent overall shooting. Sykes led ISU with 19 first-half points, including two three-pointers on as many attempts. Although the Tritons ended the first half on a 4-to-nothing run, the Redbirds held a 56-27, 29-point halftime advantage.
Illinois State started the second half with a three-point play by Katie Broadway after converting on a fast-break layup in which she was fouled.
The Redbirds proceeded to outscore UMSL 21-to-7, before the Tritons went on a 5-to-nothing run to trail 77-39. However, Missouri-St. Louis never got closer, as ISU rolled to the win.
With the Redbirds' loan public exhibition game complete, Illinois State is scheduled to open the regular season at Ball State Nov. 11 beginning at 7 p.m.
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