Nov. 21, 2011
Final Stats
Postgame Interview with Stephanie Glance
Play-by-Play Highlights
CHARLESTON, Ill. -
Junior transfer Jamie Russell scored 28 points in the second half of Monday's game and finished the game with a career-high 30 points, but the effort wasn't enough, as the Illinois State women's basketball team fell to Eastern Illinois, 83-69, in Lantz Arena.
Marley Hall recorded the first double-double of her career with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katie Broadway netted 15 points for the Redbirds and grabbed five rebounds. Four Panthers had double-digit performances with Ta'Kenya Nixon leading the way with 20 points. EIU (3-0) shot 53 percent from the field, while ISU (1-2) shot 39 percent. The Panthers grabbed 37 rebounds and the Redbirds came down with 34.
"Today we got a good lesson," head coach Stephanie Glance said. "Eastern Illinois came out aggressive and we didn't. I would attribute today's loss to a lack of understanding, but we have to keep our confidence."
Eastern Illinois started the game with a 7-0 run and held Illinois State scoreless for the first 3:20. ISU got on the board with a jumper by Russell, cutting EIU's lead to five, 7-2. The Panthers regained momentum and took a commanding lead, after going on a 13-0 run that lasted nearly five minutes, 22-3. Jazmyne Green made her first-career basket with 7:28 remaining in the half, 27-11.
Broadway hit the first three of the game for ISU with 2:37 left before the break, but EIU answered right back with a jumper by Sydney Mitchell, 38-18. Broadway hit a shot behind the arc at the buzzer to cut EIU's lead to 13 points, 38-25, heading into the locker room.
At the half, Broadway led all scorers with 12 points, shooting 3-of-7, while Hall brought down five boards. The Redbirds shot 30 percent from the field, as the Panthers made 48 percent of their shot attempts. EIU was led by Nixon and Mitchell at the half, as each scored 10 points.
Katy Winge hit a three with 18:03 left in the game to get ISU within 12 points, 42-30, but Nixon made three-straight baskets to increase EIU's lead, 53-30. The Panther offense continued to stay hot, as it grabbed its largest lead of the game with 8:46 remaining off of a layup by Jordyne Crunk, 70-41.
Russell hit a deep three with 5:39 left in the game to cut EIU's lead to 15, giving EIU the 74-51 advantage. Russell was back at work for the Redbirds with a trey, but like they did the whole game, the Panthers answered back, 82-62, with 2:12 left in the game. ISU fought back, but EIU's offensive attack was too much, as ISU fell, 83-69.
The Redbirds open their 2011-12 home season Saturday at 4:05 p.m., as they host in-state rival Northern Illinois.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
