Dec. 9, 2011
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
Postgame Interview with Stephanie Glance
Play-by-Play Highlights
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State women's basketball team defeated Western Kentucky (2-8) 71-45 and improved to 5-4 overall record. The Redbirds were led by Candace Sykes with 19 points and Marley Hall added 18 points. The Hilltoppers were led by Keisha Mosley with 12 points.
Both teams exchanged baskets throughout the start of the game until Katie Broadway hit a three-pointer to give the Redbirds a 10-8 lead with 16:08 left in the first half. Sykes followed Broadway's lead with back-to-back three-pointers to push Illinois State ahead five points. ISU continued to press, as Broadway sank her second three for a 16-8 lead with under 14 minutes to go.
The Redbirds went on a late six-point run in the first half, started with a layup by Jamie Russell, 24-17. Maddie Oliver converted a defensive rebound into a layup followed by a steal and another basket from Russell, 28-17 at the five minute mark. Hall and Sykes were the only players to score double-digits in the first half with 12 points each. Sykes hit the final jumper of the half for a 40-25 lead heading into the break.
Hall led all rebounders at the half with six boards, while the WKU outrebounded ISU, 22-20. Russell recorded three steals at the end of the first half and the team had five total steals. Illinois State shot 47 percent from the field, (15-of-32), while Western Kentucky shot just 28 percent, (9-of-32).
The second half started out scoreless for the first two minutes until WKU's Jasmine Johnson made a layup for the first points on the board. Sykes answered right back with her third three-pointer of the game with 18 minutes remaining. The Redbirds compiled two additional baskets from Broadway and Sykes to give the team a 47-28 lead at the 16 minute mark.
A steal from Broadway and two back-to-back baskets from Russell kick started ISU on a five-point run and a 60-32 lead with 11:20 minutes to go. Western Kentucky continued to battle and tallied a six-point run with layups from Chasity Gooch, Johnson, and Keisha Mosley for a 64-43 score and three minutes remaining in the game.
The Redbirds went scoreless for over six minutes until Hall sank two free throws, 66-43. In her first appearance in the game, Alison Seberger drained a three-pointer with two minutes remaining. Mosley's two free throws concluded the game with a 71-45 Redbird victory.
Illinois State shot 42 percent from the field, (26-of-62), compared to Western Kentucky's 27 percent, (16-of-60). The Redbirds had three players record double digits and produced five more three-pointers than the Hilltoppers.
Illinois State will take a 10 day break from competition and will take the court again Dec. 19 for a home match-up against DePaul at Redbird Arena on Doug Collins court at 7:05 p.m.
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