Jan. 12, 2012
Final Stats
Postgame Interview with Stephanie Glance
Play-by-Play Highlights
PEORIA, Ill. -
Senior Katie Broadway sank 25 points in the Illinois State women's basketball team's win over Bradley, 67-65, Thursday night at the Renaissance Coliseum. Broadway's 25 was one point shy of her career high.
Illinois State's record improves to 8-7 and 3-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while Bradley is 10-7 and 1-4 in the MVC. Thursday's win marks the first road win for the Redbirds since their season opener at Ball State (Nov. 11).
"I think it is a good growing game for us because the fact that we could come on someone else's home court with this team as inexperienced as we are, go down the stretch and be able to hang onto the game on somebody else's home court is a great win for us," head coach Stephanie Glance said. "The rebounding advantage was disappointing, but when you have factors like that and are still able to win on the road is a really good sign for our team."
Alexis Jenkins netted 15 points, while Jamie Russell added 12 and recorded four steals. Candace Sykes led the Redbirds with six rebounds. ISU shot 41 percent from the field and recorded 34 boards compared to Bradley's 37 percent shooting percentage and 51 rebounds.
Bradley didn't have an answer for Jenkins early in the game, as the junior guard scored seven-straight points for the Redbirds to give ISU a five-point advantage over the Braves, 13-8, with 13:08 remaining in the first half. Illinois State went on an 11-0 run lasting over three minutes to increase the Redbirds' lead by 14 points, 24-10, with 8:41 left in the first half. During the run four different Redbirds scored, and Russell had a steal under ISU's basket and found Sykes for the easy layup.
The Braves used a late rally in the first half to get back into the game. An offensive rebound by Bradley and a quick layup followed by a pair of free throws cut Illinois State's lead to 10. The Braves hit two more free throws with 13.3 left in the half and dropped ISU's lead to seven, 35-27, heading into the locker rooms.
Broadway was dominate from the field in the first half, shooting 6-of-11 from the field for 15 points, including eight of ISU's last 11 points before the intermission. Jenkins netted nine points in the first, as Sykes grabbed four rebounds. Bradley outrebounded ISU, 27-15, in the first half, but the Redbirds' 46 percent field goal percentage was more than the Braves could handle. Bradley was shooting 32 percent from the field at the half.
The Redbird defense was ready to go coming out of the locker room after the break, as ISU recorded three steals between Sykes and Russell over the first minute of the second half. Sykes and Russell used the steals to put points on the board. Russell made a layup and hit a pair of free throws followed by a jumper from Sykes, giving ISU a 41-27 advantage with just under 19 minutes left in the game.
Both teams were scoreless for nearly four minutes, when Broadway grabbed an offensive board and hit a quick jumper. Two possessions later Broadway hit a shot from behind the arc to increase ISU's lead by 14 points, 51-37, with 12:50 left in the game. Bradley cut ISU's lead to nine, 55-46, off of a layup by Leah Kassing with just under eight minutes to play.
The Braves continued to battle back, as Bradley used a 13-5 run to shrink Illinois State's lead to four, 63-59, with 3:30 left in the game. With 26 seconds left in the game, Jenkins hit a shot from the top of the key to give ISU a six point lead, 66-60, but Bradley quickly answered back with a three of its own, 66-63. The Braves got within two, but the Redbirds were able to hold them off and grabbed the win, 67-65.
The Redbirds will travel to Northern Iowa Saturday for its third-straight road game. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:05 p.m.
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