Nov. 22, 2013
Game 1: Illinois state vs. colorado state |
Date: November 24 |
Time: 4:05 p.m. |
Location: Normal, Ill. (Redbird Arena) |
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Twitter: @ISUwbb |
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NORMAL, Ill. - After opening the 2013-14 with two-straight road games, the Illinois State women’s basketball team will return home to Redbird Arena to host Colorado State. The game will tip off at 4:05 p.m., Saturday.
Most recently, the Redbirds competed against No. 25 DePaul in Chicago, Ill. Chloe Nelson’s career-high 18 points weren’t enough, as Illinois State fell to DePaul, 80-67, Monday. Nelson scored a career-high six field goals on nine attempts and sank five free throws in a career-high 38 minutes played.
Octavia Crump also had a career night, as she recorded the first double-double of her career with 10 points and 12 rebounds, both setting career-highs. Mackenzie Freeman was the third Redbird to score in double figures, scoring 10 points, including seven in the first half. Brianna Puni tied a career-high 12 rebounds, pulling down six offensive boards, while Stekara Hall recorded four steals.
Illinois State and Colorado State will meet for the first time in program history Saturday afternoon. Against Mountain West opponents, the Redbirds hold a 4-3 record.
ABOUT COLORADO STATE
• Colorado State is located in Fort Collins, Colo., and has an enrollment of 26,775.
• The Rams are members of the Mountain West Conference and finished the 2012-13 season in sixth place.
• The Rams finished 11-19 last season with a conference record of 7-9.
SIMILAR OPPONENT
Colorado State’s most recent victory was against Drake on Nov. 16, when the Rams defeated the Bulldogs, 92-77. Illinois State will take on its Missouri Valley Conference rival twice during the 2013-14 conference season.
A CAREER NIGHT
Chloe Nelson’s career-high 18 points weren’t enough, as the Illinois State women’s basketball team fell to No. 25 DePaul, 80-67, at McGrath-Phillips Arena. Nelson scored a career-high six field goals on nine attempts and sank five free throws in a career-high
38 minutes played. Octavia Crump also had a career night, as she recorded the first double-double of her career with 10 points and 12 rebounds, both setting career highs. Mackenzie Freeman was the third Redbird to score in double figures, scoring 10 points, including seven in the first half for a career high. Brianna Puni tied a career-high 12 rebounds, pulling down six offensive boards, while Stekara Hall recorded career-high four steals.
HANDLING THE BALL
In ISU’s first two losses, turnovers proved to be a difference between a win and a loss. The Redbirds have committed 28 turnovers in each of their first two games. No. 25 DePaul used that to its advantage, netting 31 points off of turnovers, in the 80-67 victory (Nov.
18). Northern Kentucky turned Illinois State’s errors into 18 points in the season opener (Nov. 13).
OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
With four days between its first and second games of the season, the Illinois State women’s basketball team saw much improvement on the offensive side of the ball. At Northern Kentucky, the Redbirds shot 36 percent from the field, including going 2-of-13 (15 percent) from beyond the arc. No Redbirds recorded double-digit scoring efforts in the 61-48 season-opening loss. Fast forward to No. 25 DePaul and the Redbirds were a different shooting team. In Chicago, ISU shot 43 percent (23-of54) from the field and netted six three pointers, as well as 15 free throws. Chloe Nelson, Octavia Crump and Mackenzie Freeman all scored in­ double figures, setting career-highs for each player in the 80-67 loss.
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