FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Katy Winge and Octavia Crump both netted double-digit scoring performances, but the Illinois State (0-4) women's basketball team couldn't stop hot-shooting Colorado State (2-1), as the Redbirds fell, 70-49, Sunday at Moby Arena. Winge scored 11 points, while Crump added 10. Both pulled down seven rebounds in the game.
Stekara Hall scored nine points followed by Zenobia Bess and Taylor Stewart, adding eight apiece. Illinois State shot 35 percent from the field, while Colorado State connected on 42 percent of its shots. Colleene Smith also pulled down seven rebounds, as the Redbirds collected 32 boards. The Rams grabbed 42 rebounds, including 16 on the offensive end of the court.
CSU dominated the paint, as it scored 38 points in the paint compared to ISU's 24 points. Colorado State's bench contributed 35 points, while Illinois State's added three. CSU's Gritt Ryder came off of the bench for the Rams and scored a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers.
"We came out really strong, and we took a step forward," head coach Barb Smith said. "I was proud of our team, and I like the fight we had early on. We are getting a lot of shots up, but we aren't getting the best ones up. We made a few adjustments in the second half, but we still have to work on putting 40 minutes together."
The Redbirds used a 9-0 run to take an early 10-point lead, 13-3, after netting 5-of-5 from the field. The Rams battled back and used a 5-0 run to cut the Redbirds' lead to six, but six-straight points by Hall increased ISU's lead to nine, 19-10, with 12:33 remaining in the first half.
Then, ISU was scoreless for over three minutes and committed four turnovers, while CSU scored seven-straight points to take its first lead of the game, 22-21, with nine minutes left to play in the opening half. The Rams kept the momentum, as an 11-0 run put CSU ahead by 12 points, 36-24, with 3:24 remaining on the clock. The Redbirds weren't able to answer, as they went into the locker room trailing by 13 points, 40-27.
Winge led Illinois State with eight points, while Hall and Stewart added seven and six, respectively. Smith and Winge both pulled down three rebounds before the break. CSU's offensive momentum was obvious, as the Rams shot 55 percent from the field in the first half. The Redbirds netted 36 percent of their shot attempts and collected 14 rebounds, while Colorado State had 18, including five offensive boards.
After the break, the Rams increased their lead to 18 points, 59-41, with 9:47 left on the clock, as the Redbirds were scoreless for six minutes and committed six turnovers. Crump and Hall made back-to-back layups to pull within 14 points, 59-45, and brought life back to Illinois State, as Colorado State went 0-of-8 from the field. Crump scored three-straight free throws, but ISU couldn't keep the momentum, as it failed connect from the field for the final 5:57 of the game and fell to Colorado State, 70-49.
The Redbirds will be back in action Friday, Nov. 28, as they take part in the Miami Tournament in Coral Gables, Florida. Illinois State opens the tournament against host Florida at 12 p.m. (CST).
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