NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team will be back on the road, as it travels to Coral Gables, Florida, to compete in the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 28-29. ISU opens the tournament against Miami Friday at noon (CST). Depending on the outcome of the game, they will face either Tulsa or Buffalo Saturday at 2 p.m. (CST).   Â
Katy Winge and Octavia Crump both netted double-digit scoring performances, but ISU (0-4) 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.
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.
REDBIRDS-HURRICANE SERIES
It will be the second meeting between Illinois State and Miami, as the two teams last met on March 22, 1990, when the Hurricanes defeated the Redbirds by two points, 85-83. It will be the first time the two teams will meet at a home site, as the first game was held at a neutral site.
ABOUT MIAMI
• Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida, and has an enrollment of 15,629.
• The Hurricanes are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference and finished the 2013-14 season in eighth place.
• The Hurricanes finished 16-15 last season with a conference record of 8-8.
JET SETTERS
The Illinois State women's basketball team will travel to Miami, Florida, over Thanksgiving to compete in the four-team Miami Tournament. The Redbirds open the tournament against host Miami at noon (CST) on Nov. 28. ISU will then compete against either the Buffalo or Tulsa on Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. (CST). It is the first time in program history that the Redbirds will play in Miami.
A COMPLETE 40 MINUTES
The Redbirds used a 9-0 run to take an early 10-point lead, 13-3, after netting 5-of-5 from the field, at Colorado State (Nov. 23). The Rams battled back and used a 5-0 run to cut the Redbirds' lead to six, but six-straight points by Stekara Hall increased ISU's lead to nine, 19-10, with 12:33 remaining in the first half. Minutes later ISU jumped out to an 11-point lead, its largest of the game, but the Redbirds weren't able to maintain the momentum, as they had several scoreless minutes without a field goal, including the final 5:57 minutes of the game. During the Redbird scoring draughts, Colorado State went on several runs, including its largest an 11-0 run.
CONTROL THE PAINT
Colorado State (Nov. 23) dominated the paint, as it scored 38 points in the paint compared to ISU's 24 points. The 38 points in the paint is the most by a Redbird opponent this season. The Rams continued to control the paint, as they grabbed 42 rebounds, including 16 on the offensive end of the court. The Redbirds collected 32 boards, the fewest by ISU so far this season, despite three players pulling down seven rebounds apiece.
MORE FROM THE BENCH
ISU's bench only scored three points at Colorado State (Nov. 23), the fewest points scored by bench players this season. The Rams' bench contributed 35 points in the game, the most by a Redbird opponent this season. CSU's Gritt Ryder came off of the bench for the Rams and scored a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers.
DOUBLE THE FUN
Junior forward Octavia Crump led the women's basketball team in its home-opener against Northern Kentucky Wednesday. Despite Crump's first double-double of the season, the Redbirds fell, 59-48, to the Norse. Crump pulled down 13 rebounds, including five offensive boards, while netting 10 points. The 10 points came on a 5-of-6 shooting performance. She also had one assist and one steal in 30 minutes. It marked the fifth double-double of Crump's career.
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