NORMAL, Ill. – As far as exhibitions go, they don't get much more exciting than the Illinois State women's basketball team's 77-68 double-overtime win against Maryville Wednesday night at Redbird Arena. The Redbirds were led by Stekara Hall, who had a double-double, in its only exhibition game of the season.
Hall finished with a game-high 22 points and added 14 rebounds. Eight of her points came in the two overtime periods. Colleene Smith also had a double-double, scoring 20 and hauling in 11 rebounds. Katy Winge and Taylor Stewart also scored in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Octavia Crump recorded a game-high 15 boards as the Redbirds won the rebounding battle, 57-55.
ISU forced the Saints into 24 turnovers for the game, which led to 20 Redbird points. Maryville struggled from beyond the arc, while ISU recovered after a lopsided first half of points in the paint to win the category, 34-30, down the stretch.
The Redbirds trailed at the half, 31-25, after a rocky opening-20 minutes. ISU struggled from the field, shooting 9-of-30, including 2-of-9 from three-point range. ISU experienced a drought that lasted over five minutes late in the first half and turned the ball over 10 times, while being outrebounded, 24-19, before the break.
Maryville scored in bunches, using three separate runs throughout the first half. The Redbirds did force the Saints into 11 turnovers, which led to 12 points. However, Maryville consistently found shots in the lane and outscored ISU 18-10 in the paint at the end of the first half. The Saints led by 11 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, but ISU was able to trim the lead down to six before the intermission.
At the half, Hall led ISU with eight points, while Smith and Stewart had six and five points, respectively. Crump led all players with seven first-half rebounds.
Maryville opened the second half shooting 2-of-10, which allowed the Redbirds back into the game. ISU cut down on its turnovers, committing just one in the first 10 minutes of the second half, while forcing Maryville into six.
The Redbirds took the lead 44-42 with 8:32 remaining on a three from Hall. However, Maryville answered with a 7-0 run. Missed free throws and turnovers from the Saints, plus a spurt from Winge helped the Redbirds pull within two with 1:16 remaining in regulation.
Maryville's Shelby Miller and Winge both split a pair of free throws to put the score at 53-51 with 25 seconds to play. The Redbirds fouled Jordynn Martin, who also split a pair from the line. Down three and with time winding down, Hall dribbled around a screen and buried the game-tying three with eight seconds left.
ISU went up by five in overtime, but Martin drilled a three from the left wing to tie the game, 61-61, with 45 seconds remaining. Both teams missed a three-point attempt with less than ten seconds to play and overtime number two was needed.
The second overtime was all ISU, as it outscored Maryville, 16-7, for a 77-68 victory. Crump scored nine seconds into the second overtime period and the Redbirds never looked back.
The Redbirds will open the 2014-15 regular season on the road against Northern Illinois on November 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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