Women's Hoops Opens Three-Game Homestand with Indiana State Friday

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Feb. 6, 2014

NORMAL, Ill. - After a road swing at Loyola and Bradley, the Illinois State women’s basketball team will return home to open a three-game homestand, Friday, at 7:05 p.m., against Indiana State.

Octavia Crump had a career night thanks to a stellar second-half performance, but her effort wasn’t enough as the ISU fell to Bradley, 64-62, Sunday. Crump set a career-high in both points and rebounds with 21 and 15, respectively. The sophomore forward had 17 second-half points and 10 offensive rebounds.

Lindsay Smith was the only other Redbird in double figures with 10 points, while Stekara Hall added nine and Zenobia Bess had eight points. The Redbirds shot 36 percent from the field, while the Braves sank 44 percent of their shot attempts. ISU had the advantage on the boards, collecting 40 rebounds, as BU grabbed 37.

ILLINOIS STATE-INDIANA STATE SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Indiana State, 46-38. The series, which began in 1972, is the second-longest in Illinois State history. Illinois State started out with a 30-16 record against Indiana State, including a string of 12-straight wins from 1980-87. Indiana State then won 13 of the next 14 meetings and Illinois State is 14-9 in the last 23 matchups. Illinois State holds a record of 28-16 over Indiana State in games played in Normal, Ill.

FLASHBACK: JAN. 12 INDIANA STATE 47, ILLINOIS STATE 44
Chloe Nelson led all scorers with 14 points, but her efforts weren’t enough as Illinois State fell to Indiana State by three points,
47-44, at Hulman Center in its first Missouri Valley Conference road game of the season. Nelson had nine points in the opening half of the game. Lindsay Smith scored 10 points for her second-straight game with a double-digit scoring performance, while eight players scored in the game. The field goal percentage for both teams was similar, as the Redbirds connected on 37 percent of their shot attempts, and the Sycamores made 38 percent of their shots. Smith also led the Redbirds on the boards, as she pulled down a career-high six rebounds. Octavia Crump, Kalyn Gebhardt and Alison Seberger each grabbed five boards. Indiana State had the advantage on the boards, pulling down 34 compared to Illinois State’s 28.

ANOTHER CHANCE
Illinois State enters the second half of the conference season with a record of 4-5, but three of ISU’s losses were separated by three or fewer points. During the second half of Valley play, the Redbirds will look to raise their intensity level and play more consistently in an effort to make the close games go their way. Illinois State will also look to use its home-court advantage in the second half of the conference season, as ISU is 3-2 on the road and just 1-3 in home contests against MVC rivals.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Octavia Crump recorded the third double-double of her career and the third this season at Bradley (Feb. 2), as she had a career night.
Crump sank a career-high 21 points with 17 in the second half, as well as a career-high 15 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive side of the ball. Crump sank eight field goals and connected on five free throws in 29 minutes of play. She also had an assist, a block and two steals in the 64-62 loss to the Braves. Crump’s previous double-doubles came against Northern Illinois (Dec. 4) and then-No. 25 DePaul (Nov. 18).

OTHERS STEPPING UP
Chloe Nelson scored seven points at Loyola (Jan. 31) and five against Bradley (Feb. 2), but averages 14.0 points per game. It was the first time this season that Nelson tallied back-to-back single-digit scoring efforts. Nelson has only scored in single digits six times this season. Though Nelson wasn’t able to be the main offensive threat for the Redbirds last weekend, Octavia Crump stepped up to the challenge, as she averaged 16.5 points over the Loyola and Bradley games.

PERFECT!
Sophomore forward Octavia Crump scored 12 points in ISU’s 65-54 win over Loyola (Jan. 31), including the first seven points of the game for the Redbirds. In 21 minutes, Crump was perfect in all shooting categories, as she went 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. She just missed a double-double, pulling down eight rebounds.

HELPFUL BENCH
Ten second half points by Katy Winge led Illinois State over Loyola, 65-54, (Jan. 31) at Gentile Arena. Winge scored 13 points, shooting 5-of-9 in the win and dished out three assists in 31 minutes. Kalyn Gebhardt connected for a career-high 11 points, going 4-of-6 from the field and pulled down a career-high six boards. In the game, ISU’s bench scored 30 points in the win compared to Loyola’s 11 points. When ISU’s bench outscores opponents, the Redbirds hold a record of 4-3.

THE SECOND 20 MINUTES

In the win over Loyola (Jan. 31), the Redbirds’ second half proved to be the difference of the game. In the first 10 minutes of the second half, there were three tied scores and seven lead changes, but after scoreless periods for both teams, Octavia Crump completed an and one play and Katy Winge hit a jumper, increasing ISU’s lead to four points, 53-49, with just less than seven minutes left on the clock. The offensive momentum stayed with the Redbirds, as ISU went on a 10-0 run to increase the lead to 13 points, 63-50, with 3:58 on the clock. Loyola couldn’t overcome the deficit, as Illinois State grabbed the win. ISU shot 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range, as both set season highs for the team. In the second half beyond the arc, the Redbirds sank 57 percent, connecting on 4-of-7.

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