Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Press Conference
Stewart's Late Triple | Photo Gallery
NORMAL, Ill. – Sophomore Katrina Beck scored a career-high 20 points, and senior Taylor Stewart added 19 points, as the Illinois State women's basketball team squeaked out a 54-50 victory over Wichita State in a very competitive Missouri Valley Conference game Friday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
Beck calmly canned a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds to seal the win. She finished 8-of-11 from the charity stripe and added eight rebounds and a team-high three steals. Stewart scored 11 of her 19 points after halftime, including seven over the final 10 minutes. She made 3-of-7 from distance, handed out a team-high four assists and recorded two steals.
Neither side led by more than five in the contest, which featured nine ties and nine lead changes. The Redbirds (7-18, 4-10 MVC) trailed most of the first quarter, but Stewart beat the buzzer at the end of the stanza to knot the game at 12-12.
Stewart's triple triggered a 7-0 spurt for Illinois State, with Beck making one of two freebies to inch the advantage out to 16-12. The Shockers (11-13, 6-7 MVC) responded with five in a row to retake the lead, before freshman Megan Talbot drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner to move the Redbirds back in front by two.
With nearly 90 seconds remaining in the half, Beck converted an old-fashion three-point play that produced a 24-23 lead for Illinois State at halftime.
Beck made one of two again at the line to start the third quarter, but Wichita State netted seven of the next nine points to regain the advantage, 30-27. Senior Brechelle Beachum, who battled foul trouble most of the night, scored on a layup and followed with a trey ball, before Stewart knocked down a jumper in the lane to cap a 7-0 flurry and navigate the Redbirds back in front, 34-30, at the 4:36 mark.
Beachum delivered her second triple of the stanza, which increased the advantage back out to four, before the Shockers tallied the final four points of the quarter to deadlock the game at 39-39 heading into the final 10 minutes. Beachum scored all eight of her points in the third period.
With the scored still tied at 42-42, Beck once again made one of two at the line, but she gave Illinois State the lead for good with 6:37 remaining. The advantage crept out to four at 48-44 with 3:29 left when Stewart completed a three-point play.
The Shockers trimmed the lead to two with 2:44 to go, but Stewart then constructed the Redbirds' largest lead of the game when Beck found her wide open in the left corner for a big-time 3-pointer with 59 seconds left.
Wichita State made a pair of free throws on its next possession and had a chance to get within one but missed a shot with 21 ticks remaining, as Beck corralled the carom.
Stewart made one of two at the line with 13 seconds to go, making it a four-point game, but the Shockers made two free throws of their own with four seconds left, trimming the deficit to 52-50.
Beck was able to break away and was fouled with 1.1 seconds left and knocked down both freebies to clinch the victory.
Both teams shot awful from the field, as both sides were under 30 percent. Illinois State finished at 29.8 percent (17-of-57) but did make 7-of-20 from downtown. The Redbirds also finished 13-of-18 at the charity stripe.
The defense held Wichita State to 28.3 percent (17-of-60) and 4-of-19 from behind the arc. They also forced 18 turnovers, including 11 in the first half. Eleven of the 18 turnovers were Redbird steals.
The Shockers controlled the glass, 48-37, including 18-11 on the offensive boards, and forced 14 Illinois State turnovers.
Sophomore Viria Livingston grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, and Talbot added seven boards for the Redbirds. Livingston also collected a pair of steals.
Rangie Bessard paced Wichita State with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds to along with a game-high three blocks. She also made all 10 of her free throw attempts, as the Shockers finished 12-of-15 as a team. TaQuandra Mike chipped in 10 points and six caroms for Wichita State.
Illinois State returns to action Sunday, Feb. 19, when the Redbirds play their final home game of the season, as they host Missouri State on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, with tipoff slated for 11:30 a.m. Stewart and Beachum will be honored on Senior Day after the game.
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