CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Senior Lexi Wallen scored 26 points and grabbed nine boards in front of her hometown crowd to guide the Illinois State women's basketball team to a 74-58 win over Illinois on Saturday afternoon, inside the State Farm Center.
Illinois State improved to 2-1 on the year while the Illini dropped to 3-1 in their first loss of the season.
The win marked the first time the 'Birds have defeated a Big Ten team since they last beat Illinois during the 2012-13 season. It is also the first victory over a Power Five conference team since Nov. 29, 2013, when Illinois State bested Florida, 68-64.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The 'Birds and Illini battled back and forth throughout the first two quarters of play, including seven lead changes. Illinois State went on a 6-0 scoring run in the final 2:19 before halftime, to establish a 28-22 lead at the half. ISU never trailed for the remainder of the game, gradually increasing to an 18 point-lead, the largest of the game, to start the fourth quarter.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Wallen lead all scorers with 26 points, shooting 10-of-14 from the field. The Champaign, Illinois, native was one rebound shy of a double-double in her first collegiate game of her career (volleyball or basketball) playing in her hometown.
- Wallen reached a milestone 100 rebounds in today's contest, doing so in her only 27 career appearances.
- Senior guard TeTe Maggett added 21 points, six rebounds and a game-high eight assists in the winning effort.
- It was the third consecutive double-digit scoring game by both seniors.
- Megan Talbot recorded nine points in the win, collecting five rebounds.
- The Redbirds out-rebounded the Illini, 40-17, including 24-8 in the first half.
- Illinois State combined to shoot over 50 percent (51.9%, 27-of-52) from the field for the first time this season, with seven different Redbirds contributing to the scoring. The 'Birds shot over 60 percent in the final three quarters in today's game.
QUOTES FROM COACH KRISTEN GILLESPIE
On the win: "I thought we followed our game plan. Jessica Keller, our assistant coach, did an outstanding job with our scouting report. We did exactly what we set out to do and our players made very few scouting report mistakes."
On Wallen's big game: "She deserves it. I mean, what a great story she has. She is our hardest worker and has put so much time into this game since she decided to come back for her fifth year. She probably had 40 people here to support her and to do what she did in her hometown is really special."
UP NEXT
ISU hosts Northern Illinois at Redbird Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.
For all latest on Illinois State women's basketball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team at @RedbirdWBB (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
