NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team fell at home to Valparaiso, 78-70, on Sunday afternoon. The Redbirds drop to 14-9 (6-6 MVC) while the Crusaders improve to 14-10 (6-7 MVC).
Junior Juliunn Redmond had a team-high 20 points and a career-best 14 rebounds for ISU, to record her third-straight double-double. The reigning MVC Newcomer of the Week picked up two assists and three steals as well.
Seniors Lexi Wallen and TeTe Maggett also joined Redmond in double figures. Wallen recorded 17 points while grabbing eight boards and Maggett added 11 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Valpo junior Addison Stoller posted a career-high 25 points and a season-best 10 rebounds in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Redbirds fell behind early, recording only two field goals in the first quarter on 20.0 percent (2-of-10) shooting. The Crusaders capitalized on ISU's slow start, shooting 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from the floor, including a 13-0 run over a two-and-a-half-minute stretch that featured a trio of three-pointers. Valpo finished the first period with a 18-9 lead and did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game.
The Crusaders extended the lead to as many as 15 midway through the second quarter and held off the Redbird push at the end that got the score within four points with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Redbirds made a season-high 28 free throws, shooting 82.4 percent (28-of-34) from the line.
- Redmond's double-double was her third in as many games and her fourth of the season.
- In conjunction with its annual Play4Kay game, Illinois State Athletics announced a new fundraising record of $25,457 to be donated to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH KRISTEN GILLESPIE
On the loss: "Needless to say – I'm extremely disappointed. You've got to give Valpo all the credit. They outplayed us the entire 40 minutes. We need to do a better job, our staff and players, on getting our kids ready for battle. To win our league, you need to win on Sundays."
UP NEXT
ISU hits the road to play at UNI on Thursday and Drake on Saturday afternoon.
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: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
