NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team prevailed 81-75 in overtime against Valparaiso on Thursday at Redbird Arena, the first of a five-game homestand that opens the Redbirds' Missouri Valley Conference home slate.
Redshirt sophomore Mary Crompton poured in a career-high 21 points, including a key three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play in overtime to push the 'Birds over the top.
Three additional players scored 14+ points for ISU as senior Juliunn Redmond scored 16 points and senior Paige Saylor and junior Terrion Moore each scored 14 points.
To lead Valparaiso, Carie Weinman netted 21 points on 9-of-12 (75.0%) shooting and grabbed six rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crusaders raced out to a 7-2 lead but led just 11-10 after 10 minutes.
Illinois State scored the first nine points of the second quarter en route to leading 29-19 at the half, its largest lead of the contest.
The ISU lead was cut to 32-30 before back-to-back three-pointers by Crompton and Saylor and a bucket by freshman Kate Bullman pushed the Redbird advantage out to 40-30 with three minutes to play in the third quarter.
The teams traded blows throughout a high-scoring fourth period as the Crusaders cut the deficit to just one point on five different occasions in the final five and a half minutes of regulation. Valpo's Shay Frederick drilled a pull-up three-pointer with just seven seconds to play, tying the game at 66 apiece.
A Crusader foul sent Saylor to free throw line with just 4.1 seconds on the clock. Saylor converted both of the ensuing free throws but Valparaiso knocked a pair of free throws before the end of regulation to send the contest into overtime at 68-68.
A three-pointer to put up the Crusaders up 73-70 with 2:16 to play was Valparaiso's first lead since the 9:52 mark of the second quarter. Crompton responded on the ensuing possession with a key three-pointer before converting an and-one opportunity with just 22 seconds on the clock, putting the 'Birds up 79-74. A pair of Moore free throws with 16 seconds left sealed the deal at 81-75
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Redshirt sophomore Mary Crompton's 21 points and 42 minutes were both career-highs. She continued her torrid pace behind the arc, drilling 5-of-10 (50.0%) attempts from deep. The country's fifth-ranked three-pointer shooter, in terms of percentage (57.9%) entering the contest, added five rebounds and three assists.
- Senior Juliunn Redmond netted 16 points while adding seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal.
- Senior Paige Saylor put in a season-high 14 points, just one shy of her career-high. She primarily defended Valpo's Shay Frederick, who had scored an impressive 73 points combined in the Crusaders' previous three games. Frederick was limited to 15 points on just 4-of-13 (30.8%) shooting.
- Junior Terrion Moore was 9-for-10 at the free throw line en route to a 14-point, six-rebound outing.
- Freshman Kate Bullman scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting, adding a trio of rebounds and game-high 14 plus/minus.
- After leading the MVC in overtime games played in conference action in 2019-20 with four, the Redbirds' OT win was their third-straight in contests that needed extra time.
- The 'Birds controlled the rebounding battle 39-30, conceding offensive rebounds on just three of 37 opportunities
- Illinois State reached the free throw line 33 times, making 25 (75.8%)
- Both teams shot 44.4% from the field (ISU: 24-of-54, Valpo: 28-of-63)
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH KRISTEN GILLESPIE
On grinding out the win in OT:
"We're really fortunate to come out with a win. We're starting out a little slow and I'm not quite sure what's going on. That and our turnovers continue to be our Achilles heel – we've yet to crack that code. Got to give Valpo a lot of credit though and Mary Evans has done a great job with that program. They beat UNI last week and they beat two Big Ten teams earlier this year. Just really fortunate to have gotten the win today because it just as well could have gone the other way."
On Crompton's career-high performance:
"No one has a better work ethic than Mary Crompton. I'm not sure I've coached or ever will coach someone who wants to be great like she does. She has made herself into more than an elite shooter. She's really hard to guard because she's really crafty with the bounce and has all the shots, like floaters and up-and-unders, and she's a phenomenal passer too on top of all that."
UP NEXT
The 'Birds are scheduled to return to action on Friday with a rematch against Valparaiso at Redbird Arena in the second game of a five-game homestand. The is set for a 4:00 p.m. tip.
For all the latest on Illinois State women's basketball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team at @RedbirdWBB (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
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