NORMAL, Ill. – Junior forward DeAnna Wilson poured in a career-high 25 points to lead a trio of Redbirds in double figures as Illinois State (9-7, 5-0 MVC) took down Loyola Chicago (10-7, 2-4 MVC), 68-50, Saturday evening inside Redbird Arena. The win, Illinois State's sixth straight, sees the Redbirds remain a perfect 5-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while the Ramblers drop to 2-4 in league action.
Sophomore Kate Bullman finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds to collect her second double-double in as many games. Redshirt junior Mary Crompton rounded out ISU's double-digit scorers, recording 10 points with five rebounds.
Loyola's Maya Chandler and Julia Hoefling each finished with 10 points to lead the Ramblers.
TURNING POINT
Behind a Bullman three-pointer just 25 seconds into play, Illinois State claimed the first lead of the game and never looked back. The Redbirds went an impressive 9-of-12 (75%) from the field in the first quarter, holding the Ramblers to just a 33.3% clip and ending the period on a 12-2 run to go up 24-12.
Loyola came within nine points, 42-33, with six minutes to go in the third quarter, but came no closer, as ISU extended its lead to the 18-point differential, 68-50, at the final buzzer.
IN THE BOX SCORE
- The hot-shooting Redbirds shot over 55% from the floor for the fifth time this season, finishing with a 55.6% clip. ISU also outscored Loyola, 42-22, in points in the paint and had a 33-26 advantage in rebounds.
- Redshirt sophomore Maya Wong had a game-high five assists and continues to lead the team with 3.3 dimes per game on the year.
- Illinois State's 5-0 record in the Valley is its best start in conference play since the 2007-08 season in which the Redbirds went 8-0 to begin MVC action.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH KRISTEN GILLESPIE:
On ISU's sixth straight victory: "I'm incredibly proud of our team. As we talked in the locker room just now, there's no easy games in our league and that's what makes it so tough. You have to come ready to play every game. I think our team is really figuring that out and embodying that urgency that you usually see in seniors – that every game is so important as you think about the Quad Cities and our seeding at the conference tournament. I think we're just scratching the surface and starting to slowly become the team that we can be."
On Wilson's performance: "DeAnna was outstanding. I think that was a Player of the Year performance. She knows her role and what we and her teammates expect from her now and she's just running with it."
UP NEXT
The Redbirds hit the road, heading to Southern Illinois on Thursday before traveling to Missouri State for a Saturday afternoon finale.
For all 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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