NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Women's Basketball (6-3, 0-0 MVC) led by six with just over five minutes to go but couldn't hang on Sunday as No.19 Marquette (9-0, 0-0 Big East) used a late surge to pull out a win and remain unbeaten on the season.
Illinois State had possession, trailing 64-62 with six seconds to go in the game. Kate Bullman's clean look at three from the top of the key didn't go down and Marquette escaped with the win.
"I could not be more proud of our team," head coach Kristen Gillespie said. "We've had a tough stretch over the last week, and I just loved our grit and I loved our fight. We were better today than we were at NC State and I think this is gonna help us tremendously down the road."
HIGHLIGHTS
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Maya Wong scored 10 fourth-quarter points, including a clutch three-pointer and three free throws in the final minute as Illinois State looked to jump back in front of the Golden Eagles. She finished with an ISU-high 14 points and a game-high 8 assists Sunday.
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DeAnna Wilson tallied her second double-double of the season, putting up 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. She scored Illinois State's first six points of the third quarter as the Redbirds built a 45-38 lead over the Golden Eagles.
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Caroline Waite and Kate Bullman also reached double figures. Waite scored all 11 of her points in the first half while Bullman hit a pair of threes and finished with 10 points and four blocks.
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Illinois State opened on an 11-0 run to jump on the Golden Eagles early in the first quarter. Waite scored six early points all on driving layups in the lane and Illinois State was rolling. Marquette answered with a 26-9 run that put the Golden Eagles up 26-20 at the 7:30 mark of the second quarter.
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Illinois State stayed within arm's reach for the rest of the second half, eventually tying the game at 34 with Abbie Aalsma's three just before the break.
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Wilson and the Redbirds opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run, highlighted by Wilson's personal 6-0 scoring surge. A three from Bullman and a pair of free throws from Wong helped stretch Illinois State's advantage to 45-38 at the 5:06 mark of the third. The 'Birds took a 47-41 lead into the fourth after Wilson's big block on Liza Karlen's three-point attempt at the top of the key.
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Aalma's third three of the game pushed the Redbird lead to 55-49 at the 5:39 mark of the fourth quarter before Marquette used a 9-0 run to jump in front 58-55, an advantage the Golden Eagles never surrendered.
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The Golden Eagles led 61-56 with 1:13 to play but Wong pulled up from deep to trim the deficit. Marquette went up by four after a pair of free throws before Wong nearly completed a four-point play to tie the game. The three didn't fall but she went 3-for-3 at the line and Illinois State cut the deficit to 63-62 with nine seconds left.
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After a pair of Marquette trips to the line, the Redbirds couldn't get potential game-winner to fall.
GAME NOTES
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Illinois State put four-plus scorers into double-figures for the fifth time this season, joining efforts vs Omaha (5), Saint Francis (4), UT Arlington (4) and Chicago State (7).
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Wilson tallied her 20th career double-double, moving her into fifth in program history for career double-doubles. She is just the fifth player to put up 20 double-doubles as a Redbird.
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Wong hit 7 free throws, her fourth game this season with 7-plus free throws.
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