Illinois State Downs Murray State in Annual Play4Kay Game

NORMAL, Ill. – Graduate guard Paige Robinson led all scorers with 24 points in Sunday's 79-73 victory over Murray State (11-10, 4-8 MVC), helping the Redbirds (17-5, 11-1MVC) to their third-straight win as part of #Play4Kay, and 10^th straight overall, at CEFCU Arena.

Illinois State celebrated wins both on and off the court, as the Redbirds set a new program fundraising record, raising $46,733 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the fight against ALL cancers affecting women.

Robinson would shoot 3-of-4 from three-point range as part of her 24-point performance, adding three assists, two blocks, and five rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Junior Kate Bullman captured a career-high 16 points Sunday to go along with seven rebounds.

Senior DeAnna Wilson gathered yet another double-double, her seventh of the season, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Mary Crompton would be the final Redbird in double figures, going for 10 points including a pair of three-pointers.

The Racers were led by Macey Turley, who finished with 22 points and four rebounds. Turley was joined in double figures by Briley Pena, who scored 12 points off 4-of-8 from three-point range in the first half.

GAME HIGHLIGHT

Sunday would be a tale of two halves as the Redbirds entered the second half down five points. Kate Bullman, given the assignment to stop the MVC's leading scorer in Katelyn Young, got the ball rolling with a massive block 12 seconds into the third quarter.

The Grayslake native would then follow that up on the offensive end as she received a pass from Maya Wong before driving to the rim and trimming the lead to 44-41 with 9:35 remaining.

Bullman put in a jumper with 7:29 remaining in the third quarter as ISU fought to storm back and regain momentum, trimming the Racers' lead to only two (49-47) before Mary Crompton knotted the score a minute later, sending the Redbird bench and hometown crowd of 2,032 into a frenzy.

Crompton would give ISU their first lead of the afternoon off a three-pointer, her first of the afternoon, with 5:41 remaining as ISU took a 52-49 lead. From there, the Redbirds would hold onto their lead, building it out to as many as 14 (66-52 with 1:13 left in the third) en route to their 10^th straight win and eighth win at home this season.  

 IN THE BOX SCORE:

• The combination of Redbird defenders, primarily Kate Bullman, held Murray State's Katelyn Young to tie her fewest points in a MVC contest this season (13 points).
• Illinois State won the battle in the paint Sunday, outscoring the Racers 48-18.
• Murray State would outrebound the Redbirds by a margin of 41-to-34 Sunday, including 29 defensive rebounds for the Racers.
• The nine blocks for Illinois State Sunday are a new single-game high for the program, passing their previous high of eight blocks against Saint Thomas back in November.
• Illinois State committed five turnovers on Sunday, their fewest this season since holding nine turnovers versus Evansville on Jan. 22.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Kate Bullman
  • Finished with a new career-high 16 points
  • 7^th time this season finishing in double figures
  • 2nd game this season with four blocks (1/29 at UIC)
• Mary Crompton
  • Finished with two three-pointers Sunday; is tied for third all-time alongside Rishonda Napier of Southern Illinois in MVC history (277).
• Paige Robinson
  • 19^th time scoring in double figures this season
  • 10^th time scoring 20+ points this season
    • 4^th time scoring exactly 24 points in 2022-23
• DeAnna Wilson
  • 15^th time finishing in double figures this season 
  • 7^th game with double figures rebounds
  • 7^th double-double in 2022-23; moves her into 7^th in school history with 17 career double doubles.
  • Moves into a tie for 10^th in program history for offensive rebounds (63).

UP NEXT

The 'Birds continue their homestand next Friday when Southern Illinois comes to Normal for a 6:30 p.m. CT tip inside CEFCU Arena. Friday night will also serve as Illinois State's annual Pride Night.

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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