NORMAL, Ill. – Abbie Aalsma scored a career-high 16 points to lift Illinois State Women's basketball (9-5, 2-2 MVC) past Southern Illinois (6-8, 1-3 MVC) Wednesday at CEFCU Arena, snapping a two-game skid for the Redbirds.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Aalsma led Illinois State shooting 4-for-8 from behind the arc to reach her career high and finish in double figures for just the second time this year. Her four threes were also a career-high, as she put up 10 second half points to help Illinois State pull away from the Salukis. Aalsma was perfect from the field in the second and third quarters and went 4-for-4 from behind the arc over that stretch.
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After a 10-point first half, DeAnna Wilson finished in double figures for the fifth time in the last six games. She put up 14 points to go with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 2 steals Wednesday night.
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Kate Bullman put up an impressive effort Wednesday despite finishing with 0 points. She grabbed 10 rebounds, dished four assists and had a season-high five blocks to go with one steal. It was her seventh game this season with 10-plus boards and her sixth outing this year with three-plus blocks. She has finished with 10-plus boards and 3-plus blocks in five games this season.
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Freshman Savannah McGowan was the final Redbird in double figures, tallying 10 points and 3 rebounds in the win.
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Southern Illinois scored first to take 2-0 lead but the Salukis never led again in the game as Illinois State mounted a 20-8 first-quarter advantage and never looked back. Wilson scored six points out of the gate in the opening quarter, including a bucket that put Illinois State up 13-7 at the 3:25 mark of the first.
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The run continued into the second as Illinois State's lead swelled to as a high as 18 points before the break. Aalsma went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in the second. Her second of the quarter came at the 5:06 mark and extended Illinois State's lead to 32-18.
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McGowan and her fellow rookie Molly Lenz scored Illinois State's final six points of the first half and Illinois State took a 38-20 advantage into the locker room.
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Illinois State's lead hit 30 points for the first time in the third quarter as Aaslma went 2-for-2 from behind the arc again and scored 8 points. Illinois State cleared the bench in the fourth and continued to run away with it.
GAME NOTES
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Illinois State won its 14-straight game over an in-state foe. The Redbirds are 5-0 this year and 11-0 over the last two seasons against Land-of-Lincoln foes. Illinois State improved to 32-8 against in-state foes and 19-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign.
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Illinois State won its fourth straight over the Salukis and improved to 66-46 all-time against Southern Illinois.
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Freshman Shannon Dowell made her first collegiate start in Wednesday's win, scoring 8 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.
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The Redbirds nearly grabbed 60 rebounds for the second time this year, finishing just shy with 59 boards. It was the third time this season Illinois State grabbed 50-plus rebounds. Tonight's performance ranks behind only a performance of 63 rebounds Nov. 30 vs Chicago State this season.
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The Redbirds held Southern Illinois to 20 first-half points. It was the second time this season Illinois State has limited an opponent to 20 points or fewer in a single half, joining an 18-point defensive effort at Saint Mary's Nov.25.
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McGowan tallied her fourth game this season in double figures and her first since putting up 12 points against Chicago State Nov. 30.
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