NORMAL, Ill. – Behind two 20-point double-double efforts from DeAnna Wilson and Kate Bullman, Illinois State Women's Basketball (10-5, 3-2 MVC) took down Missouri State (10-4, 4-1 MVC) 85-78 Sunday evening at CEFCU Arena. The win handed Missouri State its first MVC loss and snapped the Bears' 7-game winning streak.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Wilson led the game with a 26-point, 11 rebound effort that tied her career high. It was the second time this season she tied her career-high, with both efforts coming in Valley play. She also hit a career-high 14 free throws, going 14-for-16 from the line.
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Bullman put up a career-high 23 points for the first 20-point effort of her career. She tallied 10 rebounds, her second straight double-figure rebound performance and 8th of the season. It was her third double-double of the season.
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Freshman Shannon Dowell finished in double figures for the fourth time in the last six games, putting up 13 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. Her steal in the fourth quarter was a turning point that resulted in a fastbreak and-1 to tie the game at 73 with 5:17 to go.
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Maya Wong also tallied 13 points and paired it with 7 assists in the win. She banked in a three-pointer that helped cut what was once an 8-point third-quarter lead for the Bears down to just two at the 3:02 mark.
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The Redbirds led by as many as nine in the first half, before the Bears headed into halftime on a 9-2 run. Illinois State still held onto a 37-35 lead at the break.
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Dowell scored the first five points of the second half for Illinois State and the Redbirds jumped out to a 44-37 lead, but the Bears surged to jump in front 58-50 with 3:44 to go in the third. Wong scored six straight and the Redbirds tied the game back up on two different occasions before the end of the quarter.
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Illinois State outscored the Bears 23-13 in the fourth quarter to come back from a 65-62 deficit heading into the final frame. Wilson scored six of Illinois State's first 8 points to open the fourth quarter, but Missouri State still maintained a three-point lead. Dowell's steal and score kickstarted a 17-5 run for Illinois State to close the game and secure the win.
GAME NOTES
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The Redbirds finished with two 20-plus point scorers for the second time this season and the first time since Nov. 15, when Wilson scored 23 points and Caroline Waite tallied 20 points against SIUE.
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It was the third time this season Wilson and Bullman have finished with a double-double in the same game, joining efforts against Chicago State Nov. 30 and Saint Louis Dec. 19.
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Wilson finished with her 22nd career double-double, surpassing former Redbird and current UIC head coach Ashleen Bracey for 4th all-time on the program career double-doubles list.
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