NORMAL, Ill. – For the second straight game Illinois State Women's Basketball (16-8, 9-5 MVC) used a late fourth-quarter surge to secure a home win. The Redbirds scored 20 unanswered points Saturday to rally for a 78-64 win over Valparaiso (5-18, 4-10 MVC) at CEFCU Arena.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Illinois State trailed 59-54 with 6:17 to go in the game, before putting up 20 unanswered points in just under five minutes. Overall, the Redbirds closed the game on a 24-5 run that included 18-straight makes at the free throw line.
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DeAnna Wilson led Illinois State with her sixth double-double of the season, totaling 19 points and 12 rebounds. She put up 11 points and 8 rebounds in the second half alone. Wilson was 11-for-14 at the free throw line in the line.
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Maya Wong finished with 17 points Saturday, which included an 11-for-11 mark from the free throw line. She went on a 7-0 personal run for Illinois State in the fourth quarter where all seven points came at the free throw line.
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Kate Bullman and Daijah Smith both finished with 11 points to bring Illinois State to four double-figure scorers on the night. Bullman tallied 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks while Smith recorded 11 points and 4 rebounds.
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Illinois State trailed 13-0 early as the Beacons shot 4-for-8 from three in the first quarter. The Redbirds worked at the deficit and trailed 22-16 after the opening frame. Wilson led Illinois State with 7 points in the opening quarter. The Beacons jumped back ahead 29-21 at the 5:21 mark of the second quarter, before Illinois State used a 7-0 run to pull within one. Bullman's three from the top of the key tied the game for the first time, as Illinois State leveled the score at 32. Valparaiso took a 37-34 lead into the locker room.
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The Redbirds fought within one to open the third quarter. Shannon Dowell scored five points in the run to make it a 45-44 game at the 4:29 mark of the third. Molly Lenz stepped into a three that put Illinois State ahead for the first time 49-48 before the end of the third.
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The Beacons went on a 7-1 scoring run early in the fourth to lead 55-50, but the rally for Illinois State kicked off moments later at the free throw line. Valparaiso scored at the 6:17 mark to lead 59-54 before Wong helped Illinois State to a 63-59 with her free throw shooting. Illinois State grabbed a double-figure lead for the first time at 69-59 with 2:31 to go as Wong scored nine points (all at the free throw line) while Wilson scored 6 points as the run moved to 15-0.
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Smith converted an and-1 to lift the scoring surge to 18-0 with 1:57. Wilson then knocked down a pair of free throws as the run hit 20-0 in the emphatic fourth quarter rally. Smith and Wong went on to hit four more free throws to close the game.
GAME NOTES
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It was Wilson's 24th career double-double, which is still good for fourth in program history. She is two double doubles shy of tying Marla Maupin for third in the Illinois State record books.
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Illinois State moved to 11-1 this season at home. This year marks the fourth time under Kristen Gillespie that Illinois State secured double-figure wins at home in a single season, joining the 2022-23 (11-3), 2019-20 (12-3) and 2018-19 (11-3) teams.
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The Redbirds finished 30-for-36 at the free throw line Saturday (83.3%). It is the fourth time over the last five games Illinois State has shot better than 80 percent from the free throw line in a single game.
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Illinois State finished with four-plus double figure scorers for the 11th time this season. The Redbirds are 10-1 when doing so this season.
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