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Illinois State University Athletics

Maya Wong
Dennis Banks
50
Evansville Evans 4-23,2-14 MVC
78
Winner Illinois St. ILS 18-8,11-5 MVC
Evansville Evans
4-23,2-14 MVC
50
Final
78
Illinois St. ILS
18-8,11-5 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Evansville Evans 11 16 10 13 50
Illinois St. ILS 15 17 31 15 78

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brian White

Third-Quarter Surge lifts Illinois State over Evansville, 78-50

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Women's Basketball (18-8, 11-5) used a dominating second half to roll Evansville (4-23, 2-14) to win its fourth straight game and improve to 12-1 on the year inside CEFCU Arena.  

HIGHLIGHTS 

  • Illinois State led by just five at the break, before putting on an impressive 31-10 run in the third quarter. The Redbirds scored the first nine points of the second half to take a 41-27 lead. The run continued in the third as Illinois State stretched its surge to 25-2 and led 57-29. Illinois State hit five three-pointers amid the run, which includes four threes in their first five possessions of the second half. 

  • The Redbirds were led by a strong showing from post players Saturday as Savannah McGowan, Kate Bullman and DeAnna Wilson also reached double figures and combined for 43 points. McGowan led Illinois State in scoring for the first time in her career, going 7-for-9 from the field for a career-high 15 points. Bullman stuffed the stat sheet yet again, tallying 14 points, 6 rebounds, a season-high 6 blocks and five assists. Meanwhile Wilson just missed out on her 8th double-double of the season as she finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds.  

  • Sunday's win primarily came down to Illinois State's effort in the third quarter, as the Redbirds outscored Evansville only by a combined 7 points in the first, second and fourth quarters. Illinois State shot 5-for-7 from beyond the arc while eight different Redbirds scored in the third alone. Wilson led Illinois State with 7 points while Abbie Aalsma scored 6 and Maya Wong scored 5.  

GAME NOTES 

  • Bullman's performance was her third outing of the season with three-plus blocks. She tallied five blocks in wins over Southern Illinois and Indiana State earlier this season.  

  • Illinois State extended its winning streak over Evansville to 12 games. It is the program's longest-active winning streak over a current Valley foe.  

  • The Redbirds finished with 31 points off the bench. It was the 8th time this season Illinois State has scored 30-plus points off the bench.  

  • Per Calvin Wetzel of HerHoop Stats, Bullman's all-around performance Sunday was the first game with 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 5+ blocks, and 4+ threes by anyone in the country in at least the last 15 seasons.  

  • Shannon Dowell grabbed 8 rebounds in the win, her fourth performance this season with 8-plus rebounds. She is averaging 8.5 rebounds over her last two games, after grabbing 9 in the win at Bradley on Thursday.  

  • Illinois State finished with 20 assists Sunday, which marks the first time in MVC play that Illinois State has tallied 20-plus assists in a single game. Overall Illinois State's third game this year with 20-plus assists, after dishing 21 vs Saint Francis Nov. 19 and a season-high 22 in the win over Chicago State Nov. 30.  

  • Illinois State grabbed 52 rebounds in the win, and led the rebounding efforts by a 52-33 margin. It was the fourth time this season Illinois State has grabbed 50-plus rebounds in a single game.  

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more. 

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