SPRINGFIELD, MO. – Shannon Dowell scored a career-high 28 points, but Illinois State Women's Basketball (19-9,12-6 MVC) fell to Missouri State (20-7, 14-4 MVC) 67-62 Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena. The loss snapped a five-game win streak for Illinois State.
HIGHLIGHTS
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The Redbirds rallied from a five-point deficit at the 6:15 mark of the fourth two lead twice in the final three minutes. Missouri State hit two clutch buckets late and pulled out a win. Illinois State had possession down 65-62 with 48 seconds left but turned it over and the Bears took advantage.
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Dowell was 12-15 from the field Saturday en route to leading the game with her second-straight performance of 25-plus points. She scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win Thursday at Southern Illinois.
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Dowell scored 16 points in the first half, single-handedly guiding Illinois State to a 30-26 lead over the Bears at halftime. She was 7-for-8 from the field in the first 20 minutes and added four rebounds to the effort.
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Dowell scored six of Illinois State's first 12 points, but the 'Birds trailed 13-12 in a tight first frame. Illinois State led 11-6 after Dowell converted the front end of a three-point play, until Missouri State ended the first quarter on a 7-1 run. She scored five straight points in the second and the Redbirds took a 21-15 advantage that turned out to be Illinois State's largest lead of the game. Missouri State jumped in front 22-21, but it was a 9-4 run from the Redbirds that gave Illinois State an advantage heading into the locker room.
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DeAnna Wilson scored the second half's first basket, giving Illinois State a 32-26 advantage. Missouri State fought and tied the game at 38, before taking a 47-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
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To open the fourth quarter Kate Bullman hit the first of her two clutch fourth-quarter threes and gave the Redbirds a 48-47 advantage. Her second three tied the game at 55 with 5:30 remaining.
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After Bullman leveled the score, Dowell hit a pair of buckets that gave Illinois State 57-56 and 59-58 fourth-quarter leads. The Bears answered each time.
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It then was Maya Wong who stepped up for the Redbirds at the 1:58 mark of the fourth. Her floater tied the game at 61, until Missouri State answered to grab a 63-61 lead that they never relinquished.
GAME NOTES
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Dowell averaged 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists across two outings for Illinois State this week. She is the first freshman in the MVC this season to put up 25-plus points in consecutive games.
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Dowell's 28 points are tied for the second most by a freshman in the MVC this year.
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Dowell put up her 10th double-figure scoring performance in MVC play and her second-career 20-plus point outing. Overall, she has 13 double-figure outings this season, the most by a true freshman in the Kristen Gillespie era.
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Maya Wong climbed to 302 career free throws Saturday, becoming the 7th player in program history to hit 300 career free throws. She also inched closer to 1,000 career points, of which she is four points shy of achieving.
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