By ISU Sports Information
MACOMB – The Illinois State women’s basketball team lost on the road Tuesday night to Western Illinois, 80-50, inside Western Hall. With the loss, the Redbirds fall to 3-7 on the season, while the Leathernecks improve to 10-3 overall.
Freshman Megan Talbot scored a season-high 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, sharing team-high honors with fellow classmate Frannie Corrigan. Senior Brechelle Beachum added nine points and a game-high three steals, while senior Taylor Stewart handed out a team-best four assists to go along with seven points and six rebounds. Junior Hannah Green rejected a game-high three shots, all in the first quarter.
Illinois State jumped out to an 8-4 lead four minutes into the contest, as Talbot and Stewart each knocked down shots from distance, while Beachum scored on a layup. But the Leathernecks quickly tallied seven unanswered to take an 11-8 lead.
After sophomore Millie Stevens scored on a jumper with 45 seconds left in the opening quarter, WIU netted the final five points, including a three from Michelle Farrow at the buzzer, which produced a 16-10 lead for the home team.
The Leathernecks scored the first five points of the second stanza, as the 10 unanswered points forced the Redbirds to call a 30-second timeout 90 seconds, with WIU on a 17-2 run.
Illinois State then trailed by 13 later on in the period until a pair of free throws from Talbot cut the deficit to nine with 6:44 remaining before halftime. The Redbirds could not get any closer, and the Leathernecks connected on another buzzer beater to increase their advantage to 36-22 at the break.
The biggest difference in the first half was points off turnovers. Illinois State forced six miscues but turned it over 10 times, and WIU was able to capitalize, outscoring the Redbirds, 17-2. Illinois State also shot 25.9 percent (7-of-27), while the Leathernecks connected at a 35.9 percent (14-of-39) clip.
The Redbirds made four of their first seven shots in the third quarter and initially outscored WIU, 9-7, before the Leathernecks regained their momentum using an 18-15 advantage in the stanza to lead 54-37 after 30 minutes, before scoring the first 14 points of the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Illinois State finished the game shooting 31.0 percent (18-of-58), including 5-of-17 from behind the arc. WIU shot 41.7 percent (30-of-72) and 30.3 percent (10-of-33) from distance, including 7-of-19 in the second half. The home team also won the battle on the glass, 45-39, and forced 21 turnovers, which led to a 32-8 advantage for the game in points off turnovers. The Redbirds finished with nine steals, resulting in 12 Leatherneck turnovers.
“We didn’t handle the basketball very well,” head coach Barb Smith said. “Points off turnovers are hard to overcome. Early on, we were doing what we were supposed to do, but as the game went on, we could not stick with the game plan. We gave up too many offensive rebounds again. We have to get more confident handling the ball, and we need to box out better.”
Emily Clemens led WIU with 22 points, four rebounds, seven assists and two steals, while Taylor Higginbotham added 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Mallory Boyle and Morgan Blumer each chipped in 10 points and two steals, with Boyle adding seven rebounds.
Illinois State returns to action this Friday, Dec. 23, when it travels to Edwardsville, Illinois, to conclude nonconference play at SIUE. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m.
