By ISU Sports Information
WICHITA- The Illinois State women’s basketball team was within two points of Wichita State nearly halfway through the third quarter, but the Shockers (8-10, 3-4 MVC) took advantage of the Redbirds’ (4-14, 1-6 MVC) miscues and pulled away for a 67-45 victory in Missouri Valley Conference action Sunday inside Charles Koch Arena.
Senior Brechelle Beachum led Illinois State with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field to go along with team highs of two assists and three steals. Junior Hannah Green added 10 points, five rebounds and a game-high four blocks, while sophomore Millie Stevens came off the bench to pull down a team-best six rebounds.
The Redbirds, who trailed 19-10 after 10 minutes and 30-23 at the half, shot 34.0 percent (17-of-50) from the field and just 3-of-15 from 3-point range. Wichita State, who shot 11-of-26 over the first 20 minutes, was 16-of-28 (57.1 percent) in the second half to finish the game at 50 percent (27-of-54).
Illinois State scored the first four points out of halftime, before a triple from Beachum cut the deficit to 32-30 at the 5:56 mark. The Redbirds were still within three with 3:51 left in the third when freshman Megan Talbot made a nice move with her back to the basket to score. But the Shockers quickly responded and stretched their lead out to nine, before leading after 30 minutes, 47-39.
Wichita State then put the game away by scoring the first 11 points of the fourth quarter.
Illinois State won the battle on the glass for the fourth time this season, 34-29, but the Redbirds turned the ball over 22 times while forcing over 12, which led to a 23-13 deficit in points off turnovers.
“We had too many turnovers today because we were too careless with the basketball,” head coach Barb Smith said. “I thought we did a great job keeping them off the boards. We wanted to go inside more but kept turning it over. When you aren’t hitting shots, you have to find another scoring outlet.”
Angiee Tompkins came off the bench for the Shockers to lead all scorers with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting. She also had a game-high eight rebounds and added three steals and two blocks. Rangie Bessard added 16 points and two steals for Wichita State.
The Redbirds return to action this Friday, Jan. 27, when they start a four-game conference homestand beginning with Evansville, with tipoff slated for 7 p.m. on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
