CHICAGO – No. 23/18 DePaul outscored the Illinois State women’s basketball team, 31-8, in the second quarter, and the Redbirds couldn’t overcome the deficit, as it fell, 89-41, inside McGrath-Phillips Arena Saturday night.
ISU (1-6) struggled with turnovers, committing 43, while DePaul (6-2) turned the Redbird miscues into 42 points. The Blue Demons also dished out 27 assists, while recording 26 steals. The Redbirds shot 42 percent from the field, while the Blue Demons connected on 46 percent of their attempts, including 11 3-pointers. Illinois State won the battle on the boards, collecting 36, one more than DePaul. Octavia Crump led ISU with 14 points, shooting 6-of-8. Shakeela Fowler added 10 points, while Katrina Beck pulled down a career-high seven rebounds.
“I was really happy with our start and how we handled the pressure,” head coach Barb Smith said. “We were scoring in the first quarter, but in the second quarter, our confidence shook a little bit and it was hard to regain our composure. We got flustered in that second quarter, and it affected our style of play.”
ISU trailed 15-7, after DePaul used a 9-2 run to take an early lead in the first quarter. The Redbirds were able to cut the Blue Demon lead to three, 15-12, thanks to a 5-0 run. During the Redbird run, DePaul went nearly three minutes without a basket, but the Blue Demons regrouped and finished the first quarter with an 11-2 run, taking a 10-point advantage, 26-16, into the second quarter.
DePaul outscored Illinois State, 24-4, over the first eight minutes of the second quarter, jumping out to a 50-20 advantage, while ISU committed 10 turnovers in nearly six minutes. The Blue Demons long-range attack fueled the run, as DePaul made eight from three-point range during the second quarter, including four-straight 3-pointers. The Redbirds headed into the locker room trailing, 57-24.
Beck, Crump and Smith led the Redbirds with six points apiece, while Beck led the team on the boards with six in the opening half. ISU shot 50 percent from the field, but struggled with turnovers in the opening half, committing 28. DePaul sank 10 3-pointers to go along with 19 assists and 19 steals over the first two quarters. The Blue Demons also turned Illinois State’s miscues into 31 points.
ISU held DePaul to 16 points in the third quarter, its fewest through three quarters. Despite slowing down the Blue Demons, the Redbirds still struggled to find its offensive rhythm, as they scored 10 points in the third.
Illinois State’s defense kept DePaul to 16 points for the second-straight quarter, but the Redbirds continued to struggle with turnovers and finding its offensive momentum in the fourth quarter. ISU scored seven points in the fourth quarter, its fewest of the game. The Blue Demons ended the game, shooting 6-of-7 from the field, while the Redbirds went 1-of-6. Illinois State couldn’t overcome the early deficit and turnovers, as it fell, 89-41, at DePaul.
The Redbirds have a week off for finals, before returning to action Sunday, Dec. 13 for the MVC/MAC Challenge in Moline, Illinois. ISU will take on in-state rival Northern Illinois at 3:30 p.m., at the iWireless Center. Coach Smith and a player guest will partake in the first Illinois State Basketball Coaches Show of the 2015-16 season Monday at the Pub II in Normal, Illinois, beginning at 6 p.m.
