Billy Montgomery

Women's Basketball 11/16/2016 11:24:00 PM Corey Miggins, Sports Information Director

Women’s Basketball Falls in Home Opener to Valpo, 53-51

Sophomore Kaylee Allen finished with her first collegiate double-double in tonight's home opener against Valparaiso

Box Score

CHICAGO – Three players scored in double figures for Chicago State women's basketball during its home opener tonight against rival Valparaiso at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center, but fell in a close contest to the Crusaders by a score of 53-51.

The first quarter started off as a back and forth affair between both teams as six lead changes and two ties before the Crusaders used an 10-6 scoring drive in a three-plus minute span to gain an 18-13 advantage at the 48-second mark on a three-pointer from Caitlin Morrison before redshirt junior Jessica Cerda (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) buried a corner three to pull the home team within two at 18-16.

CSU then tallied a 16-2 scoring run which lasted over eight minutes in the second quarter that included five points from sophomore Tiana Thomas (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) to capture a 32-20 advantage with 1:24 remaining. Valpo scored the final bucket of the first half just 11 seconds later to slice its deficit to 32-22 heading into halftime.

A 14-4 scoring run over eight minutes during the third stanza helped bring the visitors to a 36-36 tie that concluded with a layup from Grace Hales at the 1:20 mark. The Green and White then closed out the quarter with two made free throws from senior Konner Harris (Sidney, Ohio/Sidney) and sophomore Kaylee Allen (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) in the final 55 seconds which gave them back the lead at 40-36.

Valparaiso started the fourth quarter with a 10-3 scoring run over a seven-minute stretch to post a 48-43 advantage with 3:01 left that ended on a layup from Amber Lindfors. The Cougars came back with six unanswered points in a minute and a half to reclaim the lead at 49-48 with 1:35 remaining in the game following a pair of Allen free throws.

After Harris extended CSU's leading margin to 51-48 with a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left, the Crusaders then evened the score at 51-51 on a Dani Franklin three-pointer with 12 seconds left and Meredith Hamlet followed that by scoring the game-winning layup at the buzzer.

Sophomore Sh'Toya Sanders (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne) led CSU (0-2) with 14 points while adding three blocked shots and three steals. Allen produced her first collegiate double-double with 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in addition to dishing out a career-best six assists, while Harris also finished with 11 points and senior Cailin Nix (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) posted a career-high five steals.

Franklin recorded a game-high 17 points and Lindfors tallied 11 points to lead Valpo (1-1).

The Cougars finish off their short homestand on Saturday afternoon against Wright State with the opening tip set for 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Kaylee Allen: G/F; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#30 Jessica Cerda: G; 5' 10"; Redshirt Junior

#11 Konner Harris: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#20 Cailin Nix: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#12 Tiana Thomas: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#23 Kaylee Allen
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G/F

#30 Jessica Cerda
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#11 Konner Harris
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#20 Cailin Nix
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#12 Tiana Thomas
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned