NORMAL, Ill. — Chicago State fell to Illinois State, 101-52, at CEFCU Arena, despite forcing nine steals and scoring 28 points in the paint.
Aiyanna Culver led the Cougars with 15 points on the afternoon.
The game commenced with a strong start from the Redbirds, who quickly jumped to a 6-0 lead with two quick three-pointers. The Cougars responded with a jumper from
Marisa Gant, but Illinois State's aggressive offense, extended their lead. After a buzzer-beating three-pointer by the Redbirds, the Cougars trailed the first quarter 31-11.
Illinois State continued to extend their lead in the second quarter with a combination of fast breaks and bench contributions.
Aiyanna Culver responded with a three-pointer for the Cougars at 5:36, followed by a layup and free throw to bring the score to 37-17. Despite this effort, the Redbirds maintained control pushing their lead to 54-20.
Elani Randall's jumper at 0:18 closed the quarter, but Illinois State led 55-22 at the halftime break.
In the third quarter,
Keona McGee sparked Chicago State with a fast-break layup early on. Culver followed with a three-pointer assisted by McGee, narrowing the gap slightly. Despite a late layup by
Jade Hamilton-Gill at the buzzer, the Cougars finished the quarter trailing 77-37.
Illinois State maintained control throughout the fourth quarter, securing a 101-52 victory over Chicago State. Illinois State's began the quarter by sinking two free throws at 9:41, extending their advantage. A three-pointer at 8:47, further widened the gap. The Cougars continued to battle despite the 5 of 17 field goals during the quarter, while the Redbirds capitalized on their opportunities with 10 of 22 field goals. The Redbirds closed out the scoring for Illinois State with a jumper at 1:36, cementing the win.
Chicago State top performers include
Aiyanna Culver who finished with 15 points with 5/11 shooting including 2/6 from three point range. Both Nataila Williams and
Kayla Mount also added eight points for the Cougars. Mount also led Chicago State with seven rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Cougars are now 1-3 on the season and will return to action as they travel to face Western Illinois on Monday, November 17. The game is set for 5 p.m. at Western Hall in Macomb, Illinois.
