CHICAGO, Ill. (January 10, 2026) — Chicago State (2-15, 1-3 NEC) edged Stonehill (5-10, 1-3 NEC), 51-48, at the Jones Convocation Center, securing the win with a defensive stand in the final minutes. This victory marked the Cougars' first win of the series against Stonehill College, following two narrow losses last season. The first game, played on January 9, 2025, saw the Cougars fall in a double overtime thriller, 75-77, and they came up just short again in the second matchup on January 25, 2025, with a 64-66 defeat. The Cougars capitalized on Stonehill's 22 turnovers, converting them into 11 points.
The game began with Stonehill's Ella Pelletier securing a steal off
Tania Allen's turnover, setting the stage for a competitive first quarter. Julia Webster scored the opening points with a jumper in the paint, assisted by Brooke Paquette at 9:31, but
Natalia Williams quickly responded with a three-pointer, giving the Cougars an early lead. Stonehill then edged ahead with a series of successful shots, including a three-pointer by Paquette at 3:34. Despite a late layup from Bella Mallory in the final seconds, CSU trailed 19-13 at the end of the quarter, having struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities.
Paris Bass initiated the scoring for the Cougars with a fastbreak layup at 9:43, capitalizing on an early steal by
Chloe Sisco. Despite multiple turnovers, Stonehill managed to keep pace with a layup from Ella Pelletier at 8:00, assisted by Julia Webster, bringing the score to 21-17 in their favor.
Chloe Sisco later narrowed the gap with a three-pointer at 3:31, assisted by
Kace Urlacher, making it a one-point game.
Natalia Williams then gave CSU the lead with a jumper at 1:26, and
Keona McGee secured it with a buzzer-beating shot with just two seconds left, closing the quarter at 29-27.
The third quarter saw both teams exchanging the lead multiple times, with neither able to establish a definitive advantage. Julia Webster opened the scoring for Stonehill with a layup at 9:34, leveling the score at 29-29. Chicago State responded with
Keona McGee's layup and a free throw from
Natalia Williams, edging ahead 32-29 at 6:24.
Chloe Sisco then extended the lead with a fast-break three-pointer at 5:26, bringing the score to 37-33. Stonehill's Amaya Dowdy tied the game at 39-39 with a jumper at 56 seconds, but Sisco's second three-pointer with 13 seconds left handed the Cougars a 42-39 lead to end the quarter.
Keona McGee started the fourth quarter for Chicago State by sinking a jumper and converting a free throw to extend the lead to 45-39. Ella Pelletier responded for Stonehill with a jumper at 8:14, narrowing the margin. McGee was instrumental again at 4:02, scoring on a fast-break layup with an assist from
Paris Bass, pushing the lead to 49-43. In the final minute, Amaya Dowdy made a crucial layup and free throw for Stonehill, reducing the deficit to 51-48. Despite a series of turnovers and missed opportunities, the Cougars held on to match Stonehill's efforts in the quarter, resulting in a 9-9 tie for the quarter and maintaining their overall lead.
Head Coach Corry Irvin expressed satisfaction with the team's recent performance, stating, "Well, I'm happy when you lose as many games as we did in a row. But I mean, I'm just happy we stuck with the game plan and I felt we were focused for 40 minutes." Irvin highlighted the importance of maintaining focus throughout the entire contest, noting, "We've had a lot of good parts of every game but not the whole game." Addressing defensive challenges, she commented, "We gave up a 3. We missed the first rebound. I was like maybe we'll get the second one. We missed the second one, but I mean, I know how we rebound, so I kind of wasn't too shocked." Looking ahead, Irvin emphasized the need for adaptability, saying, "Our biggest thing now is one game at a time, you know, moving forward and us understanding that every game's going to look different."
In their next game, the Cougars will take on the University of New Haven on Thursday, Jan. 15. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at The Hazell Center in West Haven, Connecticut.
