McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team secured a victory over the University of Illinois Chicago with a score of 75-66. The game, held at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, saw standout performances from Elyce Knudsen and Maya Wong.

Knudsen scored 24 points, with 17 of those in the first half, contributing significantly to Illinois State's lead. She also added four rebounds and three assists to her performance. Wong contributed a season-high of 20 points, making nine out of ten free throws and scoring ten points in the fourth quarter alone.

Addi Martin also had a notable game, reaching double figures for the fourth consecutive time with 16 points. She achieved a career-high six assists and five rebounds.

The Redbirds managed to overturn an early deficit by going on a 21-5 run late in the first half, leading to a halftime advantage of 43-28. Despite UIC narrowing the gap to seven points in the second half, Illinois State maintained their lead throughout.

UIC reduced Illinois State's lead to nine points early in the fourth quarter before Wong's three-pointer extended it once again. Wong's performance at the free throw line was crucial in securing Illinois State's win as she made seven consecutive free throws towards the end of the game.

This victory marks only the third time that Wong has scored more than 20 points in her career. The Redbirds were slightly behind UIC in rebounds but still managed to win despite this statistic for the first time this season.

The team's shooting accuracy was impressive, hitting over 50% from the field for their second consecutive game. They also demonstrated effective teamwork with 24 assists on their made baskets during this match-up.

Illinois State will continue seeking success as they move forward into further conference games while maintaining strong performances both individually and collectively.