McLean County Times

Illinois State women's basketball team faced a tough loss against Drake in the quarterfinals of the Credit Union 1 MVC Women's Basketball Tournament. The game, held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, saw Illinois State falling to Drake with a final score of 75-69.

Shannon Dowell delivered an impressive performance by scoring a career-high of 30 points. "Dowell led all scorers Friday afternoon, finishing 10-for-11 from the free throw line." Alongside her, Addison Martin and Maya Wong contributed 15 and 10 points respectively for Illinois State.

Drake initially took control with a strong start, leading by 30-19 in the first half. However, Illinois State managed to close the gap with a 12-3 run before halftime, reducing Drake's lead to just two points at 33-31. Dowell played a crucial role during this period by scoring six consecutive points.

In the third quarter, both teams exchanged leads multiple times. Maya Wong's deep ball put Illinois State ahead early in the third quarter. Dowell again helped her team regain the lead by closing the third quarter with six straight points, putting them ahead at 53-52.

The fourth quarter saw Illinois State taking its largest lead at five points following Wong's free throw but Drake quickly responded and regained their advantage at 62-61 with over five minutes left on the clock. Despite Illinois State's efforts to reclaim control through a subsequent run that placed them ahead at 67-62, Drake secured victory after taking back their lead with just seconds remaining.

Dowell's remarkable performance marked her as "the first Redbird to score 30+ points in a single game since Paige Robinson" did so in February of 2022 against Missouri State. Her scoring feat is also noted as "the most points by a Redbird at the MVC Tournament since at least 2009-10."

Despite their loss, Illinois State demonstrated notable discipline by committing only two turnovers throughout the game—an achievement not seen since prior seasons dating back to at least 2009-10.

For further information regarding tickets or other related inquiries about Illinois State athletics events or merchandise visit GoRedbirds.com or download their app for more details.