GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Illinois State 63, Loyola 51
Records: Illinois State (6-16, 3-8 MVC); Loyola (2-20, 1-10 MVC)
Location: Redbird Arena -- Normal, Ill.
Stats: Box Score  | Season Stats 

In Short…
Kaitlyn Williams poured in a team-high 15 points but Illinois State used a fourth-quarter rally to stun the Loyola University Chicago women’s basketball team, 63-51, this afternoon at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. The Redbirds improve to 6-16 on the year (3-8 MVC) with the win, while the Ramblers now sit at 2-20 (1-10 MVC).

How It Happened
A driving score by Citiana Negatu gave the Ramblers a 2-0 lead with 8:38 remaining in the first quarter. Lee Williams doubled the margin, 4-0, with a layup of her own three minutes later as Loyola’s defense frustrated the Redbirds on the offensive end. A Taylor Stewart layup with 3:35 to go put the hosts on the board, 4-2. Williams connected on her first three of the day at the 2:24 mark to push the Rambler lead to 8-3 before Illinois State used a 4-0 quarter-ending spurt to close to within one, 8-7.

An old-fashioned three-point play by Stewart just 18 seconds into the second quarter gave the Redbirds their first lead of the afternoon, 10-9. Williams quickly responded with back-to-back triples to send the Maroon & Gold back on top, 15-10. Consecutive scores from Katrina Beck and Stewart briefly put Illinois State in front, 18-17, but Loyola closed the half on a tear, ripping off seven unanswered points, to race into the locker room with a 24-18 advantage.

Two early buckets from Kiana Coomber and Lee Williams pushed the Loyola lead into double figures, 28-18, with just under three minutes gone in the third quarter. Brandi Segars knocked down a mid-range jumper with 2:25 remaining to bump the margin back up to six, 30-24, following a charge from the Redbirds that saw them close to within four moments earlier. Brechelle Beachum pulled the hosts even just before the buzzer as the two in-state rivals headed to the fourth quarter in a 32-32 deadlock.

Illinois State kept its foot on the gas to begin the final frame, opening on a 9-0 run that saw it surge in front, 41-32, with 8:09 to go. Lee Williams brought an end to the drought for the Ramblers, cashing in off of a Redbird turnover to pull Loyola to within seven, 41-34. Another Segars two at the 2:51 mark had the Ramblers down seven again, 51-44, but Illinois State finished with a flurry, scoring 12 of the game’s final 19 points, to claim a 63-51 victory.

Inside The Box Score
- Williams knocked down a career-high tying five threes to lead the Rambler attack this afternoon.
- Brandi Segars flirted with a double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds, while her younger sister, Lauren Segars, came off the bench to dish out a career-best four assists.
- Loyola turned its top 20-minute defensive performance of the season in the first half as it held the Redbirds to only 16% shooting (5-of-32) from the field.
- Beachum led all scorers with a game-high 23 points, 20 of which came as part of Illinois State’s second-half comeback.

Up Next
Loyola wraps up a three-game road trip next Sunday (Feb. 12) against Indiana State. Tip-off against the Sycamores is set for 1 p.m. (CT) from inside the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind.