Nov. 13, 2011
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Contact: Renee Adam
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Destinee Blue and Shalonda Winton each scored in double digits for the Vikings, but the Cleveland State women's basketball team would fall short against Illinois, as they dropped their first contest of the season in a 72-42 decision. The Vikings are now 1-1 on the season, while the Illini improve to a matching record of 1-1.
Blue and Winton led the Viking offense against Illinois Sunday afternoon, Blue with 11 points and Winton with 10. Winton also posted a team-high seven rebounds and now ranks 20th all-time at CSU with 476 on her career.
The Vikings, who struggled to gain a lead throughout the entire contest, came as close as they could just four minutes in, as they came within two points at 8-6 after rattling off six straight points. During that span the Vikings got baskets from Kaila Montgomery, Ondrea Hughes and Blue.
Illinois forced the Vikings into 10 turnovers throughout the rest of the opening half, as CSU went into halftime trailing by 12 points at 29-17.
Takima Keane gave the Viking offense a spark just 20 seconds into the second half as she made her first three-pointer of the game, but the Illini responded with a three of their own, and went on an 11-4 run over the next 5:11 to extend their lead to 45-24. CSU struggled to get anything going offensively over the next seven minutes, as Illinois gained a 28-point advantage with under seven minutes to play.
Although the Vikings traded baskets with Illinois to close out the game, the Illini were able to come away with the 72-42 win.
The Vikings were plagued with 22 turnovers and just eight bench points, while Illinois was able to get 16 points off the bench. Illinois shot 50-percent from the field, while CSU was held to a 24-percent clip.
Keane added eight points to the Viking offense, while the quartet of Winton, Blue, Keane and Cori Coleman each tallied two steals.
CSU will be back in action on Wednesday, November 16 as the Vikings travel to New York to face the Fordham Rams in a 7:00 p.m. contest.
