by The Chicago State women’s basketball dropped a 66-58 decision to Long Island University (LIU) Monday afternoon at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago. LIU is a future Northeast Conference (NEC) foe and with the win improved to 3-12, snapping a two-game losing streak and picking up their first win on the road this season.
Josie Hill was one of three Cougars players in double figures with 20 while Tae’lor Willard had 15 and Claire Simmons 12. Hill notched a double-double with a game-high 17 rebounds.
LIU began the game with an 11-1 run before Claire Simmons converted a layup to stop the run and the Sharks led 11-3 at the 4:44 mark. LIU managed just five points for the remainder of the quarter and the Cougars closed the gap to six at the end of the first quarter, 16-10. Chicago State opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run on a three by Tae’lor Willard, a bucket by Josie Hill and a pair of Claire Simmons free throws to tie and take a one-point lead, 17-16. The teams exchanged scores through the remainder of the second quarter with seven lead changes and five ties before LIU took a three-point lead into the halftime locker room, 35-32.
Both teams were struggling from the field to start the second half with neither teams scoring for over the first two minutes before Evangelina Parrish knocked down a shot for the Cougars who cut the margin to one, 35-34. The Sharks responded with a 9-0 run over the next 3:30 to go up 10, 44-34, at the 4:42 mark. CSU answered with a 7-0 run interrupted by an LIU three before scoring jumpers on back-to-back possessions to cut the lead to two and LIU hit a three for the final points of the quarter to lead by five, 50-45.
The Sharks scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to extend their advantage to nine, 54-45. The Cougars then went on an 8-2 run and the lead was just three, 56-53, with 3:30 remaining in regulation. LIU held a four-point advantage when the Sharks connected on a three from the top of the key to extend the lead to seven with 2:00 left to play. Josie Hill then scored on back-to-back possessions to cut the lead to three with under a minute to play before the Sharks closed out the game from the line for the eight-point win.
The women will be back in action as the first game of an afternoon women’s/men’s doubleheader, hosting Central Michigan on Sunday, January 21 at 2 p.m. at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago. The Chippewas enter the week with a 2-11 overall record and 1-3 in the MAC with a home game against Ball State Wednesday and at Northern Illinois Saturday before facing the Cougars Sunday afternoon.
