NORMAL, Ill. -- Illinois State connected on 59.3 percent of its first-half field goal attempts and dominated the interior to take a 36-32 lead over the Missouri State Lady Bears into the halftime locker room Sunday (Feb. 14) afternoon at Redbird Arena. Nicole Lewis and Ashleen Bracey combined for 26 points, as the Redbirds outscored the Lady Bears by a 30-8 margin in the paint.

Lewis hit on 6-of-8 field goal tries to tally 14 first-half points, while Bracey scored 12 in the opening stanza. The duo combined to score 12 straight points for ISU over a five-minute stretch that saw the Redbirds score six unanswered points to turn a one-point game into a 24-17 advantage-their largest lead of the half-with just over eight minutes remaining.

Missouri State fought back behind an offensive surge provided by Casey Garrison, who accounted for nine consecutive Lady Bear points to pull MSU even at 26-26 at the 4:49 mark.

ISU ended the half on a 6-2 scoring run, after Aly Stock's second field goal off the MSU bench knotted the score at 30-30.

Garrison led MSU with 11 points and three rebounds, while Jaleshia Roberson went 2-of-4 from three-point range to total eight points.