December 17, 2006
Women’s Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAURA RUDOLPHI'S LATE GAME HEROICS LIFT SYCAMORES TO VICTORY

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TOLEDO, Ohio – On a day when the Sycamores relied on their defense to gut out a victory, it was junior Laura Rudolphi who took the team on her shoulders in the final seconds en route to a 53-51 victory. ISU improved to 6-3 while the Rockets dropped to 4-6.

With 13.8 seconds showing on the clock, and the Sycamores holding the ball for an inbounds play underneath their own basket as the scored stood tied at 51, head coach Jim Wiedie called Rudolphi’s number for the game winner.

Off a set play, Angela Phillips found Rudolphi on the low block, and as she turned to the basket was fouled on the way up. Rudolphi calmly stepped to the line and knocked down both free throws for the 53-51 lead. Toledo’s Danielle Bishop made it just past half court with 4.8 seconds left in the game, but her desperation attempt at victory fell short and sent the Sycamores into a celebration with the 53-51 victory secured.

“I give all the credit to my teammates,” Rudolphi said. “The guards did a great job all day to get the ball into us down low, and I got the foul call at the end. It felt really good to knock down a couple of big free throws to help us win today.”

ISU hit just 33.3% (20-60) shots from the field, but held Toledo to 35.8% themselves, including allowing just one single 3-pointer by the Rockets. Toledo turned the ball over 18 times as the Sycamores converted those Rocket miscues into 17 points. ISU was credited with 10 steals in the game.

“We dug down and found our defense today when we needed it,” Wiedie explained. “Our offense just has not been clicking for the last four games, but we did a nice job in spots. This young team found a way at the end to gut out a win, although we let Toledo get back into it late.”

Rudolphi asserted herself early and often before the late game heroics. She finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. It was her third double-double of the year, and the sixth consecutive game in which she reached double figures scoring.

Senior Rachel Maenpaa was the only other Sycamore to reach double figures scoring as she added 14 points.

“Our post players were open on all day,” Wiedie said. “In a game when we didn’t shoot particularly well from the outside, our guards were able to get the ball inside and we did a good job of scoring down low.”

The Sycamores trailed 26-23 at the half before coming back for the win. It was the first time this season that ISU managed to overcome a halftime deficit and pull out a victory. ISU was out-rebounded by a 43-40 margin -- the first time in the last five games that the opposition received more caroms.

Indiana State seemed to break open a close game midway through the second half when they took a nine point lead, 45-36, on a 3-point basket by Leah Phillips with 8:58 left. Toledo never quit, battling the Sycamores back to a 51-51 tie on a lay-up by Savannah Werner with 50 seconds left.  ISU led the game 51-46 with 1:48 remaining, but the Rockets went on a 6-0 run to knot the game before Rudolphi’s heroics.

The Sycamores were ice cold from long range early in the game, but back-to-back 3-pointers by freshman Kelsey Luna got the Sycamores rolling, as they finished the game with five triples. Toledo hit just 1-of-15 tries from long distance in their losing effort.

After enjoying an eight-day break for final exams prior to the Toledo game, there is no rest for the Sycamores this time as they get right back into action on Wednesday, December 20 in facing Longwood at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. (ET).

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