DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Illinois State
Hampton Leads DePaul in Field Trip Day Win
12/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 1, 2010
Bluetube: Highlights | Postgame Interview
CHICAGO - With 3,000 Chicagoland grade school children packed into McGrath Arena, the children's screams for defense, fast-passed action and a high-scoring game were answered by the DePaul women's basketball team, who topped Illinois State, 100-83 on Wednesday.
With some much blue in the stands, today was going to special -- whether it was DePaul's 64.5 percent field goal percentage or Deirdre Naughton entering the game at the 8:29 mark in the first half; DePaul reaching the 100 point mark 34th time or Keisha Hampton's career-high 30 points -- DePaul put on show for Field Trip Day.
Hampton led four Blue Demons in double-figure while Felicia Chester and Anna Martin each added 14. Taylor Pikes tallied 11 points and led DePaul with seven rebounds.
Both teams were off to the races in the first half. DePaul opened the game by hitting its first five shots, but Illinois State matched the Blue Demon's output by making its first four shots and kept the game close, 12-10 in the opening 3:04 of action.
With three early lead changes and the score tied at 13, DePaul put together an impressive 22-6 run over the next 6:10 which gave the Blue Demons control of contest.
DePaul (7-1) took its largest lead of the game, 47-24 on a pair of free throws from Martin with 6:21 on the clock, before going to the locker room with as season-high 56 points and a 19 point advantage.
The Blue Demons cooled off in the second half, but were still 14-31 (.452) from the field. Looking to get back into the game, Illinois State (3-2) opened the second half on a 23-6 run.
Shala Jackson, who led ISU with 17 points had a chance to cut DePaul's lead to single digits with 10:19 to play, but missed her second free throw and left ISU down 70-60.
DePaul quickly regrouped and within four minutes, Chester gave DePaul an 85-65 lead on a-give-and-go from Hampton.
Jasmine Penny's first basket of the day was DePaul's last but it gave DePaul its 100th point.
The Blue Demons return to action on Friday at SIU-Edwardsville. DePaul and the Cougars tip at 7 p.m.
Notes: DePaul scored 100 points for the 34th time in school history... DePaul is now 34-0 when scoring 100 points... the last time DePaul scored 100 points was Dec. 30, 2007 or 93 games... DePaul has now scored 90+ points in three consecutive game... it is the first time since the 2007-08 season that DePaul has scored at least 90 points or more points in three or more games ... in 07-08 DePaul scored 90+ points in four straight games... versus Loyola-Chicago on Dec. 8 (93-51), Chicago State on Dec. 12 (91-59), at Northern Illinois on Dec. 17 (90-58) and at Northwestern (102-64) on Dec. 20... Keisha Hampton led DePaul with a career-high 30 points... her previous career-high was 28 at Notre Dame on Feb. 14, 2010... Hampton has scored 20 or more points in four of DePaul's eight games and has led DePaul in scoring in six games this season... Deirdre Naughton came off the bench for the first time this season... registered nine points, on 3-of-4 shooting... first appearance by Naughton since she tore her ACL on Nov. 24, 2009... DePaul scored a season-best 56 points in the first half... First time ISU has allowed an opponent to score 100 points in six years... just the seventh time ISU has surrendered 100 points in 40 years, and the first since Kansas State scored 105 in the 2004 Preseason WNIT... the loss snapped a nine-game winning streak against school's from the state of Illinois... the loss marked the Redbirds' first consecutive losses in 43 games... dropped a 73-70 game on the road to South Dakota State on Nov. 24... DePaul is now 8-3 all-time against Illinois State... DePaul has won the last five seires games dating back to the 2006-07 season.
