The Redbirds held a slim six-point lead before ending the first half on an 8-0 run. Crompton was held to five points over the first two quarters.
“They were playing matchup zone, and that’s something we haven’t seen a ton,” said Gillespie. “We put some zone offense in on the fly at halftime. We isolated Mary in the corner, and she had a ton of success.”
Crompton opened the second half with a 3-pointer for a 17-point ISU bulge only to see the Cougars claw back within 45-37 on a Sidney Lovitsch 3-pointer at the 6:21 mark of the third quarter.