Box Score Sarju and Simpson With 14 Each; Bulldogs Win Second Straight
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Leading by one point at halftime, it was a 40-percent shooting effort in the second half and a 39-27 scoring edge that helped the Yale women's basketball team pull away from Illinois State, 60-47, on Wednesday night in the Lee Amphitheater.
The Bulldogs (8-5), who now have a nine-day break for exams and the holiday season, forced 25 turnovers by the Redbirds and frustrated the visitor with pressure defense.
Wednesday was the fourth time this season that Yale has held an opponent under 50 points and third time it has caused at least 25 turnovers.
"I was happy with our defensive effort. Our guards did a good job against the pick-and-roll," said Joel E. Smilow '54 head coach Allison Guth. "We extended our pressure and forced them into long-range shots. Our defense really sparked our offense."
The Elis came into the game ranked seventh in the nation in three-point defense (22.3-percent) and they did not disappoint, as Illinois State was just 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Senior forward Nyasha Sarju (Seattle, Wash.) and sophomore guard Tamara Simpson (North Babylon, N.Y.) led the offensive charge with 14 points apiece, combining to go 4-of-8 from three-point range. It is the 12th time in 13 games that either Sarju or Simpson has been Yale's leading scorer this season.
Simpson had a game-high four steals, while senior captain Whitney Wyckoff (West Chester, Ohio) added three of her own. Junior forward Katie Werner (Phoenix, Ariz.) added nine points and six rebounds in the win.
"We used more clock offensively in the second half, rather than just going for one-hit wonders. We did that through having multiple attack options," said Guth. "We didn't go to the free throw line once in the first half. Our aggression in the second helped us on the offensive side."
The Bulldogs held a 30-20 scoring advantage in the paint, while also having a 13-8 edge in second-chance points. Yale shot 39.2-percent from the field and 41.7-percent from long range against the Redbirds.
It is the second straight win for the Elis and their eighth under Guth through 13 games – a three-game swing from the 2014-15 season when the Bulldogs began 5-8.
Leading 21-20 after a sloppy first half, the Bulldogs separated themselves with a 21-12 third quarter advantage, as Simpson netted 10 points in the period.
Over the final 3:59 of the third, Yale went on a 12-6 run, which included two three-pointers from Simpson and put the Elis ahead, 42-32. The play of the game came with 13 seconds left in the period, as the second-year guard dribbled through multiple defenders on her way to a layup.
"We were running the play so she (Simpson) could drive. It showed her aggressiveness, wanting to get to the rim. She has the capability of splitting defenders," said Guth.
The Bulldogs held their biggest lead of 17 points at the 55-second mark of regulation. The Redbirds did not get within 10 points of the Elis in the final period.
A turnover-ridden first half ended with Yale's defense holding Illinois State to 28-percent shooting. Both teams combined for 25 turnovers and the Bulldogs did not shoot one free throw, but made up for it in the second half by going 15-of-21 from the stripe.
The Bulldogs' defense held Illinois State's leading scorer, Octavia Crump, scoreless on the night. Crump came in averaging 13.3 points per game and was just 0-of-2 from the field, while fouling out in the fourth quarter.
"When you talk about their mindsets and how we celebrate them as student-athletes here at Yale, they are prepping for finals which start tomorrow," said Guth. "Being stretched to the limit with their minds, though it wasn't pretty tonight, they picked up a much-needed win going into the break."
Yale doesn't return to the hardwood until Dec. 28 when they travel to play Indiana in Bloomington, Ind. at 7 p.m. The trip includes a game against Albany on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. as the Bulldogs look to continue their winning streak.
Filed by Steve Lewis, Yale Sports Publicity
