SENIOR GUARD JORDANN PLUMMER puts up a free throw at the Knapp Center. Plummer played her final home game this weekend. Photo: Sarah Andrews
Senior Monique’ Jones looked up at the scoreboard.
Three minutes remaining. It wasn’t enough.
Jones knew she would never play another game at the Knapp Center, and her last one would be a loss.
There was nothing she could do about it.
At that point in the game, Missouri Valley Conference regular season champion Illinois State had a commanding 77-62 lead over the Bulldogs.
“I just looked at (the scoreboard) and was like, ‘We’re already down by so many,’” Jones said, wiping away the tears that had begun to streak down her face. “Then I was like, ‘This is it.’”
The Redbirds (23-6, 16-2 MVC record) went on to win Friday afternoon’s contest 80-66.
Jones’ fellow senior, Jordann Plummer, was taken out of the game with 1:20 left to play. Jones stayed on the court until only 24 seconds remained.
When Jones walked back to the bench, nearly the entire 2,451-strong Knapp Center crowd rose to their feet, giving both seniors an ovation.
“I was just looking and just admiring the crowd,” Plummer said. “I’m going to cherish that (ovation) for a long time. Out of all the cheering and standing ovations that we’ve had over the years, I’ll keep that one alive.”
Both Jones and Plummer reached double figures, scoring 13 and 12 points, respectively. Jones was second on the team with five rebounds and Plummer had a game-high six assists in the loss.
Though the Bulldogs (14-14, 7-11) were unable to send their seniors out with a win in their final regular season game, nobody can say they didn’t battle to the end.
Sophomore Rachael Hackbarth scored the game’s first two baskets to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead out of the gate. Hackbarth ended the afternoon with a team-high 21 points.
The Redbirds answered with a 12-2 run to go up 12-6 only six minutes into the game. Senior Ashleen Bracey scored six points in that stretch. Bracey set game highs of 32 points and seven rebounds.
Illinois State’s lead only grew, as the Redbirds took a 38-22 lead into the half.
“We just dug ourselves too big a hole,” Head Coach Amy Stephens said. “We didn’t have enough ball pressure, didn’t rebound very well and then our shot selection offensively was out of whack and they completely took advantage of it.”
Drake shot 27.6 percent from the floor in the first half, while Illinois State hit 54.8 percent of its shots.
A jump shot by center Nicolle Lewis gave the Redbirds their largest lead of the night, 51-27, with 17:51 left in the game.
But the Bulldogs weren’t finished.
Drake went on a 16-0 run in just 3:57. The drive was fueled by three Kristin Turk treys and narrowed the Illinois State lead, 57-51, with 9:51 remaining. Turk was the Bulldogs’ fourth player to reach double figures with 13 points.
“I’m proud of the way we fought back,” Stephens said. “I think against a very good team like Illinois State—there’s a reason they won the league—you cannot put yourself in a 24-point hole.”
Drake outscored Illinois State 44-42 in the second half. The Bulldogs shot 56 percent in the final period, but Illinois State managed 64.3 percent shooting to quell the Bulldogs’ comeback efforts.
Jones said it was not how she would have planned her final home game but the season isn’t over. Next week’s MVC tournament offers one last chance to go out on a strong note.
“In a tournament we’re 0-0,” a brighter-eyed Jones said. “Our conference season doesn’t matter. We have a day off tomorrow, we come back, we have practice on Monday and then we just get at it.”
