Alverno College

CHICAGO – It was an historic evening for Alverno basketball senior Sara Redlin, who broke the program record for three-pointers in one game as she amassed eight three-pointers en route to a career-best 26 points as she helped the Inferno knock off the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks, 70-58, at the Keating Sports Center.
 
In addition to the record for three-pointers in one game, Redlin tied the single-season three pointer record as she entered the night with 54 and knocked down eight to give her 62 on the season. The mark of 62 tied the mark set two seasons ago by former teammate Mackenzie Mathies '20, who set the standard during her junior season. Redlin still has four games remaining on the season, looking to break the mark in the next game at home on Saturday evening.
 
The career-best mark of 26 points for Redlin was not the only career-best mark of the night, as junior Alicia Hornbuckle amassed a season-best 22 points. The 22 points for Hornbuckle passed the career mark, which was 21 set during her final game at John A. Logan junior college at Southeastern Illinois on March 5, 2019. Hornbuckle's high on the season with the Inferno was 20 at Edgewood on January 25.
 
Freshman Eniya Madden had nine points and eight rebounds on the night, while classmate Keeshya Bellows had six points and a team-best 10 rebounds on the night. Hornbuckle led the team with seven assists, while Madden was second on the team with four assists on the night.
 
Junior Dom Hudson played 34 minutes and picked up six rebounds and three points, while sophomore Brittney Hondel and freshman Angie Reutgen each connected on one field goal apiece. Reutgen pulled down three rebounds, while junior Mikayla Tessay picked up one board and was tied with five other for the team lead with one steal apiece. Bellows had Alverno's only block on the night.
 
Alverno opened the scoring with four unanswered on back-to-back jumpers by Hornbuckle before Illinois Tech got on the board. Alverno broke a 4-4 tie with another basket by Hornbuckle, before Hornbuckle broke a six-point tie with back-to-back three pointers to put Alverno up 12-6. The Scarlet Hawks kept the score close in the opening quarter, trailing the Inferno by an 18-16 score after 10 minutes.
 
Illinois Tech opened the second quarter with seven straight to take a five-point lead at 23-18 before Redlin connected on her first basket of the night with a three-pointer at the 8:39 mark to pull the Inferno back within two. Hondel followed with a game-tying jumper to knot the score at 23. After the lead exchanged hands on the next few possessions, a jumper by Hudson and a pair of free throws by Madden gave Alverno a 32-30 lead at the halftime break.
 
Redlin kicked off her 21-point second half almost immediately as she drilled a three-pointer just 22 seconds into the third period. The score was once again tied at 39 with 4:30 left in the stanza before a free throw by the Scarlet Hawks put the home team ahead by a 40-39 score. Redlin drained another three-ball to put Alverno up a pair, but the stingy Illinois Tech squad once again evened the score at 42 with 3:49 left in the third.
 
The score held at 42 aside through the final 3:49 of the third before Madden broke the scoring drought off of a steal to kick off the fourth quarter. Redlin followed with a three to put the Inferno up by five before a layup by the Scarlet Hawks was answered by yet another Redlin three ball. Alverno led by four at 52-48 before Redlin drained another long-range shot, and then another following a pair of free throws by Illinois Tech to put the Inferno ahead 58-50.
 
Hornbuckle scored a layup with 4:06 to go in regulation to put Alverno ahead 60-53, before Illinois Tech added a free throw to cut the Inferno lead to six. Redlin hit a three-pointer ahead of a layup by Madden as the Inferno took its first double-digit lead of the night at 65-54. The Inferno connected on plenty of late free throws to seal the win to earn the 12-point victory at 70-58.
 
Alverno (4-17, 4-12 NACC) will return home on Saturday evening, when the team hosts the Spartans of Aurora University from the Reiman Gymnasium at 7 p.m. Prior to the game, the Inferno will be celebrating Redlin as part of 'senior day' festivities in a brief on-court ceremony.