NORMAL, Ill. – Saint Louis University women's basketball dropped a tough battle on the road Tuesday night, falling 87-81, as its fourth-quarter comeback fell short.
 
The loss drops the Billikens to 5-8 on the year and 0-4 in true road games as the team concluded its nonconference slate, wrapping up play until December 30. 
 
The first half was defined at the free throw line as fouls marred the first half with Brooklyn Gray being called for the first violation seconds into the contest giving the Redbirds their first two points of the night from the charity stripe. Gray avenged the foul shortly after, shooting her first points from the three-point line. 
 
The rest of the half followed suit and despite strong offensive play from both teams with the Billikens shooting 45 percent from the floor and Redbirds shooting 54 percent. stoppages defined the opening 20 minutes as the home team took 24 tries from the penalty line. After one half of play, the 6-3 Redbirds led, 48-42, with 19 made free throws leading the way.
 
SLU's defense muscled up during the third quarter, getting several timely stops while forcing Illinois State on separate three and two-minute scoring droughts. On the other side of the ball, scores from Tierra Simon and Julia Martinez and two makes from the free throw line helped the Bililkens pull within three points with under two minutes left in the third quarter. The Redbirds answered as the clock ran down, as they hit their eighth three-pointer of the day to help go back up by 10 points.
 
Feast and famine plagued the Billikens in the final quarter of play, as Kennedy scored five quick points to bring them within five points. The Redbirds answered with two from beyond the arc, continuing their dominant performance as the home team ended the contest with 11 makes. Four made free throws and another three from Kennedy pulled the visiting Billikens within four but SLU's famine struck late in the fourth quarter, as the Billikens went 1-12 from the field on a five-minute scoring drought. Kennedy added eight more points to finish the game with a team-high 23 points, her fifth 20-point game of the season, but SLU's comeback fell short, ending the game in a six-point deficit.
 
McMakin added 19 points while Gray tallied 18 of her own. Martinez pulled down a team-high eight rebounds while flirting with yet another triple double, tallying nine points and nine assists.
 
The Billikens will be back in action to open their Atlantic 10 Conference slate against Rhode Island on Dec. 30. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.