Most of what has happened to the 2003-04 Illinois State womens basketball team is described by sentences beginning with the first time since ... and the most since ... With a seven-game winning streak, an 8-3 record and a 2-0 start in the Missouri Valley Conference season -- all the most in at least six years -- coach Robin Pingetons Redbirds now hit the road to play Creighton in Omaha on Saturday. A win at Creighton wouldnt be the first since. It would simply be the first. Period.
Since Creighton joined the Valley for womens sports in 1992, Illinois State has played 12 games against Creighton in Omaha and lost them all. And most of them havent been close; the average Creighton home margin of victory is 16.5 points. For eight Valley teams, the trip to Omaha is either preceded or succeeded by a visit to Des Moines to play Drake. In the last decade, that end of the Valleys Interstate 80 trip (both places are just off I-80) hasnt been any fun for Illinois State either. ISUs 10 losses in a row to Drake have been by an average of 19.3 points per game. The last Redbird win over Drake in Des Moines was Jan. 4, 1994.
First-year Drake coach Amy Stephens is sympathetic to road warriors in the Valley. Her Bulldogs split a trip to Southern Illinois (a win) and Evansville (a loss) last weekend.
In this league, you have to be ready to play. Theres no easy road swings, said Stephens, whose Bulldogs are 4-7 overall, 1-1 in the Valley. You need good coaching and consistent play. You need defense and rebounding.
Redbird coach Robin Pingetons team has played solid defense during its winning streak, allowing 62.9 points per game and limiting foes to 35 percent field goal shooting during the current seven-game winning streak. But the Birds are still working on becoming a good rebounding team -- the seven victims during the Redbird win streak have averaged 16 offensive rebounds per game.
We need to work to become a better rebounding team, said Pingeton, whose Redbirds are one win shy of matching the longest ISU winning streak in 15 years. I have confidence in this team because it has shown a willingness to work hard.
It will take hard work for the Birds to win at Creighton; the Bluejays head into Thursdays match with Indiana State having won 22 straight Valley games at home. The last CU home loss was Feb. 4, 2001. With a 2-0 league record and 6-5 overall record, coach Jim Flanerys battle-tested Creighton is missing a key element to its relentless pressure style of basketball. Senior Christy Neneman, the 2002 and 2003 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, has missed the past two weeks of action with a finger injury.
Despite the loss, Creighton has won three straight--an overtime win at Iowa and Valley wins at Evansville and SIU--with senior guard Dayna Finch and junior guard Laura Spanheimer providing leadership. Flanery is looking for more help from his inside players.
Were not getting enough offense in the post, said Flanery. Were not communicating enough on defense and were having trouble transitioning from full-court to half-court defense.
Illinois States offense and defense have been elevated by junior guard Jaci McCormack, who was the State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week this week. She has raised her scoring average from 4.3 to 10.9 points per game during the winning streak. Her 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 steals have helped the Birds on the defensive side.
After the Interstate 80 trip, the Redbirds come home for three games in a row, meeting Evansville Jan. 16, Southern Illinois Jan. 18 and Indiana State Jan. 24.
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