Opening the Preseason Womens National Invitation Tournament at former NCAA Champion Notre Dame playing 2004 Big 12 Conference Champion Kansas State in the Junkanoo Jam Tournament in the Bahamas hosting the 2005 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Redbird Arena it all adds up to a lot of opportunity on the schedule for Robin Pingetons second Illinois State University womens basketball team.
The Nov. 12 start at Notre Dame is the earliest ever for the Birds, who were 16-13 last season, doubling their highest win total in the previous five years. If ISU can beat the Irish, who were 21-11 last year, the Redbirds would take on the winner of Western Illinois at Nebraska just two days later. The Preseason WNIT semifinals are Nov. 17 and the championship game would be either Nov. 20 or 21. All games are at campus sites.
Pingeton believes the Preseason WNIT shows respect.
The tournament gives us the opportunity to earn additional respect across the country, said Pingeton. The opportunity speaks volumes about what our program accomplished last year and where we are headed. We can play some strong competition with NCAA experience and find out what we need to do to be an even better basketball team.
The Junkanoo Jam matches the Birds against defending Big 12 regular-season champion Kansas State. The Wildcats were No. 8 in the nation in last years final regular-season Associated Press poll. The No. 1 team in that final poll was Duke, and the Blue Devils play Stephen F. Austin in the game following Illinois State-Kansas State. The winners and losers pair off the next day to complete the tournament. A win could match the Birds against Duke.
A tournament like that not only gives you great national competition, it also gives your team an opportunity to bond, said Pingeton. I know our team is excited to be going to the Bahamas.
Illinois States first home game is Dec. 1 against Ball State, followed two days later by a home contest with Oakland. After road trips to Air Force and Loyola of Chicago, the Redbirds play Texas-El Paso Dec. 19 and Illinois Dec. 21, both at Redbird Arena. Pingeton enjoys playing Illinois even though the Illini have won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including last years match-up in Chicagos United Center.
When you factor in that Illinois is a solid Big Ten program, were just 55 miles apart, our fans love the rivalry and Theresa Grentzs long coaching success, its just great to see Illinois and Illinois State get together just before the holidays, said Pingeton. Playing a Big Ten team just before you start conference play is a great test for what we will face in the Valley night after night.
The Missouri Valley Conference season begins with New Years Day fireworks as the Redbirds play travel partner Indiana State in a 3:05 p.m. Jan. 1 contest to be carried live on the conferences television network. The Redbirds and Sycamores met three times last year with the visiting teams winning in the regular season and the Redbirds winning the first-round State Farm-Missouri Valley Tournament match-up 77-63 with the help of a tournament record 13 three-point field goals.
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Its a great game to feature on the league TV package because the Illinois State-Indiana State rivalry is growing stronger every day, said Pingeton. Part of it is that our teams are a lot alike. Were both aggressive and push the ball up court and shoot some threes. Im sure they remember the tournament loss last year because it was their last game, so we are going to need a strong home crowd behind us to beat them.
Pingetons first Redbird team was No. 4 in the nation in three-pointers made last year and No. 24 in assists per game as the Redbirds improved from 57 to 73 points per game in just one season. ISUs high-octane offense fits in with the Valleys wide-open style as the nations No. 1 three-point shooting conference.
Illinois State reached the semi-finals of the conference tournament at SMS last year. Pingetons team will be trying to become only the third squad in 10 years to win the State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference basketball title on its home court March 10-12.
Its such a great opportunity to play the conference tournament in Redbird Arena in front of our home fans, said Pingeton. I just love our league. Its talented players and excellent coaches and an exciting style. The fact that so many Central Illinois business people are stepping up to support the tournament at Redbird Arena proves that people know the Valley Tournament is an excellent event.
2004-05 Illinois State Womens Basketball Schedule
Day Date Opponent Time
Sun. Oct. 31 Odyssey (exhibition) 2:05 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 7 St. Xavier (exhibition) 2:05 p.m.
Preseason Womens National Invitation Tournament
Fri. Nov. 12 at Notre Dame 8 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 14 Preseason WNIT Quarterfinals tba
Wed. Nov. 17 Preseason WNIT Semifinals tba
Sat./Sun Nov. 20/21 Preseason WNIT Finals tba
Junkanoo Jam Tournament, Freeport, Bahamas
Fri. Nov. 26 vs. Kansas State 5 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 27 vs. Duke or Stephen F. Austin 5 p.m./7:30 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 1 Ball State 7:05 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 3 Oakland 7:05 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 7 at Air Force 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 11 at Loyola of Chicago 1 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 19 Texas-El Paso 2:05 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 21 Illinois 7:05 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 1 Indiana State (Valley TV) 3:05 p.m.
Thur. Jan. 6 at Drake 7:05 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 8 at Creighton 3:05 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 14 SMS 7:05 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 16 Wichita State 2:05 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 21 at Bradley (WTVP TV) 7:05 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 23 at Northern Iowa 4:05 p.m.
Thur. Jan. 27 Evansville 7:05 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 29 Southern Illinois 3:05 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 4 Drake 7:05 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 6 Creighton 2:05 p.m.
Thur. Feb. 10 at SMS 7:05 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 12 at Wichita State 2:00 p.m.
Thur. Feb. 17 Northern Iowa 7:05 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 20 Bradley (WTVP TV) 2:05 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 25 vs. Evansville (at Vincennes, Ind.) 6:30 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 27 at Southern Illinois 2:05 p.m.
Sat. March 5 at Indiana State 1:05 p.m.
State Farm-Missouri Valley Tourney at Redbird Arena
Thur. March 10 Quarterfinals tba
Fri. March 11 Semifinals tba
Sat. March 12 Championship tba
all times Central
Missouri Valley Conference games
