Illinois State-Missouri State Game Notes in PDF Format
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Feb. 9, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State women's basketball team will look to snap its two-game Missouri Valley Conference losing skid and remain atop the league standings when it travels to conference foe Missouri State Saturday. Tip-off from the Hammons Student Center is set for 2:05 p.m.
The Redbirds (16-6, 9-2 MVC) are coming off last weekend's two-loss home stand at the hands of Evansville (Feb. 2) and Southern Illinois (Feb. 4). The setback to the Purple Aces snapped ISU's record-setting nine-game MVC winning streak, and the loss to the Salukis moved the `Birds out of sole possession of first place in the league standings since the beginning of the Valley slate.
A win over the Bears would clinch Illinois State's first 10-win Valley season since the 1996-97 campaign, a span of 10 seasons. ISU has tallied nine-win MVC campaigns twice (1997-98 and 2003-04) during the stretch. The Redbirds have collected 11 double-digit win seasons in their history in both the Gateway and Missouri Valley Conferences.
Missouri State (6-14, 2-9 MVC), who has lost their last five Valley contests, is led by juniors Tahnee Balerio, the league's top ranked scorer (18.1 ppg), and Tiff Terwelp, who is averaging a conference-best 9.2 rebounds per game. Terwelp also ranks third in the MVC in assists (4.8 apg).
In the last meeting between the `Birds and MSU (Jan. 13, 2007), sophomore center Nicolle Lewis poured in a career-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, and Kristi Cirone chipped in 21 points and eight assists to zero turnovers in a 76-47 ISU win at Redbird Arena. The Redbirds also held the Bears to a 29 percent shooting effort in the game.
Illinois State trails the all-time series against Missouri State, 30-21. The Redbirds have dropped six of the last nine match-ups with the Bears, including the last three decisions in Springfield, Mo.
Saturday's contest kick starts a two-game road swing for the Redbirds, as they will travel to Valley foe Wichita State Monday.
