Dec. 27, 2008
| EASTERN ILLINOIS (8-4) at ILLINOIS STATE (8-3) |
| Date |
Monday, Dec. 29 |
| Game Time |
7:05 p.m. |
| Location |
Normal, Ill. (Redbird Arena)
|
| Radio |
WJBC
(R.C. McBride - Play-by-Play | Jill Hutchsion - color commentary) |
Live Video |
Redbird All-Access |
| Live Stats |
GoRedbirds.com |
Players to watch
Kristi Cirone – G – ILLINOIS STATE
Cirone was named the MVP of the Orange County Clash after averaging 22.5 points and 4.5 assists over the two games. She shot 69.6 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from three-point range. She enters tonight’s game just five points behind Cindy Kaufmann for second place on the Illinois State all-time scoring list.
RACHEL GALLIGAN – C – EASTERN ILLINIOIS
Galligan is a dominant force in the post for Eastern Illinois, leading the Panthers in scoring (15.9 ppg) and blocks (18) and ranking second in rebounding (6.1). She has scored in double-figures in 10-straight games and is 25 points away from becoming Eastern Illinois’ all-time scoring leader and also ranks in the top-three in rebounds and blocks. Galligan is making her second return to Bloomington-Normal, where she starred as a scholastic player at Central Catholic.
RedbirdS-Panthers Series
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 28-8. ISU won the first 10 meetings, its longest winning streak in the series, and Eastern Illinois has won consecutive games just once (1987-88). Illinois State has won eight of the last nine games, including the last four. Robin Pingeton is 2-0 against the Panthers, winning 101-72 in 2006 and 81-68 in the season-opener last year.
Road Warriors
Illinois State is playing just its third home game of the season when it hosts Eastern Illinois, after nine of its first 11 games of the year were away from Redbird Arena. The 2008 non-conference scheduled had the Redbirds playing nine of their 12 games on the road, a program first. The most non-conference road games ISU had played before this season was seven in 1983-84, the first year of Gateway Conference play. ISU has played nine of its first games of the season on the road three times before (1976-77, 1979-80, 1980-81).
Moving On UP
Senior Kristi Cirone entered the season ranked sixth in ISU career scoring. Through 11 games, Cirone has moved into third place with 1,679 points. She is just five points shy of Cindy Kaufmann, who is in second place with 1,684 points.
ISU wins Orange county clash title
Illinois State didn’t just win the Orange County Clash championship (Dec. 21-22), the Redbirds obliterated the field. The ‘Birds never trailed, won the two games by a combined 75 points and held each of their opponents to just 51 points. Senior Kristi Cirone was named MVP and sophomore Shala Jackson and junior Maggie Krick joined her on the all-tournament team.
Righting the ship
Illinois State had a dismal start to the season, losing its first to games by double-digits and averaging just 56 points per game. Since then, the Redbirds have looked more like the team that was the unanimous pick to win the MVC. The ‘Birds are 8-1, including six-straight wins, averaging 82.4 points per game and outscoring their opponents by an average of 22.0 points per game. Each ISU win has come by double-digits and five of the wins have been by more than 20 points. The Redbirds are shooting 48.6 percent from the field and averaging 43.3 rebounds per game, an average of 9.0 more than their opponents. ISU has been simply dominant during its current six-game winning streak, winning by an average of 29.2 points per game and holding its opponents under 60 points five times.
