Jan. 21, 2009
| EVANSVILLE (8-8, 4-1 MVC) at ILLINOIS STATE (13-4, 4-1 MVC) |
| Date |
Thursday, Jan. 22 |
| 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
SHANNON NOVOSEL – C – EVANSVILLE
Novosel is one of the key contributors to the Purple Aces, averaging 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while turning in a team-best 21 blocks. The preseason All-Valley pick averaged 13 points and nine rebounds in two games last week. She has averaged 16.3 ppg in her last three meetings with the Redbirds.
Nicolle Lewis – C – ILLINOIS STATE
Lewis dominated the Purple Aces last season, averaging a double-double of 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She actually had a double-double the last time Evansville was in Redbird Arena with 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. In ISU’s last game against Missouri State, Lewis turned in a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
FASTBREAK POINTS
ISU is in a four-way tie for first place in the Valley … Senior Kristi Cirone is three assists away from becoming Illinois State’s all-time leader in the category … ISU has won 11 of it last 12 games … Evansville has lost its last four games, all Valley contests.
REDBIRDS-PURPLE ACES SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Evansville, 17-11. The series began in 1995 when Evansville joined the Valley and Illinois State swept the first four season series. Evansville’s first win came in 1999 and the Purple Aces swept the season series that year, including a win in the MVC Tournament. ISU has won four of the last five meetings. Head coach Robin Pingeton is 6-4 all-time against the Purple Aces.
LAST YEAR VS. EVANSVILLE
ISU swept the season series with Evansville last year, winning the first and last conference games of the year. ISU’s 87-72 win at Redbird Arena on the last day of the regular season clinched a share of the MVC regular season title for the Redbirds. Kristi Cirone averaged 18.5 points and 6.0 assists against the Aces last season. She had 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half in the MVC-opening win Jan. 3. Nicolle Lewis averaged a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She had a career-high 14 rebounds the last time the two teams met in Redbird Arena.
CIRONE ADDED TO WADE TROPHY WATCH LIST
Senior Kristi Cirone was added to the 2008-09 State Farm Wade Trophy Watch List, as voted on by the award’s committee members Jan. 21. Cirone and four other Division I student-athletes were added to the list that already consisted of 25 players from the preseason to comprise the 30 candidates for the award that honors the best Division I player in the nation.
CIRONE APPROACHES ISU SCORING TITLE
Let the countdown begin. Senior Kristi Cirone moved into second place in career scoring at ISU with her six first-half points against Eastern Illinois and now is poised to make a run at Cathy Boswell at the top of the list. Cirone currently has 1,802 points, putting her 203 behind Boswell’s 2,005. With at least 14 games left on the schedule, Cirone would have to average 14.5 points per game to become ISU’s new scoring queen.
CIRONE GETS OFFENSIVE
Senior Kristi Cirone’s race for the ISU scoring title was almost inevitable considering her numbers after her first three years at ISU, but she put up some gaudy numbers this year to almost ensure it. Cirone is 25th in the nation in scoring (18.8 ppg), 54th in field goal percentage (.510) and 20th in three-point field goal percentage (.434). She has scored in double-figures in 15 games, including 10 games with at least 20 points. She has eclipsed 20 points in six-straight games, which was tied for the longest streak in school history with Cindy Kaufmann, who achieved the feat in 1990-91.
EVEN MORE RECORDS FOR CIRONE
Senior Kristi Cirone entered the season ranked in the top-10 in 14 statistical categories and Illinois State and as the season heads down the final stretch, she is well within reach of several more than just the scoring crown. Cirone is second in assists with 581, just two shy of Denise Norton’s record 583. She is also second in three-pointers with 199 and would become just the second player with 200-career threes. Already the school’s all-time leader in free throws (428), Cirone took over the leads in free throw attempts (549) and three-point field goal attempts (522) earlier this season.
BRACEY TURNS IT ON
Junior Ashleen Bracey has improved her play over the last six games, averaging 11.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. She scored in double-figures in the first six games, her longest streak of the season. Bracey continued her dominance of Drake, recording her second double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Bulldogs Jan. 3. She also made the first two three-pointers of her career against Eastern Illinois. She added another double-double in the last game against Wichita State with 10 points and 11 rebounds and had a season-high 12 rebounds against Missouri State.
