March 15, 2011
| CENTRAL MICHIGAN @ ILLINOIS STATE |
| Date |
Thursday, March 17 |
| Time |
7:05 p.m.
|
| Radio |
WJBC |
| TV |
Redbird All-Access - FREE |
| Live Stats |
GameTracker |
| Game Notes |
Illinois State // Central Michigan |
WATCH THURSDAY'S NIT FIRST ROUND GAME FREE ONLINE
The Illinois State-Central Michigan WNIT game will be broadcast on Redbird All-Access live for FREE on Thursday. Redbird fans can watch all of the action with audio from WJBC live on Redbird All-Access. CLICK HERE TO WATCH.
REDBIRDS-CHIPPEWAS SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Central Michigan, 6-1. Illinois State won the first six meetings, with four in the 1970’s and a home-and-home series in 1994-95. Two of the first three meetings were in the AIAW Regional Tournament and the Redbirds beat the Chippewas in the first round of the 1977 ISU Invitational. Central Michigan won the last matchup, 72-62, in Redbird Arena Nov. 25, 2001. ISU is 43-17 all-time against teams in the Mid-American Conference.
ISU IN THE POSTSEASON WNIT
Illinois State is making its 10th appearance in the Postseason WNIT (1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1996, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011) and has a 14-15 all-time record in the tournament. The Redbirds are in the WNIT for the fourth time in the last five seasons, posting an 8-3 record during that span. ISU is 7-1 all-time in WNIT games in Redbird Arena.
FIVE-PEAT
Illinois State’s berth in the 2011 Postseason WNIT puts the Redbirds in the postseason for the fifth-consecutive season. ISU made WNIT trips in four of the last five years and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2008. ISU’s five-year postseason run is the second-longest in school history, behind six-straight trips from 1980-85.
REDBIRDS UPSET IN MVC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS
For the fourth time in the last five years, Illinois State was upset in the State Farm MVC Tournament as a top-two seed, failing to reach the championship game. The second-seeded Redbirds were beaten by seventh-seeded Indiana State in the quarterfinals, 80-51, March 11. Indiana State made just two more field goals than Illinois State, but made 11 three-pointers and 23 free throws in the win. ISU shot 2-for-20 from three-point range and scored a season-low 19 points in the first half. The Redbirds opened the second half with a 14-5 run to pull within 10, but Indiana State answered with 11-straight points to hold off the comeback.
WHERE HAS ALL THE OFFENSE GONE?
Illinois State led the Valley in scoring the majority of the season, ending the regular season tied for the scoring crown with Northern Iowa (69.6 ppg), but the Redbird offense had a serious drop off in the last seven games. The Redbirds are averaging 59.1 points per game and shooting 39.1 percent from the field during that stretch, failing to score 60 points in five games. In the 23 games prior, ISU was scoring 71.9 points per game.
HOME SWEET HOME
With an 87-62 win over Southern Illinois Feb. 27, Illinois State achieved a feat for the first time ever. The Redbirds completed the first undefeated home regular season in program history, improving to 14-0 in Redbird Arena. The 14 home wins are the most an Illinois State team has collected in a regular season. The Redbirds were dominant at home this season, averaging 74.2 points per game and outscoring opponents by an average of 15.7 points per game. Illinois State has made Redbird Arena a comfortable nest over the last four seasons, posting an overall record of 62-12 and a Valley record of 37-8. Dating back to last season, ISU has won 16-consecutive Valley home games.
