NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team returns to the road, as it travels to Wichita State for a Friday night game at 7:05 p.m., before a 2:05 p.m. game at Missouri State Sunday. Illinois State leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 42-24, while Missouri State leads the all-time series with ISU, 35-31.
The Redbirds fell to Indiana State, 60-36, Sunday afternoon at Redbird Arena. Illinois State is still searching for its first win of the season after the loss, following its worst shooting performance of the season. ISU was led in scoring by Mackenzie Freeman and Taylor Stewart, who tallied six points apiece, while three other players added five.
After a dismal shooting performance by both teams in the first half, Indiana State found its groove in the second half, scoring 42 of its 60 points after the break. Illinois State couldn't make the adjustments, as it drained just nine field goals in the game. Despite the shooting performance, ISU recorded a season-high 13 steals in the game.
ILLINOIS STATE-WICHITA STATE SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 42-24. The series began in 1980 and the two teams have met twice annually since 1984. ISU won 15 of the first 17 meetings, with 10 victories coming by double-digits. Wichita State posted a 12-10 record against the Redbirds in the next 22 matchups. Since 2003, ISU is 16-10 against the Shockers, but Wichita State snapped a six-game losing streak to the Redbirds with a 59-56 home win on Jan. 16, 2011. In games played at Wichita, Kansas, the Redbirds hold an 18-14 advantage.
ILLINOIS STATE-MISSOURI STATE SERIES
Missouri State leads the all-time series with Illinois State, 35-31. The two teams have met annually since 1984. ISU won 12 of the first 15 meetings. From 1991-2005, Missouri State posted a 26-6 record against the Redbirds, including a string of 11-consecutive wins. An upset win for the Redbirds in the 2005 MVC Tournament started a 10-1 streak over the Lady Bears, which included eight-straight wins. That streak was snapped with a 76-61 loss at Missouri State win on Jan. 11, 2011. Missouri State leads the Redbirds, 19-12, in games played at Springfield, Missouri.
JUST WON'T FALL
In Illinois State's game against Indiana State Sunday, the Redbirds struggled from the field throughout the first half, connecting on just 18 percent of their shot attempts. Illinois State wasn't the only team that struggled to find the bottom of the net, as the Sycamores shot 21 percent from the field. With both teams struggling, the Redbirds went into the locker room at half trailing, 18-16. After the break, it was apparent that Indiana State made adjustments, as it scored 42 second-half points, shooting 62 percent from the field for the half. Illinois State wasn't as lucky, as the Redbirds still couldn't find a rhythm and shot 16.7 percent from the field in the second half, scoring 20 points. The Redbirds connected on just 17.3 percent (9-of-52) of their shot attempts for the game, which is the lowest percentage in program history. The previous lowest percentage came during the 2012-13 season, when Illinois State fell to Princeton, 67-50, after shooting 23.4 percent from the field for the game on Dec. 19, 2012.
MORE POINTS
With the Redbirds shooting just 17.3 percent from the field against Indiana State (Jan. 18), Illinois State was only able to score 36 points in the game. The last time ISU scored less than 40 points in a contest was last season, when ISU visited Princeton (Dec. 18, 2013) and netted 39 points.
BRIGHT SPOTS
Despite falling to Indiana State, 60-36, which marked the fewest points scored by Illinois State this season, the Redbirds had strong performances on the boards and defensive side of the ball. In Sunday's game, ISU recorded a season-high 13 steals, with eight coming in the first half. The Sycamores may have had a slight advantage on the boards, pulling down four more than the Redbirds, but Illinois State grabbed 17 offensive boards. The offensive boards were led by Colleene Smith and Mackenzie Freeman, as the duo grabbed four and three offensive boards, respectively.
SEEING THREES
Against Evansville (Jan. 16), the Redbirds poured in a season-high eight 3-pointers, but the effort wasn't enough, as ISU fell to the Purple Aces, 62-50. ISU shot 40 percent from three-point range, while its previous best was six 3-pointers, which it accomplished three times this season. Katy Winge poured in three shots from beyond the arc, while Taylor Stewart set a career high with two made threes.
WORKING WINGE
Katy Winge led the Redbirds in Friday's game against Evansville (Jan. 16) with 20 points, shooting 7-of-18 from the field. Winge also netted three shots from beyond the arc, including back-to-back threes in the second half. In the first half, Winge led all scorers with 14 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and had the first eight points for the Redbirds. Not only did the senior guard lead the team in scoring, but she also dished out a career-high five assists in the loss.
MOVING DOWN LOW
Earlier this season, sophomore Mackenzie Freeman made the transition from guard to forward and the move proved to pay off against Evansville (Jan. 16), as Freeman pulled down a career-high seven rebounds, including three offensive boards.
NEED A NEW STREAK
The Illinois State women's basketball team has dropped 16-straight games, with their last win coming against Northern Iowa on March 14, 2014, by two points in the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The losing streak is the longest in ISU women's basketball history. The previous longest losing streak was 13 games, which happened during the 1998-99 season, when the Redbirds were winless from Dec. 30 through Feb. 13.
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