NORMAL, Ill.  – The Illinois State women's basketball team returns to the action Sunday against Missouri State at 2:05 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN3. Missouri State leads the all-time series with ISU, 35-31.
Katy Winge led Illinois State with nine points against Wichita State Friday at Charles Koch Arena, but several scoring droughts by the Redbirds and hot shooting by the Shockers was too much for ISU to overcome, as it fell, 85-38.
Kelli Tolar scored a career-high six points, while Stekara Hall added five points in the game. The Redbirds (0-17, 0-6 MVC) shot 26 percent from the field, while the Shockers (15-3, 6-0 MVC) sank 51 percent of their shot attempts with four players in double figures. Wichita State had the advantage on the boards, as it grabbed 43, compared to Illinois State's 33 boards.
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.
NEED MORE OFFENSE
At Wichita State (Jan. 23), the Redbirds fell, 85-38, due to several scoring droughts. The Redbirds were scoreless for nearly 15 minutes in the game, as a hot-shooting Shocker team used the droughts to its advantage. It was the second-straight game that the Redbirds scored less than 40 points in a contest. It was also the second-straight game that ISU wasn't able to score 20 points in a half, as Illinois State netted just 17 points in the second half of Friday's game. The Redbirds are looking to get its offense going at Missouri State.
AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Against Wichita State (Jan. 23), the Redbirds sank seven free throws out of 16 attempts, connecting on 44 percent from the free throw line. It marked the third time this season that Illinois State shot less than 50 percent from the charity stripe.
A BETTER BENCH
Kelli Tolar scored a career-high six points at Wichita State (Jan. 23), including a career-high two shots beyond the arc. Tolar and the rest of the Redbird bench outscored the Shocker bench by three points, 18-15. It marked the fifth time the Redbird bench has outscored an opponent's bench this season. It was the first time in 10 games that Illinois State accomplished the feat. The last time ISU outscored an opponent's bench was Nov. 29, 2014, against Buffalo.
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.
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