NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team will head home for a pair of MVC games, tipping-off on Friday against Missouri State.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (6-8, 0-3) vs. Missouri State Bears (7-8, 3-1)
When: Friday, January 12
Tip-Off: 7p.m.CT
Location: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena
THE SERIES
• The Redbirds are 31-41 overall when facing the Bears. The Birds are 18-17 at home, 12-22 at Missouri State and 1-2 at a neutral site.
• The teams most recently met on Feb. 19, 2017 at Redbird Arena and the Birds dropped 77-44.
• This is the first time Coach Gillespie and Coach Harper will meet.
REDBIRD BITS
• Illinois State most recently dropped to Loyola on Sunday 62-59. Hannah Green led the Redbirds with 18 points and six rebounds.
• Viria Livingston captured her first career double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds against
Valparaiso on Friday. Despite her efforts, the Redbirds suffered a 56-50 loss. Livingston is ranked seventh in the MVC, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game and also ads 6.8 points per game.
• Paige Saylor continues to frustrate her opponents, averaging 2.7 steals per game. On Sunday she snuck away with three steals and scored seven points. Saylor leads the MVC in steals per game and has a season and career high of 7 steals in a game.
• Green Goods and Katrina Beck have each had noteworthy performances this season, earning them MVC Player of the Week Honors.
• Megan Talbot, Livingston and Green are all in the top ten of the MVC for rebounding.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
• Missouri State has had success recently on the Valley road and in the state of Illinois, boasting a 19-5 record in its last 24 MVC road contests and a 15-4 mark in the last 19 games in the Land of Lincoln.
• MSU picked up its 50th MVC win under Kellie Harper Sunday in the fourth game of her fifth conference season, and Harper's .658 conference winning percentage ranks eighth in league history.
• The Bears are ranked first in the Valley for offensive rebounds, averaging 13.3 per game, Illinois State averages 10.9.
• Senior Liza Fruendt leads the Bears, averaging 15.3 points per game. She put in a season high of 31 points against Oral Roberts on Dec. 10, 2017.
DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
The Redbirds lead the MVC and are 12th in the nation for their defensive efforts, holding their opponents to 55.1 points per game. They are 11th in the nation for opponent field goal percentage, with their opponents averaging 34.5 percent from the field.
NEXT UP
The Redbirds remain home as they face Southern Illinois on Sunday and fight for the Battle for Illinois Challenge.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
