NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team will take to the road for the 2018-19 season opener at SIUE in Edwardsville, Ill.
THE SERIES
• The Redbirds faced the Cougars last season and captured a 62-47 victory.
• Illinois State leads the series 3-2, at ISU the Redbirds are 2-1 and 1-1 at SIUE.
• This is the second meeting between Coach Gillespie and Coach Buscher, with last year's win, Gillespie is 1-0 against Buscher.
REDBIRD BITS
• Head Coach Kristen Gillespie guided the Redbirds to their strongest finish in five years, during her first year at the helm.
• The Redbirds finished 14-16 overall and sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in the 2017-18 season.
• The team moved up two spots in the preseason poll this year and were picked fifth in the MVC.
• Simone Goods was named Newcomer of the Year and earned Honorable Mention All-Conference Team last season.
• Sophomore point guard Paige Saylor returns for the Redbirds after clocking the most minutes in the Valley, averaging 37.9 minutes per game. She was also selected to the All-Defensive and All-Freshman Team.
• The Redbirds return four of five starters from last season, including Saylor, Megan Talbot, Viria Livingston and Katrina Beck.
 SCOUTING THE COUGARS
• Head Coach Paula Buscher enters her seventh year at the helm and guided the Cougars to the second women's basketball NCAA Division 1 invitational appearance in school history.
• The team finished 17-15 overall and 13-5 in the Mid-American Conference.
• Sydney Baumer returns for the Cougars as the leading rebounder, averaging 7.1 per game.
• Jay'Nee Alston led the team with 6.7 points per game.
• The squad brings eight newcomers and returns nine.
• SIUE ranked No. 23 in the nation last season in free throws attempted (683) and No. 26 nationally in free throws made (483).
NEXT UP
The Redbirds will host North Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 14 with tip-off time set for 7p.m. This is the first time in program history the two teams will meet.
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