NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team travels to the Quad Cities for Hoops in the Heartland to face the UNI Panthers.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (14-15, 8-10) vs. UNI (17-12, 13-5)
When: Friday, March 9
Tip-Off: 8:30 p.m.CT
THE SERIES
• The Redbirds are 40-35 overall when facing the Panthers. The 'Birds are 23-14 at home, 16-19 at Northern Iowa and 1-2 at a neutral site.
• The teams most recently met on Feb. 23 at Northern Iowa and the 'Birds fell 66-48.
• The last time the two met in the MVC tournament was in 2014 and the No. 6 'Birds upset the No. 3 Panthers 65-63.
• This will be the third meeting between Coach Gillespie and Coach Warren.
REDBIRD BITS
• Illinois State enters the game after most recently defeating the Bradley Braves 53-41. Simone Goods led the 'Birds to victory with 25 points, six rebounds and two blocks. She earned MVC Newcomer of the Week for her performance.
• Goods, Hannah Green and Paige Saylor were each selected to the 2018 All-MVC team. Goods was chosen for Honorable Mention, Green earned First-Team and Saylor was named to the All-Freshman and All-Defensive team.
• The last time the program secured 14 or more wins and finished in a top six seed of the tournament was in the 2012-13 season.
• Three Redbirds are in the top ten of the Valley for rebounding – Viria Livingston (6.3), Simone Goods, (6.0), Green (6.0).
• The Redbird defense continues to be the strongest in the Valley and sits 12th in the country for scoring defense, allowing 54.9 points per game. They also rank 27th in the nation for field-goal percentage defense holding opponents to an average of 36.2 percent.
• Green, Goods and Katrina Beck have each had noteworthy performances this season, earning each of them MVC Player of the Week Honors.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• The Panthers hold the highest rebounding margin in the conference, outrebounding their opponents by 5.3.
• The Panthers rank second defensively after the Redbirds holding their opponents to 57.4 points per game.
• Kennedy Kirkpatrick leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 10.7 points. She makes 1.4 3-point field goals per game with a 30.4 percent average.
• Megan Maahs leads the Panthers and the Valley, with 10.1 rebounds per game. She has the second most offensive rebounds in the Valley with 86 this season and leads with 208 defensive boards.
• Maahs was named to the MVC First Team and the All-Defensive Team and Ellie Howell selected as an Honorable Mention.
• The Panthers average 7.4 3-pointers a game and have tallied 216 this season, which ranks for third-most in the MVC.
NEXT UP
The winner of Friday's competition will advance and play on Saturday with tip-off set for 4 p.m.
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