NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State and the Missouri Valley Conference have announced the 2019-20 conference schedule for the upcoming season, finalizing the schedule for the Redbirds.
The conference season begins on New Year's Eve with a home contest against UNI. Four days later, the team takes to the road for a Jan. 4 contest at Southern Illinois.
On Jan. 7 the Redbirds return home for a battle against ISU alum Dana Ford and his Missouri State Bears, before the Redbirds take to the road for their next two games. Saturday, Jan. 11, the team travels to Terre Haute, Indiana, to take on the Indiana State Sycamores before making a mid-week trek to Des Moines, Iowa, to face off against the Drake Bulldogs on Jan. 15.
A return trip home to face off against the Loyola Ramblers on Sunday, Jan. 19, is the team's final game of the regular season that isn't on a Wednesday or Saturday. Three days later on Jan. 22, the team makes the short trip to Peoria, Illinois, to battle the Bradley Braves.
Saturday, Jan. 25, sees the first of two consecutive ISU home games, hosting Southern Illinois before hosting the Evansville Aces on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to close out the month of January.
February opens with two-straight road games with a Saturday, Feb. 1, game at Valparaiso and a Wednesday, Feb. 5, trip to Springfield, Missouri, to take on the Missouri State Bears.
A Saturday, Feb. 8, home game against Indiana State follows, before the team takes on the UNI Panthers on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
The Redbirds close the season with three home games in their last five contests, starting the stretch with a Saturday, Feb. 15, contest against the Valparaiso Crusaders. ISU stays in the state for a road game on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Loyola, before hosting Drake on Saturday, Feb. 22, and Bradley on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The regular season closes on the road against the Evansville Aces on Saturday, Feb. 29. The 2020 State Farm MVC Tournament is scheduled for March 5-8, with the winner getting an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
