NORMAL, Ill. – Off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2010-11, Illinois State will raise the curtain on its 18-game Missouri Valley Conference slate this weekend as the Redbirds travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on UNI on Friday, Jan. 1 and Saturday, Jan. 2. Tip-off for both games is set for 2 p.m. with each game airing on ESPN3.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (3-0) at UNI (3-4)
When: Friday, Jan. 1 & Saturday, Jan. 2
Tip-Off: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Facility: McLeod Center
Watch: ESPN3
Radio: WJBC AM 1230
Live Stats: UNIpanthers.com
CHANGE OF PLANS
Illinois State expected to open Valley play against Valparaiso at home, but positive COVID tests in both Valpo and Missouri State's Tier I personnel (student-athletes, coaches, managers and staff) now sees the Redbirds traveling to UNI for the first series.
The MVC has rescheduled the ISU-Valpo series for Jan. 14-15, the weekend the 'Birds were originally slated to take on UNI.
STILL PERFECT
Only 26 Division I schools are still unbeaten. Of those 26, only 20 sit 3-0 or better on the year. The Redbirds finished non-conference play, 3-0, and will enter league play as one of those 20 teams.
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State leads the all-time series with UNI, 45-36, and are 18-19 when playing in Cedar Falls. The 'Birds have bested the Panthers in each of the last four meetings, including most recently in last season's 69-61 OT win at the McLeod Center on Feb. 20 to complete the season sweep of UNI.
Five ISU players recorded double-digit scoring in last year's OT victory: TeTe Maggett (14 pts), Lexy Koudelka (14 pts), Lexi Wallen (14 pts), Juliunn Redmond (13 pts) and Mary Crompton (11 pts). Redmond was just two assists shy of a triple-double, putting up 13 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and a career-high five steals.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
UNI sits at 3-4 on the season, collecting wins over Creighton, Wichita State and No. 21 South Dakota State.
Karli Rucker leads the Panthers, averaging 11.3 points and 3.1 assists per game. Megan Maahs is second with 10.1 points per game and Kam Finley also averages double figures in scoring with 10.0 points. Rucker is No. 16 on UNI's all-time scoring list with 1,106 career points.
Head coach Tanya Warren is in her 14th season at the helm of the Panther program, holding a 246-181 record. UNI has made nine postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, in her tenure..
IOWA NATIVES
Last season, both redshirt sophomore Mary Crompton (Iowa City, Iowa) and junior Lexy Koudelka (Nevada, Iowa) averaged higher numbers when playing in their home state.
In Crompton's first complete season as a Redbird, the guard averaged 14.5 points (up from her season average of 9.0 ppg) in contests that took place in Iowa, setting her season highs in points (18) and three-point field goals made (6) at Drake on Feb. 22. She also set the freshman record for three-pointers made in a season in Feb. 20's OT win at UNI, hitting her 53rd triple of the year and bypassing the previous record of 52 held by ISU legend Kristi Cirone (2005-06). Crompton finished with 68 treys on the year.
Koudelka averaged 11.0 points last year in games played in Iowa (up from her season average of 4.6 ppg), posting a team-high 14 points in the Feb. 20 OT win.
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE|
In Dec. 17's win over Omaha, the 'Birds limited the Mavericks to 24.5% (13-of-53) shooting, making it ISU's best defensive effort since the team held Southern Illinois to 23.3% shooting on Feb. 9, 2018.
The 38 points allowed were also the fewest since Nov. 15, 2017. The Redbirds allowed only 37 points in the 49-37 win over Northern Kentucky.
ISU is holding its opponents to 30.3% (54-of-178) shooting through three games.
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois State blocked a school-record 12 shots in a stout defensive performance and 69-38 win over Omaha on Dec. 17 in Redbird Arena. The Redbirds moved to 3-0 with the victory while the Mavericks dropped to 1-4. Junior Terrion Moore, redshirt sophomore Mary Crompton and freshman Kate Bullman each made a trio of three-pointers and scored 11 points.
Moore had an all-around performance, adding a team-high five rebounds, three assists and a game-high four steals to her 11 points and 3-of-4 (75.0%) three-point shooting.
For all the latest on Illinois State women's basketball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team at @RedbirdWBB (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
