NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team (1-1) is all set to host Purdue (2-0) for the 2021-22 home opener at Redbird Arena on Wednesday evening. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State vs. Purdue
When: Wednesday, Nov. 17
Tip-off: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Normal, Ill.
Facility: Redbird Arena
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: WJBC 1230 AM / The Varsity Network Mobile App
THE BOILERMAKERS ARE IN TOWN
Wednesday's home opener versus Purdue will be the first of two Big Ten tests for the Redbirds this season, as well as the first Power Five team to take the court at Redbird Arena in five years.
Illinois State is 74-83 all-time against Big Ten opponents. The last time the Redbirds took on a Big Ten team was during the 2019-20 season, when ISU downed in-state foe Illinois, 74-58, in Champaign, Ill. on Nov. 16, 2019.
LAST TIME OUT
The ISU women's basketball team shot 56.9% (29-of-51) from the field and 46.7% (7-of-15) from beyond the arc en route to a 70-55 win over St. Thomas (0-2) at Schoenecker Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds had four players finish in double figures in the victory, led by a 14-point, four-assist performance by redshirt sophomore Maya Wong.
Junior forward DeAnna Wilson had a game-high six rebounds, scoring seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter. Redshirt junior Mary Crompton and fifth year Juliunn Redmond ended with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
THE STREAKS CONTINUE
Fifth year Juliunn Redmond and redshirt junior Mary Crompton have picked up right where they left off last year, both continuing on scoring streaks dating back to last season.
Redmond has now scored in double digits in seven-straight games (and in 37-of-55 career games). Crompton has made at least three three-pointers in five-straight games (and in 26-of-60 games in her career).
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
Sophomore Madison Layden leads Purdue through two games in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg), after putting up a career-high 20 points with four three-pointers in Sunday's game versus Western Michigan. Junior guard Abbey Ellis is averaging a team-high 7.0 assists after dishing out 11 assists in Sunday's win.
Head coach Katie Gearlds is in her first year at the helm of the Boilermakers program, having been elevated to the position in September. Prior to Purdue, Gearlds spent eight seasons at Marian University, winning back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2016 and 2017. Gearlds also played at Purdue from 2004-07, helping the Boilermakers to two Big Ten Tournament titles and never missing an NCAA Tournament each year she was there.
SERIES HISTORY
The Redbirds lead 5-3 in the overall series with the Boilermakers, including a 2-1 edge when playing in Normal, Ill.
LAST MEETING
Illinois State held on to beat Purdue, 59-57, in the second round of the WNIT on the Boilermakers' home court on March 21, 2010. A WNIT career-high 21 points from Nicolle Lewis propelled the Redbirds, who never trailed in the game, to the win and into the third round. Full game recap can be found here.
That 2009-10 team (30-8 overall) defeated Butler, Purdue, Kansas and Illinois in their WNIT run before falling to California in the semifinals at Redbird Arena, 61-45, on April 1, 2010.
HATURDAY
The first 250 students at Wednesday's game will receive a baseball hat as part of the first Haturday giveaway.
For all 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.
