MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Illinois State women's basketball team will open play at the 2021 WNIT on Friday, March 19 at 8 p.m. CT against Tulane in Memphis, Tenn.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State (15-7) vs. Tulane (17-8)
When: Friday, March 19
Tip-Off: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Watch: FloHoops ($)
Radio: WJBC AM 1230 / 93.7 FM
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats
POSTSEASON PLAY
When Illinois State takes the court on Friday at the WNIT, the Redbirds will be making their first postseason appearance in eight years (since the 2012-13 season). This marks the 13th WNIT appearance for Illinois State who is 20-18 all-time in the tournament and have advanced as far as the semifinals twice. This is also the first postseason appearance for head coach Kristen Gillespie at the NCAA DI level.
THE VALLEY RUNS DEEP
The MVC is sending six teams to the postseason, the second-most in league history: Missouri State and Bradley will represent the Valley in the NCAA Tournament, Drake, Illinois State and UNI will play in the WNIT and Loyola Chicago will participate in the WBI.
The Valley also sent six teams in 1999 and 2010, sending a league-high seven teams in 2012. The MVC had multiple teams in the NCAA field in three of the last four tournaments.
ALL-MVC REDBIRDS
Five Redbirds were honored on All-Missouri Valley Conference teams last week prior to the Hoops in the Heartland Tournament.
Redshirt sophomore Mary Crompton was voted the Valley's Most Improved Player while also being selected as All-MVC Honorable Mention and to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team. Crompton is ranked seventh nationally, shooting 45.3% from behind the arc and averaging 10.8 points and 2.5 triples per game on the season.
Senior Juliunn Redmond earned All-MVC First team honors, leading the team in both scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg) while ranking eighth in the Valley in both of those categories.
Junior Terrion Moore and sophomore DeAnna Wilson were both named to the MVC All-Newcomer Team. Moore, who was also selected to the All-Defensive Team, averages 10.9 points per game and is ranked third in the league in steals. Wilson is averaging 9.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in her first season with the Redbirds.
Senior Paige Saylor rounded out the All-MVC awards, earning MVC Scholar-Athlete Team Honorable Mention.
LAST TIME OUT – HOOPS IN THE HEARTLAND
A free throw with 1.6 seconds left sealed the deal as the Redbirds fell, 61-60, to Loyola Chicago in the quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament on Friday.
Senior guard Juliunn Redmond put on a career performance, shooting 9-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-4 from long range to match her career-high of 23 points in the loss. She also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists on the night.
Senior Paige Saylor joined Redmond in double figures, scoring all 10 of her points in the second half. Junior Terrion Moore finished with five steals, making it her eighth game this year with 3+ steals.
The Redbirds shot over 50% from the floor on Friday for the sixth time this year and third in the last four games.
TULANE – SERIES HISTORY
The Green Wave and Redbirds have only faced off twice previously, and the series is currently tied at 1-1. Their last meeting occurred in the 2008 Preseason WNIT, with Tulane picking up a 75-62 win over ISU at home in New Orleans. ISU won in their first-ever match back in the 1978 season.
SCOUTING THE GREEN WAVE
Tulane comes into the WNIT with a 17-8 overall record, having made a trip to the semifinals of the AAC Tournament last week. The Green Wave finished the year fourth in the AAC, Tulane's highest regular season finish since moving to the conference.
Point guard JerKaila Jordan was named the AAC Freshman of the Year, starting in every game and averaging a team-high 16.6 points. All-AAC third team selection, senior Krystal Freeman, leads the Green Wave and ranks third in the AAC with 7.8 rebounds per game.
Head coach Lisa Stockton is in her 27th season at the helm of the Green Wave program, holding a 538-299 (.643) record in that span. Stockton's 602 career wins currently ranks 19th among active DI coaches.
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.
