NORMAL, Ill. – For the first time in the 2022-23 season, Illinois State women's basketball returns to CEFCU Arena – Home of the Redbirds as they look to start the season 2-0 as St. Thomas pays a visit to Normal. Tip-off between the Redbirds and Tommies is slated for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and the game will be streamed on ESPN+ for fans who cannot attend in person.
GAME INFORMATION (Game Notes)
Illinois State v. St. Thomas
When: Tuesday, Nov. 15
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Normal, Ill.
Facility: CEFCU Arena – Home of the Redbirds
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast Live Stats
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network WJBC 93.7 & 1230 AM
LAST TIME OUT
Led by a career night from graduate student Mary Crompton, Illinois State came away with a 74-70 overtime victory at Dayton last Thursday evening. (full recap).
The Iowa City native paced the scoring for ISU, finishing with 27 points including seven three pointers, which is a new career high for Crompton and ties her for second-most in program history for single game threes. Joining Crompton in double digits would be DeAnna Wilson, who notched her 12th double double as a Redbird with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Thursday also saw the first appearance in an Illinois State uniform for Paige Robinson, Abbie Aalsma, and Ta'Shonna Wright-Gaskins.
SCOUTING THE TOMMIES
St. Thomas is under the direction of 18-year head coach Ruth Sinn, as the Tommies are in their second year of being Division-I. In her time as the head coach of St. Thomas, Sinn has gone a combined 362-109 across the DI and DIII level, including a remarkable 250-31 mark (.890) from 2010-21.
Sinn has guided St. Thomas to the NCAA Final Four three times while also making three appearances to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. In those 10 seasons, St. Thomas took home 13 of a possible 18 MIAC championships (both regular season and playoffs).
In their two games this season, St. Thomas (1-1) has seen sophomore Jade Hill average 13.0 points/game while Jordyn Lamker has led the way for the Tommies with 6.5 rebounds/game.
St. Thomas was last in action on Saturday against South Carolina State, as the Tommies won 61-35 thanks to a second-half spark from Amber Scalia. Scalia would finish the game with 14 points and four threes, while Maggie Neggard led the way in scoring with 15 points.
SERIES HISTORY
The Redbirds lead the all-time series with St. Thomas 1-0, as the two programs met for the first-time last season. It was a 70-55 win for ISU on the road as the 'Birds were paced by Maya Wong who finished with 14 points and four assists.
DeAnna Wilson had a game-high six rebounds and scored seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter. Joining Wong and Wilson in double digits were Mary Crompton and Juliunn Redmond who ended with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Redbirds jumped out to an early 10-0 lead from the start, thanks to pairs of field goals by Wilson and Wong and a lay-up from Redmond. ISU did not allow the Tommies to score until the 5:33 mark in the first quarter, finishing the period with a 10-point lead, 16-6.
ISU did not relinquish the lead the remainder of the way. St. Thomas pulled as close as four points early in the third quarter but could not stifle the hot-shooting Redbirds who rebuilt their lead up to 22 points midway through the fourth, prior to ending with the final 70-55 score line.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF
Prior to tip-off and the National Anthem on Tuesday, the 2022 MVC Tournament Championship banner for Illinois State women's basketball will be revealed and raised in the south endzone of CEFCU Arena - Home of the Redbirds. Prior to the banner being raised, there will be a short MVC Championship video to honor the hard work of the 2021-22 program as the 2022-23 home season tips off for ISU.
GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
On August 20, 2022, Illinois State women's basketball lost one of their own as former standout Simone Goods lost a courageous battle with cancer. Goods finished her time as a Redbird with 2019 All-MVC First Team honors as well as finishing in the program's top-25 for field goals made in a season (190), rebounds in a season (238), career free-throws (227), career blocks (51) and blocks in a season (33).
This season, ISU players will have an "SG" patch on their jerseys as well as the coaching staff will wear one of their game day attire to honor the life and legacy of Simone Goods as they dedicate the 2022-23 season in her honor.
MILESTONE WATCH
With 221 three-pointers so far in her Redbird career, graduate student Mary Crompton sits only 9 triples away from breaking Kristi Cirone's program record of 229 triples as a Redbird.
The Iowa City, Iowa native also stands with 906 points in her career, as she will look to become the 30th Redbird, second under head coach Kristen Gillespie, to amass the 1,000-point plateau.
BATTLE TESTED
Including last Thursday's thrilling season opener, Illinois State has now played six overtime or double overtime games under head coach Kristen Gillespie. In those six games, the Redbirds have gone 4-2 overall, with four of the games taking place during the 2019-20 season.
NEW FACES ALL AROUND
Throughout the 2022-23 season, 7 of Illinois State's opponents (or possible opponents) will be under the direction of a first-year head coach. Four of the seven new faces will come during MVC play as Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Bradley, and UIC all made coaching hires during the offseason.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART (AND WINS) ARE
In the previous 51 seasons of Illinois State women's basketball, the Redbirds are 36-15 in home openers. Of those 36 wins, four have come under the direction of Kristen Gillespie as she has gone 4-1 since taking over the program in 2017-18.
Gillespie and the program will look to rebound after dropping last season's home opener to Purdue.
REDBIRDS SIGN FOUR TO NLI's
Last week, the Illinois State women's basketball program announced the signings of four high-level talent as part of 2022 National Signing Day. The 2023 recruiting class includes Brooke Coffey (St. Charles, Mo.), Shannon Dowell (O'Fallon, Ill.), Molly Lenz (Eden Prairie, Minn.), and Savannah McGowan (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Coffey, a 6-1 guard from St. Charles Mo., has led the Incarnate Word to 68 straight wins, including multiple state titles, as the program has now captured a total of 12 MO Class 6 Championships. Finally, Coffey will join former Redbirds Kayel Newland and Cameron Call as well as current ISU athlete, DeAnna Wilson, as athletes for ISU women's basketball under Kristen Gillespie to hail from the state of Missouri.
Dowell, a 5-10 guard from O'Fallon, Ill., comes from O'Fallon Township High where she was named First Team Southwestern All-Conference in 2021-22 along with Third Team All State for the IBCA following last year. Dowell has had the chance to learn from five-time IBCA Co-Coach of the Year in District 19 4A (Coach Knolhoff) and amassed 1,000 career points in her junior year as a Panther.
Lenz, a 5-8 guard from Eden Prairie, Minn., was awarded 2021-22 Lake Conference All-Conference and Minnesota Girls Basketball Association All-State Honorable Mention honors. As a junior, Lenz was selected as one of Eden Prairie's three Varsity captains. Lenz will join former Redbird Viria Livingston (from Minneapolis) and fellow signee Savannah McGowan as athletes to come from Minnesota and play for ISU under head coach Gillespie.
McGowan, a 6-2 forward from Minneapolis, Minn., amassed 1,000 career points during her junior season for the Armstrong High Falcons, gaining her All-State honorable mention honors. McGowans joins former Redbird Viria Livingston (also from Minneapolis) as athletes to come from Minnesota and play for ISU under head coach Gillespie.
NEW NAME, SAME ARENA
Illinois State University and CEFCU have come to terms on a naming rights and sponsorship agreement valued at approximately $3.1 million over 10 years. The agreement, which will support the funding for ongoing and ever-evolving costs associated with the student-athlete experience, was initiated by LEARFIELD's Redbird Sports Properties, the University's athletics multimedia rightsholder. The former Redbird Arena will be known as CEFCU Arena – Home of the Redbirds, with the University's Board of Trustees approving the arena name change at its October 14 meeting. The CEFCU Arena naming rights and sponsorship agreement will continue to support funding of the Redbird Student-Athlete experience. Particularly in these ever-evolving times, funding is vital to maintaining and expanding upon the current NCAA, Division I student-athlete experience.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are available for the 2022-23 season. Follow this link to purchase your season tickets or contact the Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 for more information. Tickets start at just $65 for general admission to the women's season.
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.
