SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – As the 2022-23 non-conference slate for Illinois State women's basketball (5-1, 0-0 MVC) continues, the Redbirds are primed to head southwest to face the Saint Louis Billikens (2-8, 0-0 A10) on Saturday. Coming off a well-earned 2-1 weekend in Vegas, Illinois State and the Billikens are set to tip off from Chaifetz Arena at 7 p.m. CT.
For fans who cannot attend Saturday's game in-person, the game will be shown on ESPN+ as well as can be heard on the Varsity Network or WJBC 102.1 FM & 1230 AM with Greg Halbleib on the call. Â Â
GAME INFORMATION (Game Notes)
Illinois State at Saint Louis
When:Â Saturday, Dec. 3
Tip-off:Â 7:00 p.m. CT
Location:Â Saint Louis, Mo.
Facility:Â Chaifetz Arena
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast Live Stats
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network           1230 AM & 102.1 FM
LAST TIME OUT
Three days. Three games. It all came to culmination for Illinois State women's basketball Sunday as they faced off with host school UNLV in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament Championship. However, for the first time this season, the Redbirds would fall as UNLV took a 73-66 win from the Cox Pavilion. (full recap).
Maya Wong would get the scoring started for Illinois State as she netted a three-pointer at the 9:06 mark in the first to give ISU a 3-0 lead. However, from there, the Redbirds would be outscored by a margin of 9-2 over the next three minutes before Kate Bullman made it a two-point game at 5:49 with a layup of her own. After 10 minutes, the Redbirds trailed by double digits (22-12) thanks in part to UNLV forcing seven ISU turnovers.
At the halftime break, ISU would be led by Paige Robinson's seven points while Robinson, DeAnna Wilson, and Mary Crompton would all gather two rebounds in the first 20 minutes. For the Lady Rebels, it was Nneka Obiazor leading the charge with nine points and four rebounds for the home team.
Right out of the break, it was Kate Bullman once more netting a layup to cut into the Lady Rebels' lead. UNLV would respond right back, but ISU would show consistent resiliency throughout the entire frame. DeAnna Wilson would be a major spot in the third for the Redbirds as she got underway with a layup at the 9:02 mark. From there, Wilson would score seven more points to make her third quarter total at nine. The other bright spot for ISU in the third quarter would be Ta'Shonna Wright-Gaskins who stepped up on both sides of the ball, including scoring five points and grabbing a pair of rebounds.
As the clock headed to the fourth, Wilson stepped up and nailed a jumper from the top of the box to make it a 12-point game as the game headed to the final frame.
Once the fourth got underway, Illinois State looked like a team on a mission, as they fought with everything they had to cut into the deficit. As Desi-Rae Young made a layup for the Lady Rebels at 9:20 to build the lead to 14, Maya Wong responded fourty-five seconds later to make it a 12-point lead with a pair of free throws.
3:57 remaining on the clock. This is when ISU ramped up its efforts as they trailed by 13. First, Paige Robinson would knock down a pair of free throws to trim the lead back to 12 at that point in the game. The Lady Rebels would knock down a triple right after, but Maya Wong made it a 13-point deficit before Paige Robinson made a jumper to make it an 11-point game with 3:04 remaining. Four more Redbird free throws made it 68-61 UNLV with 1:52 remaining. Then, the Redbirds would see Ta'Shonna Wright-Gaskins make a layup and trim the lead to five with 1:44 left.
The very next UNLV possession saw DeAnna Wilson take a pivotal charge and force Desi-Rae Young to foul out with 180 seconds left. However, from that moment forward, it would just be a matter of UNLV knocking down their free throws as they rebuilt the lead, eventually making it a 10-point margin. Maya Wong would knock down a last second three from halfcourt as that would trim the lead to the final seven-point differential.
For the Lady Rebels, Justice Etheridge led the way with 17 points as she would be one of four Lady Rebels to finish in double digits. In terms of rebounds, three Lady Rebels finished the night with seven rebounds (Desi-Rae Young, Alyssa Brown, and Nneka Obiazor).
As the UNLV Tournament Thanksgiving Tournament came to an end, Illinois State saw DeAnna Wilson and Paige Robinson named to the All-Tournament Team for their respective efforts.
SCOUTING THEÂ BILLIKENS
Saint Louis will come into Saturday's meeting after facing off with Missouri on Wednesday. Against the Tigers, Brooke Flowers became Saint Louis' all-time leader in rebounds but the Billikens fell to the Tigers, 82-52, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Flowers finished with five rebounds and three blocks and is now SLU's all-time leader in both categories, 1,005 rebounds and 306 blocked shots.
Saint Louis is no stranger to MVC teams as they've faced four Valley teams (Indiana State, UNI, Missouri State, and Belmont) this season, going 0-4 in those meetings. Two Billikens are averaging double figures this season, led by Kyla McMakin's 18.7. As for rebounds, Brooke Flowers is grabbing 7.6 rebounds/game to lead the team. Most notably, Flowers is also the current DI blocks leader as she has 41 blocks for the Billikens.
At the helm of the Billikens is Rebecca Tillett, who enters her first season as head coach of the Saint Louis women's basketball program in 2022-23, after being named the eighth coach in school history on April 12,2022. Tillett spent the last four years reinvigorating the women's team at Longwood University, a tenure that culminated with a conference championship, the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance and the Lancers' first NCAA Tournament victory.
Tillett inherited a Longwood squad that was just 31-119 in the five seasons prior to her arrival, and she turned the Lancers into a postseason team in just her third year. She went 36-19 across the previous two seasons and, in addition to this year's NCAA Tournament, helped the Lancers earn a spot in the Women's Basketball Invitational in 2020-21. Tillett's team this past year was strong defensively, ranking in the top 35 nationally in blocks (4.7, 27th) and steals (9.9, 35th) per game.
Saturday marks the fourth all-time meeting between the Billikens and Redbirds, as ILS leads the series 2-1 including picking up a win in last season's matchup. In last season's meeting, DeAnna Wilson scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds en route to her fifth career double-double while fifth-year Juliunn Redmond netted 20 points and hauled in seven rebounds. Saint Louis was led by Ciaja Harbison's 23 points. The Redbirds shot 48.1% (26-of-54) from the field and 27.8% (5-of-18) from three-point range while Saint Louis shot 40% (26-of-65).
49 YEARS TOO LONG
As part of a record-breaking weekend in Vegas for the Redbirds, the Illinois State women's basketball program would match their best program start in 49 years after taking down the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters on Nov. 26. With the 70-53 victory, the Redbirds would sit at 5-0 to start the 2022-23 season. This matched the best program start in 49 years, when ISU would start the 1973-74 season with the same record.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Through six games, Mary Crompton sits with 945 career points as a Redbird, seeking to become the 30th ISU WBB athlete to eclipse 1,000 points, and only the second (Juliunn Redmond) to do so under Kristen Gillespie.
Meanwhile, head coach Kristen Gillespie is inching closer to history of her own, sitting with 92 career wins at ISU and 197 career wins as a head coach. Gillespie is seeking to become the first ISU head coach to eclipse 100 career wins as a Redbird since current Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton, who finished her ISU career with a mark of 144-81 over seven seasons.
REDBIRDS SHINING BRIGHT
As of games through 12/01/22, Illinois State stands as one of two Division I women's basketball programs with at least two athletes averaging 50% from three-point range this season. As Mary Crompton and Paige Robinson are both averaging 51.9% this season behind the arc, only Alabama fits the mold as they see Hannah Barber (60.9%) and Aaliyah Nye (51.9%) hit the mark.
Robinson is one of three Division I WBB athletes (through games on 12/01/22) to be averaging 20+ points per game (ppg), while shooting 55% from the field and at least 50% from behind the arc. The Bethany, Ill. native (21.8 ppg, 56.8% FG, 51.9% 3PT) is joined by Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley (20.3 ppg, 55.5% FG, 50% 3PT) and Wofford's Rachael Rose (20.0 ppg, 56.5% FG, 54.2% 3PT).Â
WELCOME TO THE HALL OF FAME
Illinois State women's basketball legend Cathy Boswell was selected as one of five to be inducted as the 24th Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Class this past Sunday morning. The members for the Class of 2023 are Cathy Boswell (Veteran Player), Donna Lopiano (Contributor), Lisa Mattingly (Official), Carolyn Peck (Coach), and Lindsey Whalen (Player).
Boswell (1979-83) was a two-time WBCA Kodak All-American and two-time Wade Trophy finalist during her time at ISU, finishing her collegiate career with 2,005 points and 1,054 rebounds. She led the Redbirds to 90 wins, an NCAA Tournament berth in 1983, a 15th-place finish in the AIAW National Tournament in 1981 and two WNIT bids (1980 and 1982). Boswell was a member of the 1984 women's Olympic gold medalist USA basketball team and competed internationally for 14 years, earning seven team most valuable player awards, one league MVP title, a player of the year award and five league championships.
The Class of 2023 will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving their coveted Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Trophy and Baron Championship Induction Ring on April 29th,2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
DECEMBER DELIGHTS
Since head coach Kristen Gillespie took over in 2017-18, ISU is 17-8 all-time in the month of December. All three previous matchups with the Billikens have come in the month of December for Illinois State. In December 2018, ISU won 72-67; in December 2019, the Billikens won 61-56; in December 2021, ISU won 77-66.
GAINING NATIONAL RECOGNITION
For the second straight week, Illinois State sees themselves seated at no. 8 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major top-25 poll.
Joining the 'Birds in this week's top-25 are fellow MVC members Drake (#7), and UNI (#22). Meanwhile, 2022-23 opponents Belmont, Green Bay, Valparaiso, Missouri State, and UIC are all receiving votes.
FILLING THE STAT SHEET
In what head coach Kristen Gillespie dubbed "probably one of the best performances in Redbird women's basketball history," graduate guard Paige Robinson played lights out on Sunday, Nov. 20, in part of ISU's 62-57 win over Big Ten foe, Wisconsin. The Bethany, Ill native went for 37 points (14-19 FG), including a perfect 7-7 from behind the arc while adding six rebounds and an assist in the five-point victory.
For context: Through games on 11/20/22, no other player in all Division I have gone 7-7 from three this season and no one has done better than that since 2018 (per Calvin Wetzel of Her Hoop Stats). Robinson is also the first player since 2018 to score 37+ points and go a perfect 7-7 from the arc, becoming only the third player to do so since at least the 2009-10 season (when Her Hoop Stats started collecting data).
The 37 points for the guard mark the first time a Redbird has scored 37 in a game since JuJu Redmond did so against Valparaiso last February. Also, as Robinson would make 14 field goals against the Badgers, she became the first Redbird to make 10+ field goals in a game since Redmond did so in last year's March Madness against Iowa.
Robinson's 37 points were second-most in all Division I women's basketball on Sunday, only trailing Villanova's Maddy Siegrist who totaled 41 points off 14-25 shooting. Robinson and Siegrist were two of nine DI women's basketball players with at least 30 points on Nov. 20, joined by DePaul's Darrione Rogers, North Dakota's Kacie Borowicz, Maryland's Diamond Miller, James Madison's Kiki Jefferson, Iowa State's Ashley Joens, UConn's Azzi Fudd, and Iowa's Cailtin Clark)
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 and staff will don an "SG" patch on their jerseys and gameday attire to honor the life and legacy of Simone Goods as ISU is dedicating the 2022-23 season in her honor.
BATTLE TESTED
Including the season opener at Dayton on Nov. 10, 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, seven 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.
B1G TIME EFFORT FOR B1G TIME RESULT
With a 62-57-win on Nov. 20, Illinois State women's basketball saw its first home victory over Wisconsin since December 1985, a 64-57 OT victory. Meanwhile, the five-point win also allowed ISU to pick up its first win over a current Big Ten program since 2012 when ISU handed Northwestern a 64-46 defeat.
The win also moved ISU head coach Kristen Gillespie to 2-2 all-time against current Big Ten schools, with her previous win coming on the road at Illinois in November 2019.
REDBIRDS SIGN FOUR TO NLI's
Earlier this season as part of National Signing Day, 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.Â
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:Â Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
