MOLINE, Ill. – The Illinois State women's basketball team (19-13, 12-6 MVC) punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament this afternoon, defeating UNI (22-10, 13-5 MVC), 50-48, at the TaxSlayer Center in the title game of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
This marks the first time since 2008 that ISU has made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the sixth overall. The Redbirds will learn their postseason fate on the NCAA Selection Sunday Show on March 13 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Fifth year Juliunn Redmond led all scorers with 21 points, going 8-of-19 from the floor. Redshirt sophomore Maya Wong finished just two shy of her career high in points, ending with 15 points and four assists. Sophomore Kate Bullman had a game-high nine rebounds paired with four points.
UNI was led by senior Karli Rucker who had 16 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Redbirds jumped to a 10-2 lead with four points each from Juliunn Redmond and Maya Wong as the Panthers hit just 1-of-9 shots in the first 4:42 of the game. UNI answered in kind, responding with a 9-2 scoring spurt with 4-of-8 shooting to slice the Redbird lead to 12-11. ISU were just 1-of-8 during the UNI surge.
UNI Grace Boffeli picked up her second foul with 9:12 left in the half and DeAnna Wilson picked up her second with 7:23 left. UNI continued the streak it started in the first quarter, to take a 23-14 lead on two Kayba Laube free throws with 3:07 left. Redmond scored five straight points to close the gap to 27-22 at halftime.
Wilson and Boffeli celebrated their returns to the court with the first two baskets of the second half. The Redbirds hit 4-of-6 shots to start the half and took a 30-29 lead with 5:23 left, but Kam Finley go the Panthers back on top with a three-pointer. Wong scored six points in the final five minutes to give ISU a 36-35 lead with 1:34 left, but Karli Rucker's two free throws finished the scoring and put UNI back on top.
Rucker scored on two takes to the basket and Emerson Green hit a three-pointer as UNI started the fourth quarter with a 7-2 spurt that forced a Redbird timeout with 8:21 left and UNI ahead 44-38. UNI led 48-42 at 5:12, but the Redbirds scored the next eight points, taking the lead 49-48 on a Redmond bucket with 1:52 left. Wilson made a free throw with 0:08 left and a final jumper by Finley fell short.
IN THE BOX SCORE
- Illinois State is 26-26 all-time in the Valley Tournament, including five titles (1982, 1987, 2005, 2008 and 2022).
- This was the third-lowest scoring championship game in Valley history (Evansville 47, Creighton 45 in 2009 and Creighton 53, Drake 38 in 2012).
- ISU was just the fourth No. 4 seed to reach the title game. All four have won.
- Redmond had 68 points in the tournament, tied for No. 6 in Valley Tournament history with Drake's Lizzy Wendell in 2014. Her 29 field goals made in the tournament is tied for No. 4 in Valley Tournament history with Creighton's Christy Neneman in 2002.
- Redmond and Wilson were named to the MVC All-Tournament Team, with Redmond being selected as MVP. Mary Crompton was honored with the Elite 17 Award, given to the player with the highest GPA competing in a conference championship.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH KRISTEN GILLESPIE
On the championship: "Yesterday I was sitting here and said how the opportunity to play for a chance to go to the NCAA tournament is what coaches dream about. It's not just cutting down a net – it's all for these 14 young women who have given everything to this program and believed in me and my staff when we weren't good. And now their dreams are coming true because of what we have built and what we continue to build here. It's indescribable."
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