Illinois State Hits the Road to Face Valparaiso, UIC

NORMAL, Ill. – Hot off a successful two-game home stand, Illinois State women's basketball (13-5, 7-1 MVC) get back on the road this weekend as they head to Indiana for a Friday night meeting with Valparaiso (3-14, 1-7 MVC) before returning to the Prairie State to go up against UIC (11-8, 3-5 MVC) Sunday.

Tip-off between the Redbirds and Beacons is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Friday from inside the Athletics-Recreation Center. Sunday's game between the Flames and 'Birds gets underway from Credit Union 1 Arena with tip-off at 5:00 p.m.

Friday's game will be an ESPN3 broadcast while Sunday is broadcasted on ESPN+. Greg Halbleib provides the radio call for this weekend as both games will be available via the Varsity Network app or by following the "Listen" links found below or on the ISU women's basketball schedule page.

GAME INFORMATION

at Valparaiso (Game Notes (PDF))
When: Friday, Jan. 27
Tip-off: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Valparaiso, Ind.
Facility: Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC)
Watch: ESPN3
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Listen: WJBC 1230 AM /102.1 FM

at UIC
When: Sunday, Jan. 29
Tip-off: 5:00 p.m. CT
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Facility: Credit Union 1 Arena
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats

Listen: WJBC 1230 AM /102.1 FM

LAST TIME OUT

Led by a career night from DeAnna Wilson, Illinois State women's basketball (13-5, 7-1 MVC) gave Kristen Gillespie her 100^th career win as head coach of the Redbirds as they took down Evansville (8-8, 3-5 MVC) by a final of 78-46 Sunday afternoon inside CEFCU Arena (full recap).

Sunday was historic for Illinois State in a variety of ways, from start to finish. Graduate guard Mary Crompton started in her 100^th career game as a Redbird Sunday, becoming the ninth Redbird women's basketball athlete to achieve this feat and first since former Redbird and now head coach at UIC, Ashleen Bracey.

The 32-point victory for ISU also saw junior forward Kate Bullman move up in the ranks of career blocks, as her two rejections on the night ties her for fourth all-time with 96 alongside Kenyatta Shelton (2006-09, 11).

DeAnna Wilson would tie her career-high in points with 25 points on the night, off 10-13 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds and a steal. Wilson was joined in double figures on Sunday by Paige Robinson, who finished the night with 24 points off 9-12 shooting, including 4-6 from three-point range.

Finally, another major highlight for the Redbirds came in the win as it stands as head coach Kristen Gillespie's 100^th career victory as a Redbird and 61^st win in Missouri Valley Conference play. Gillespie becomes the first Redbird head coach to eclipse 100 wins at Illinois State since current head coach of Missouri, Robin Pingeton, who saw a career record of 144-81 over seven seasons in Normal.

The Purple Aces were led by Normal native, Abby Feit, who scored 20 of the team's 46 points in 33 minutes of action. Feit and teammate Barbara Tomancova led the way with six rebounds apiece while Anna Newman dished out a team-high five assists.

SCOUTING THE BEACONS

The Beacons of Valparaiso welcome the Redbirds to the ARC Friday after stepping out of MVC play to face Wisconsin Wednesday night, falling 59-44 to the Badgers in Madison.

In 2022-23, the Beacons are 2-6 overall at home, including their lone Missouri Valley Conference win over Missouri State on Jan. 14. Valparaiso is averaging 59.9 points (10^th in the MVC) per game while allowing opponents to average 72.0 points (10^th in MVC) per contest.

Mary Evans is in her fifth season at the helm of Valparaiso women's basketball in 2022-23. In her first four years, Evans has raised the level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. In her first four seasons, Evans compiled a record of 48-68 at the helm of the Brown and Gold.

She led last year's Valpo squad to a number of firsts en route to a 9-9 mark in MVC play and a sixth-place finish in the conference standings, both of which match the program's bests since joining the Valley. Under the guidance of Evans, Grace White was named MVC Sixth Player of the Year – Valpo's first major postseason award winner since joining the conference.

Upon arriving, Evans has seen her teams be known for their propensity to shoot three-pointers. The first four seasons under Evans saw Valpo's top-three single-season total three-pointers made, including a program record 276 in her first season (2018-19), a mark which ranks seventh in MVC history.

SERIES HISTORY WITH VALPARAISO

Friday is the 15^th overall meeting for Valparaiso and Illinois State. In the previous 14 meetings, ISU holds a 10-4 series lead, including a 4-1 record on the road as the Redbirds have won the last two overall meetings.  

In the last meeting in February 2022, JuJu Redmond exploded for a career-high 37 points while joining Illinois State's 1,000-point club to help the Redbirds to an 85-80 victory on the road at Valpo. Mary Crompton would go 5-of-10 from deep to record 19 points on the day.

DeAnna Wilson posted 11 points and four rebounds, while drawing a game-high eight personal fouls. Valparaiso was led by graduate student Carie Weinman who finished with 22 points, two assists, and two steals.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES

In their first year as a member of the Missouri Valley, UIC holds a 3-5 record heading into the weekend as they host Bradley Friday before playing host to the Redbirds Sunday.

When playing at Credit Union 1 Arena, UIC is 6-2 overall including wins in three of the last four MVC home contests (Evansville, Valparaiso, Southern Illinois). The Flames are led by Josie Filer, who leads the program with her 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a game in 2022-23.

The Flames are led by a familiar face to Redbird fans, who is also no stranger to the Windy City and the Valley, in Ashleen Bracey. The Oak Park native and former standout at ISU came to UIC in March 2022 after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Missouri under Robin Pingeton.

With the Tigers, Bracey helped lead the program to three NCAA Tournaments and two WNIT appearances. She also played a pivotal role in recruiting, including signing the nation's 12^th-ranked recruiting class in 2019, regarded as best in Missouri program history. Bracey would mentor seven All-SEC players and three All-SEC Freshman Team standouts while with the Tigers.

Prior to Missouri, Bracey spent time as part of the staff at UAB (2012-15) as well as making stops at Ball State and Eureka College prior to gaining the head position for the Flames.

In her time as a Redbird (2006-10), Bracey was a three-year starter under Pingeton and helped lead the program to three Missouri Valley Conference championships. She would reach the postseason in every season as a 'Bird, qualifying for the 2008 NCAA Tournament and making three WNIT appearances, reaching the semifinals in both 2009 and 2010.

SERIES HISTORY WITH UIC

Sunday will be the 21^st overall meeting, but first as Valley foes, for the Flames and Redbirds. The previous 20 meetings have seen Illinois State gather a 17-3 series lead, including a win in the last series meeting (Nov. 2016).   

In the last meeting, seniors Taylor Stewart and Brechelle Beachum each recorded career highs in scoring, as Illinois State came up big defensively to top UIC 59-52 inside the UIC Pavilion.

The Redbirds led most of the way and saw their once 12-point lead evaporate down to two when the Flames' Catera Etheridge made UIC's first three-pointer of the game, which trimmed the Illinois State advantage to 51-49 with 6:59 remaining.

Neither team scored over the next two minutes, but Stewart scored on an acrobatic layup to give the Redbirds some breathing room and end the scoring drought. After the Flames scored on their next possession, Beachum drilled a jumper to once again make it a two-possession game.

UIC got to within three on a free throw with 2:03 left, but Illinois State made 4-of-6 of its own free throws down the stretch and held the Flames scoreless the rest of the way to clinch the victory.

BUILDING A WINNING CULTURE

Head coach Kristen Gillespie achieved her 200^th career win with a 67-63 road win over Missouri State on Jan. 5. The Redbird head ball coach soon followed that up as she collected win no. 100 at Illinois State last Sunday, as part of the 32-point win over Evansville for the 'Birds.

Gillespie becomes 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.

Also, the 32-point margin of victory over the Purple Aces stands as the largest margin of victory over an MVC foe in regular season play under Gillespie for Illinois State. The previous high came in 2021, when ISU defeated Indiana State 62-32 in Terre Haute.

JOURNEY WOMAN

Graduate guard Mary Crompton crossed yet another Illinois State milestone off her list last Sunday, as she started her 100^th career game as a Redbird versus Evansville. With her 100 career starts, Crompton becomes the ninth Redbird WBB athlete to cross the 100-career start plateau, and first since former Redbird star and now head coach at UIC, Ashleen Bracey.

LEADING THE WAY

Illinois State and UNI both sit with only one Valley loss entering this week's schedule. Illinois State sits 7-1 in Valley play for the first time since 2009-10 when the Redbirds began 15-1 in MVC action on the way to a regular season title.

UNI is off to the program's best start in Valley play since the 2016-17 team opened 8-0 on the way to a 15-3 second-place Valley finish.

CLIMBING IN THE MVC RANKS

Graduate guard Mary Crompton continues to leave her mark from three-point range. After setting a career-high with seven made triples at Dayton, she would tie that mark on Jan. 15 at Belmont, going 7-13 from deep.

Thanks to her overall career efforts from deep, Crompton currently sits tied for 6^th-overall in MVC career three-pointers made with 266.

NAME	3PT	YEARS
3. Rishonda Napier, Southern IL	277	2014-17
4. Brittany Schoen, Indiana State	276	2008-12
5. Kari Koch, Missouri State	271	2002-06
T-6. Lindsay Whorton, Drake	266	2004-08
T-6. Makenzie Silvey, Southern IL	266	2017-22
T-6. Mary Crompton, Illinois State	266	2018-pres.

HIGH PERCENTAGE

Illinois State enters this week ranking 16^th nationally in three-point FG% (37.0). Mary Crompton enters the week ranking 12^th nationally for three-point FG% (45.6) to pace the Valley.

The Valley is shooting 32.9% from behind the arc this season, ranking 4^th nationally among NCAA DI Conferences.

CONFERENCE	PCT
Big Ten	34.17
Big East	34.09
Pac-12	33.02
MVC	32.98
WCC	32.79

GETTING OFF TO A HOT START

As Illinois State held Evansville to nine points in the first quarter on Jan. 22, it marks the 33^rd time since 2017-18 that ILS has held an opponent to single digit scoring in the first quarter.

In the previous 33 instances, 20 have come against MVC opponents, including back-to-back Sunday games for the 'Birds (Jan. 15 at Belmont; Jan. 22 versus Evansville).

The four points allowed on Jan. 15 to the Bruins were the fewest first quarter points allowed since last year's Hoops in the Heartland Quarterfinals against Loyola Chicago. Overall, when allowing single digits in the first quarter, ISU is 26-7 since 2017-18.

MAKING A VALLEY IMPACT

As part of their current six-game win streak, Illinois State is off to its best start in Missouri Valley Conference play under Kristen Gillespie at 7-1.

The best start for the Redbirds in Valley play over the last 25 years came in 2009-10 when ISU started 15-1 in conference play.

CALM, COOL, COLLECTED

So far this season, redshirt junior Maya Wong has cemented herself as one of the nation's best from the free-throw line.

As of 1/26/23, the Normal native is top-five nationally for free throw percentage.

NAME	FT-FTA	PCT
3. Hannah Simental, N. Colorado	66-70	94.3
4. Destiny Leo, Cleveland State	75-82	92.7
5. Maya Wong, ISU	48-52	92.3
6. Filippa Goula, Saint Francis (PA)	47-51	92.2
7. Bailey Maupin, Texas Tech	55-60	91.7

ROAD WARRIORS

With wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois on Jan. 5 and 7, it marked the first time since Feb. 2019 that the Redbirds won back-to-back games in Springfield and Carbondale.

In fact, the two wins saw the Lady Bears and Salukis drop consecutive games against an MVC opponent for the first time in that span as well.

GAINING NATIONAL RECOGNITION

UNI comes in as the highest ranked MVC program in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major top-25 (Jan. 24). The Panthers (#10) are joined in the rankings by Illinois State (#12) and Drake (#18).  

RISE OF THE VALLEY

The NCAA NET Report (Jan. 23) has four Valley teams that rank in the top-100, including six of the 12 sitting in the top-120. Drake leads the way at no. 51 with UNI (61), Illinois State (87), and Belmont (97) rounding out the schools in the top-100. Murray State (112) and Missouri State (117) rank in the top 120.

Only seven other leagues have six or more teams in the top 120 of the NET (ACC, American, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, MVC, Pac-12, and SEC).

TEAM	NET
Drake	51
UNI	61
Illinois State	87
Belmont	97
Murray State	112
Missouri State	117
UIC	205
Indiana State	219
Evansville	223
Southern Illinois	226
Valparaiso	271
Bradley	341

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.

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.

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.

SINGLE-GAME TICKETS

Single-game tickets are available for the 2022-23 season. Follow this link to purchase your single-game tickets or contact the Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 for more information. Tickets start at just $10 for Illinois State women's basketball home games. 

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.