NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State (1-1, 0-0 MVC) opens its 2023-2024 home slate Wednesday as the Redbirds host SIUE (1-2, 0-0 OVC) at CEFCU Arena on ESPN+ and the Redbird Sports Radio Network. Tipoff is set for 11 AM CT.
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State and SIUE meet Wednesday for the ninth time in the history of the programs. The Redbirds lead the series by a 5-3 mark, including by a 3-1 margin at CEFCU Arena.
The Redbirds have won back-to-back contests in the series. Illinois State traveled to Edwardsville and pulled out an 80-71 win over the Cougars in December of 2021. Fifth year Juliunn Redmond turned in a career-high 30 points to lead Illinois State in the win, scoring 18 of her 30 points in the final quarter. The Redbirds rolled to a 74-53 win over SIUE in 2019 at CEFCU Arena as fifth-year senior Lexi Wallen led the scored a game-high 19 points. Mary Crompton and Paige Saylor added 16 and 13 points in the win.
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois State suffered its first loss of the season Saturday to defending Horizon League champion Green Bay 88-62 at the Kress Center.
The Redbirds led 5-3 in the opening moments of the game, but Green Bay built a 19-9 lead after one that the Redbirds could not overcome. Green Bay led 42-28 at the half on 8-for-17 shooting from deep.
Kate Bullman led Illinois State in scoring for just the second time in her career. She scored 13 points in the second half and 11 points in the third quarter alone Saturday. Redshirt senior Maya Wong tied her career high for the second straight game to open the season.
EDUCATION DAY 2023
Illinois State will open its home slate in front of a unique environment Wednesday as an expected 6,800 students from 26 schools around Central Illinois are set pack in for the program's annual Education Day game. The 2022 edition of Education Day saw the program set a new home attendance record as Illinois State topped UMSL in front of 6,363 fans, just the second home crowd of 6,000-plus in program history and the largest in 12 years.
Wednesday's expected crowd is looking to surpass that record yet again. It would not only break the overall program home attendance record, but would stand as the largest crowd for a home opener in team history.
THE REDBIRD STATE
SIUE is the first of six in-state opponents on the schedule for Illinois State this season, which also includes Saint Francis, Chicago State, Bradley, Southern Illinois and UIC. The Redbirds are riding an nine-game winning streak over in-state foes, which includes a 6-0 mark from last season. Illinois State's last loss to an in-state foe came Feb. 20 of 2022 to Southern Illinois, 49-65, at CEFCU Arena.
Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 27-8 against in-state foes and 14-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena. Illinois State has won 6-plus games over in-state foes in each of the last four seasons.
MAYA'S HOT START
Maya Wong averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals, across the opening two games of the season, tying her career-high of 17 points in both contests. She has scored 15+ points in back-to-back games for just the second time in her Illinois State career after also doing so last season Jan. 1 vs UNI (15 points) and Jan. 5 at Missouri State (16 points).
Wong also went 8-for-9 from the free throw line against Green Bay, which tied her career-high for made free throws in a single game.
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