CEDAR FALLS, IA – The Illinois State Redbirds, coming off a tough home weekend split, begin a two-game tilt in Iowa on Thursday when ISU goes head-to-head with UNI. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. from inside the McLeod Center.
For fans unable to make the trip, the game will be on ESPN+ while Greg Halbleib will be on the radio call for the 'Birds, found on the Varsity Network or WJBC 102.1 FM & 1230 AM.
GAME INFORMATION
at UNI (Game Notes)
When:Â Thursday, Feb. 16
Tip-off:Â 6:00 p.m. CT
Location:Â Cedar Falls, Iowa
Facility:Â McLeod Center
Watch:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â Sidearm Stats
Listen:Â WJBC 1230 AM /102.1 FM
LAST TIME OUT
Graduate guard Paige Robinson went off for 21 second-half points on Sunday, finishing with a game-high 30 in Illinois State's first loss in over a month, a 71-66 defeat to Missouri State at CEFCU Arena.
Along with her 30 points, Robinson added three rebounds and one steal while shooting 47% (9-of-19) from the floor. Redshirt junior Maya Wong posted 14 points, her most in a game since scoring 11 at Southern Illinois on Jan. 7, adding two rebounds, an assist, and two steals on the afternoon.
The final Redbird to finish in double figures would be Ta'Shonna Wright-Gaskins, who finished with a career-high 12 points off the bench to go along with nine rebounds (five offensive) and two steals.
The Lady Bears saw four athletes finish in double figures, led by Aniya Thomas' 15 points. Thomas was joined in double figures Sunday by Indya Green (14 points), Kennedy Taylor (13 points), and Sydney Wilson (11 points).
With the loss, the Redbirds move to 18-6 overall and 12-2 in Missouri Valley Conference action while the Lady Bears improve to 16-7 overall and 11-3 in the MVC.
SCOUTING THEÂ PANTHERS
The Panthers enter Thursday's meeting for first place in the MVC on a five-game win streak, as they have not lost since Jan. 26 at Missouri State. UNI's last home loss came back on Jan. 8, a 67-61 defeat at the hands of Belmont. Overall, UNI is 8-3 when playing at the McLeod Center this season.
Grace Boffeli has led the Panthers offense, averaging 16.0 points per game (5th in the Valley) while also grabbing a Valley-best 8.7 rebounds per game in 2022-23.
In her 16th season on the UNI sidelines is a three-time MVC Coach of the Year, and the newest member of the 300-win club, Tanya Warren. Warren has guided the Panthers to league regular-season titles in 2011 and 2016. She was the first black female head coach in UNI history as well as the first black female head coach in MVC history.
Warren has compiled an overall coaching mark (prior to this season) of 283-201, ranking her first all-time in victories in school history and no. 3 in the MVC. She entered the 2022-23 season with 153 conference wins, third most in MVC history.
Under her direction, UNI has appeared in postseason play in 11 of the last 12 seasons, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 2010 and 2011. She also led the Panthers to their first win in the WNIT during the 2012-13 season.
SERIES HISTORY WITH UNI
Thursday marks the 88th overall meeting between the programs as Illinois State holds a 46-41 series lead. However, when meeting in Cedar Falls, it is UNI who holds the 22-18 advantage.
In the last overall and first meeting the two this season, four Redbirds would finish in double figures, but it was not enough as UNI gave ISU a 74-64 defeat from CEFCU Arena.
Maya Wong led all scorers with 15 points, including 3-of-7 from three-point range. She was joined in double figures for ISU by Kate Bullman (12), Mary Crompton (10), and Paige Robinson (10).
For the Panthers, they would be led by Grace Boffeli's 25 points, which was the first time an ISU opponent has eclipsed 25 points in a game since last year's March Madness (Iowa's Caitlin Clark). Boffeli was joined in double figures by Maya McDermott who held 15 points and seven rebounds.
HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE
While the league's overall home court record is a pedestrian 45-39 (53.6 percent), notably the five teams with winning records in league play have combined for a 28-6 record at home (82.4 percent).
Three of the five (Drake, UNI, Missouri State) sit at 5-1, Belmont is 7-1, and Illinois State is 6-2.
P-Rob IS A PROBLEM
Graduate guard Paige Robinson is the latest MVC Newcomer of the Week, marking her third NOTW honor this season, following a strong outing last weekend versus Southern Illinois and Missouri State.
The Bethany native averaged 26.5 points per game, as she went 16-of-35 from the field (45.7%) and 6-of-15 (40.0%) from long range. She also averaged five and a half rebounds per contest while holding four assists, one block, and one steal.
CLIMBING IN THE MVC RANKS
Mary Crompton continues her move up the Valley career three-point field goal list. The graduate student sits solely in 3rd on the Valley's all-time list with 281 makes and is only 14 threes away from becoming 2nd all-time in Valley history.
BUILDING A WINNING CULTURE
Head coach Kristen Gillespie achieved her 200th 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 on Jan. 22, as part of a 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.
JOURNEY WOMAN
Graduate guard Mary Crompton became the ninth Redbird WBB athlete to eclipse 100 career starts on Jan. 22 versus Evansville. Prior to Crompton, the last Redbird to hold 100 career starts is now current head coach of UIC, Ashleen Bracey. Â
With her now 106 career starts, Crompton currently sits sixth all-time in Redbird women's basketball history for the category. She is six starts away from tying Jenny Schmidt (1995-99) for fifth all-time with 112 career starts.
MAKING THEMSELVES KNOWN
As the MVC season rolls on for Illinois State, a trio of athletes continue making themselves seen within the top-50 of NCAA DI for four individual categories (as of 2/15/23).
Paige Robinson is currently 26th in points per game (19.2) while Mary Crompton sits 7th for 3-point field goal percentage (45.6%) and tied for 19th for 3pt field goals per game (2.8). Finally, Maya Wong is currently third nationally in free-throw percentage with a mark of 92.6% from the line.
PLAYING BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
Thanks to their efforts thus far, ISU currently ranks top-50 in two team categories (as of 2/15/23) across Division I WBB.
The Redbirds are 14th in three-point percentage with a mark of 37.5% as a team while being 35th on the defensive side with an average of 4.5 blocks per game.
IOWA CITY'S OWN
As of Feb. 15, graduate guard Mary Crompton sees herself rank among the top-20 in active career leaders for three-pointers made and three-point field goal percentage.
Crompton is 15th among active players with 281 three-pointers made while having the 18th-best three-point percentage with a mark of 40.4-percent.
SHOOTING IS KEY
When dissecting the win-loss total for Illinois State in 2022-23, the way the Redbirds shoot has been a valid indicator for the overall result.
In their 18 wins this season, Illinois State is shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range. Meanwhile, in their six losses, the shooting drops to 34.4% from the field and 28.1% from three-point range.
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. As her time as a Redbird, both on and off the court, is forever remembered, Goods remains ranked in the top-25 in ISU women's basketball history for the following: 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). Goods also remains in the top-10 for the following categories: career rebounds per game (6.9), career blocks per game (0.9), and career double-doubles (12).
As the program continues to honor Simone, the Redbirds dedicated the 2022-23 season to her life and legacy at ISU. Every game this season, ISU players have worn an "SG" patch on their jerseys as the ISU coaching staff wears a similar patch on their respective game day attire.
RISE OF THE VALLEY
The NCAA NET Report (Feb. 12) has four Valley teams that rank in the top-100, including six of the 12 sitting in the top-130. Drake leads the way at no. 60 with UNI (64), Belmont (87), and Illinois State (89 rounding out the schools in the top-100. Missouri State (106) and Murray State (130) rank in the top 130.
Only eight leagues have six or more teams in the top 130 of the NET (ACC, American, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, MVC, Pac-12, and SEC).
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. 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.
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.
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.
