NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Basketball Coaches Show, presented by The O'Brien Auto Team, featuring Illinois State head men's basketball coach Ryan Pedon and women's basketball head coach Kristen Gillespie will air tonight live from BloNo Pizza Co. in Normal.
Fans unable to attend the show can listen on WJBC 1230 AM, the Varsity Network, and on GoRedbirds.com., as Pedon and Gillespie recap their weekend exhibitions and preview their upcoming matchups.
Head women's basketball coach Kristen Gillespie's segment of the show, hosted by Greg Halbleib, starts at 6 p.m. Gillespie will be joined by freshman guard Trista Fayta. She is a former Finalist for Wisconsin Miss Basketball out of Notre Game High School in Green Bay, Wis., who helped lead the program to state titles in each of her first three seasons. Fayta has appeared in all three games for Illinois State off the bench this year.
The Redbirds split a pair of games last week, but won 71-55 over Le Moyne Sunday in the home opener for the Redbirds. Four Redbirds finished with double figures in the win, led by 15 points from graduate guard Elyce Knudsen in her Redbird debut. Illinois State hosts Harvard Sunday at CEFCU Arena for a 2 p.m. tipoff on ESPN+.
Head men's basketball coach Ryan Pedon's portion of the show follows at 6:45 p.m., hosted by John Fitzgerald and Mike Matthews. Pedon will be joined this week by freshman Jack Daugherty, who is coming off an impressive showing Sunday in a win over Trinity Christian. The freshman made 8-of-15 shots from long range, which tied the Illinois State school record for makes and attempts in a single-game. He finished with 28 points for Illinois State, which is the seventh-most in a game by a freshman in school history.
Illinois State earned a lopsided 107-52 win over the Trolls Sunday inside CEFCU Arena. The squad set a new program record with 20 made three-pointers – the second-most in MVC history. Four other Redbirds: Dalton Banks (14 points), Landon Wolf (14 points), Johnny Kinziger (13 points) and Chase Walker (12 points) all scored in double-figures, while Ty Pence (nine points) was a single point away from giving ISU a sixth.
Illinois State heads to the St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands this week for a quartet of games at the 2024 Paradise Jam. The Redbirds open with McNeese Friday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
Fans are invited to watch Monday's show live at BloNo Pizza Co., located at 1304 Cross Creek Drive in Normal, Illinois. However, for those unable to attend the show in person, it will be broadcast live on WJBC 1230 AM, the Varsity Network, and on the Illinois State Athletics Facebook page.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
