Birds Head to Florida for Gulf Coast Showcase

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball (2-2, 0-0 MVC) heads to Fort Myers, Florida for the 2024 Gulf Coast Showcase, opening Friday at 10 a.m. CT with the first-ever meeting against unbeaten Boise State (6-0, 0-0 MVC). All games of the 2024 Gulf Coast Showcase are set to be broadcast on FloSports.  

GULF COAST SHOWCASE FIELD 

Of the 7-team field at the 2024 Gulf Coast Showcase, Illinois State has only met three previously in program history (Butler, Texas, West Virginia). Two members of the field (No.5 Texas and No.12 West Virginia) are ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll). 

The Redbirds are one of seven teams in the field who advanced to the postseason in 2023-24. Boise State and Butler joined Illinois State in the WNIT last season, while the Longhorns and Mountaineers advanced to the NCAA Tournament. High Point and Santa Clara participated in the WBIT a year ago. 

JUST GETTING STARTED 

Despite missing the first two games of the season due to injury, Elyce Knudsen has hit the ground running since making her Redbird debut Nov. 17 vs Le Moyne.  

Knudsen is leading Illinois State over the last two games, averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 8-for-16 from behind the arc. She is coming off a 20-point performance in Sunday's loss to Harvard, where she knocked down five three-pointers. It followed a 15-point performance in her Redbird debut against the Dolphins. 

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