NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball opens its 55th season Wednesday night in Evanston as the Birds battle Northwestern in the 2024-25 season opener. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside Welsh Ryan Arena on B1G+.
ABOUT LAST YEAR
The Redbirds are coming off another strong year under head coach Kristen Gillespie, after a 22-12 campaign that included a trip to the WNIT, Illinois State's fourth-consecutive bid to the postseason. Illinois State earned consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time under Gillespie and the first time as a program since 2009-10 and 2010-11. The Redbirds won their first game in the postseason since 2013 en route to the WNIT Super 16, defeating Charleston inside CEFCU Arena.
Illinois State tallied a 14-2 record inside CEFCU Arena, which marked the most home wins by Illinois State in the Kristen Gillespie era and was tied for the second-most home wins in a single season in program history. DeAnna Wilson was an All-MVC Second Team Selection while Kate Bullman landed on the All-MVC Defensive Team. Shannon Dowell was an All-MVC Freshman Team selection a year ago.
PRESEASON PUB
Maya Wong was named to the All-MVC Preseason Second Team heading into the 2024- 2025 campaign. Wong is coming off a career year for Illinois State last season, where she averaged career-bests of 11.8 points and 4.2 assists while starting all 34 games for the Redbirds.
She scored in double-figures in a career-best 21 contests and recorded her first-career 20-plus point outings Dec. 19 vs Saint Louis and Feb. 29 at Southern Illinois. Wong also surpassed 1,000 career points March 7 vs Murray State, becoming the 32nd player in program history to do so.
FRESH FACES
Illinois State welcomed eight newcomers to the squad this season, which includes a mix of four transfers and four true freshmen. That group is highlighted by former DIII National Player of the Year Elyce Knudsen (Millikin), 2024 All-MVC Freshman Team selection Nevaeh Thomas (Evansville) and Addison Martin (Abilene Christian) in the projected starting lineup.
Knudsen (Millikin) comes to Illinois State following a highly touted four-year career at Division III Millikin, where she was a four-time All-American and the won the 2023 Jostens Trophy as top player in NCAA Division III. Martin (Abilene Christian) comes to Normal with two years of eligibility remaining, after starting 51 of 52 games for the Wildcats over two seasons. She averaged 12.7 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game and shot 53.6% from the floor last season during her redshirt-sophomore campaign at Abilene Christian. Thomas (Evansville) joins the Redbirds after she was an All-MVC Freshman Team selection for the Purple Aces last season. She averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, starting 17 of her 22 appearances and shooting 47.4 percent from the floor.
REDBIRDS IN SEASON OPENERS
Illinois State opens the year on the road for the third-straight season and the fifth time under Kristen Gillespie. The Redbirds will look to win their third consecutive season opener, after defeating Omaha (2023) and Dayton (2022) on the road the past two seasons. The Redbirds are 4-3 in season openers under Gillespie but have won four of the last five.
It is the first time in the Kristen Gillespie era, and the first time since 2016, that Illinois State opens the year at a 'Power' opponent. The Redbirds tipped off the 2016-2017 campaign at Arizona State.
LAND OF LINCOLN
The Wildcats are the first of six in-state foes that Illinois State is set to match up against this season.
Illinois State went 8-1 against in-state foes during the 2023-24 campaign. Illinois State is 14-1 against Land of Lincoln foes over the last two seasons, which included a 14-game win streak that was snapped at UIC in Jan. Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 35-9 against in-state foes and 20-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena.
Illinois State has won 6-plus games over in-state foes in each of the last five seasons. The Redbirds have won 10 straight games against in-state foes at CEFCU Arena.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
