NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball (5-4, 0-0 MVC) travels to Chicago State (0-11.0-0 NEC) Sunday in a battle of in-state foes at Jones Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. on NEC Front Row.
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State and Chicago State will meet for the 5th time all-time in a series that Illinois State leads by a 4-0 margin.
Last season Illinois State rolled the Cougars 102-47 inside CEFCU Arena, as a program-record seven Redbirds reached double figure scoring in the win. DeAnna Wilson and Kate Bullman recorded Illinois State's first two double-doubles of the season. Wilson finished with a game-high 21 points to go with 12 rebounds while Bullman tallied 10 points with a career-high 17 rebounds. Illinois State led 19-4 in the first quarter of a game that was never in question. Illinois State tallied 53 points in the second half as ten Redbirds scored in the game.
LAND OF LINCOLN
Illinois State will take on an in-state foe for the third time this season as the Redbirds look to remain unbeaten on the year against Land of Lincoln foes.
Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 37-9 against in-state foes and 21-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena. That includes wins over Northwestern Nov.6 and Saint Francis Dec. 5 this year, which improved the Redbirds to 16-1 against in-state foes over the last three seasons. Illinois State went 8-1 against in-state foes during the 2023-24 campaign.
BALANCED EFFORT
Illinois State tallied a season-high six double-figure scorers in the win over St. Francis Dec. 5. The Redbirds have finished with four-plus double-figure scorers seven times in nine games to open the season.
Over the last two seasons, Illinois State has finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 22 games, and 5+ double-figure scorers in nine games. The Redbirds are 18-4 when putting four-plus players in double-figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
HOT SHOOTING
Illinois State ranks 16th in DI and leads the Valley shooting 49.4 from the field on the year (As of Dec. 10). Addi Martin (61.8%, 2nd in MVC), Nevaeh Thomas (60.8%, 3rd in MVC), and Elyce Knudsen (51.4%, 7th in MVC) all rank in the top ten in the Valley this season shooting from the field. Thomas (15th) is among the DI leaders this season.
Illinois State has shot north of 50% from the field in three out of the last five games, including a season-high 59.6% in the win over New Mexico State at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
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