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 previous weeks 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 ISU freshman forward Doneelah Washington. Washington is in her first season as a Redbird and is averaging 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game for the Redbirds and was named MVC Freshman of the Week on December 2. The former All-State First Team honoree has scored in double-figures four times in her past six games, including a career-high 14 against Chicago State on Sunday.
Illinois State women's basketball (6-4) comes into the show having picked up a 27-point, 79-52 win at Chicago State on Sunday, as four players scored in double-figures, led by Elyce Knudsen's 15, Washington's 14, Nevaeh Thomas' 13-point, 10-rebound double-double, and 10 points from Maya Wong. ISU closes out its non-conference season on Friday, December 20, when the Birds host the UAB Blazers in a 6:30 p.m. tip-off inside CEFCU Arena.
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 fifth-year senior forward Caden Boser. Boser has played in all 10 games for ISU this season and is averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, while making 54.5 percent of his three-point tries. He has two games where he has scored in double-figures, with 17 at Belmont and 16 at Ohio, and pulled down a season-high six boards against Trinity Christian.
The men's basketball team (6-4) picked up an 81-77 win over the Saint Louis Billikens on Sunday evening. Chase Walker scored a team-high 27 points for the Redbirds, while Johnny Kinziger added 20. Dalton Banks and Ty Pence each scored eight points, with Landon Wolf chipping in seven. The Redbirds close out the non-conference portion of the schedule this week with a pair of games – at home against Northern Illinois on Wednesday, December 18, and on the road at Cornell on Sunday, December 22.
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.
The upcoming show will be the finale for the 2024 calendar year, while starting back up in January, occurring weekly (with a few exceptions because of game and travel schedules). The 2025 basketball coaches show schedule and location will be as follows:
Jan. 6 – Rob Dob's (801 N Hershey Rd., Bloomington)
Jan. 13 – Avanti's (407 S Main Street, Normal)
Jan. 20 – Rob Dob's
Jan. 27 – Avanti's
Feb. 3 – Rob Dob's
Feb. 10 – Avanti's
Feb. 17 – Rob Dob's
Mar. 3 – Avanti's
Mar. 10 – Rob Dob's
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
