NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State takes a 3-game win streak into the second half of MVC play as the Redbirds travel to UNI (7-12, 6-4 MVC) Thursday at 6 p.m. and Drake (16-5, 9-1 MVC) Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ and the Redbird Sports Radio Network.
SERIES HISTORY
The Redbirds took an 88-77 win over UNI exactly two weeks prior to Thursday's match up as DeAnna Wilson led Illinois State with 26 points. The Redbirds jumped out to as high as an 18-point lead in the first half and held off UNI for the victory.
All-time, Illinois State holds a 48-41 advantage in the series with the Panthers, which includes wins in the last two matchups. Illinois State came out on top in the most recent meeting in Cedar Falls as Kate Bullman hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to lift the Redbirds over UNI.
Drake leads the series 40-51 over Illinois State but the Redbirds took the most recent meeting 79-70 at CEFCU Arena. Wilson tallied her second-straight 20-plus point performance and her fourth in MVC play. She scored 23 points and added 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block in a strong all-round outing.
The lead changed hands five times in the first quarter, before Illinois State used an 11-0 run to jump ahead 29-19 in the second. Abbie Aalsma netted a long ball while Wilson scored five straight to cap off the run and give Illinois State the first double-figure lead of the game. The Redbirds led the rest of the way and held off Drake for a thrilling win.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind four double-figure scoring efforts, Illinois State Women's Basketball earned a third-straight win with a 64-59 victory at Indiana State Sunday. Maya Wong scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the first half, including a 6-for-6 mark from the charity stripe. Overall, she was 8-for-8 from the line and finished with 3 assists and 2 rebounds. DeAnna Wilson reached double figures for the 8th time in MVC play, tallying 13 points, 5 rebounds and one steal. She scored 8 of her points in the second half Sunday. Shannon Dowell and Kate Bullman both finished with 10 points. Bullman put up an impressive stat line of 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 steals. Her three in the fourth quarter gave Illinois State an 8-point lead and effectively put the game on ice. Meanwhile Dowell scored 8 points in the second half and finished with 5 rebounds and 1 assist.
The two sides were within two possessions for most of the first half. Indiana State led 14-13 before an 11-3 run gave Illinois State a 24-16 lead at the 6:29 mark. Wong scored 9 of the Illinois State points in that surge, which included a pair of threes. The Redbirds took a 33-27 lead into the locker room. Illinois State jumped back in front by 8 in the early moments of the third quarter, but Indiana State battled to trim the Redbird advantage down to just two points. The Redbirds responded with 6 unanswered points to lead 43-35.
Indiana State eventually took a 44-43 lead to open the fourth quarter before Illinois State hit seven free throws during a 10-3 run that put Illinois State back in front 54-47. The Sycamores went to the line and made it a 56-52 game, but Bullman answered with her three to put Illinois State ahead seven with under a minute to go.
BALANCED EFFORT
Four Redbirds finished in double figures in the win at Indiana State, which marked the ten time this season Illinois State has finished with four-plus double-figure scorers in a single game. The Redbirds are 9-1 in those games. That includes an historic performance against Chicago State Nov. 30 as seven Redbirds reached double figure scoring in a single game for the first time in program history.
Prior to the performance, Illinois State hadn't put at least six players in double figures since January of 2014. It was the second time that 5-plus Redbirds have reached double figures in a single game this year, joining the season opener Nov. 6 at Omaha (5). Illinois State did so again against the Saint Louis as five Redbirds reached double figures.
GOOD AT GETTING TO THE LINE
The Redbirds have made opponents pay at the free throw line this season and that was the case again at Indiana State, where the Redbirds shot 25-for-27 for a season-best 92.6 percent from the charity stripe. Illinois State ranks 20th in NCAA DI with 22.25 free throw attempts per game. Meanwhile, the Redbirds have made good use of their trips to the line, tallying 17.20 made free throws per game. That mark ranks 4th in NCAA DI and 1st in the Valley.
The Redbirds have made 15-plus free throws in five of their last six games, including a season-high of 31 vs Missouri State Jan. 14. Illinois State hit 20-plus free throws in three straight games against Missouri State (31), Valparaiso (25) and UIC (20).
Illinois State has made double-digit free throws in all but one Valley game this season. In fact, Illinois State hit 9 free throws against Drake, falling one free throw shy of hitting 10-plus in ten straight games.
REBOUNDING ROYALTY
DeAnna Wilson grabbed her 776th career rebound in Sunday's win at Indiana State, which moved her into the top five of the program all-time rebounding list.
CAREER REBOUNDS (PROGRAM HISTORY)
1. Cathy Boswell (1979-83) - 1,054
2. Nicolle Lewis (2005-10) - 844
3. Caryn Brune (1989-93) - 801
4. Marla Maupin (1981-85) - 796
5. DeAnna Wilson (2020-Present) - 766
A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
Kate Bullman put up another impressive stat line in the win over Indiana State, finishing with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 steals. Per Calvin Wetzel of HerHoop Stats its was the first game by an MVC player since 2010 with 6-plus defensive rebounds, 5-plus blocks and 4-plus steals.
It was Bullman's fifth game this season with 3-plus blocks and 3-plus assists. She put up her second game this year with 10-plus points and 3-plus blocks.
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