Redbirds Come-From-Behind to Hand UNI First MVC Loss, 79-66

NORMAL, Ill. – Shannon Dowell recorded a 25-point and 11-rebound double-double as Illinois State women's basketball (9-6, 3-1 MVC) erased a 15-point first-half deficit to take down UNI (8-7, 3-1 MVC) 79-66 Friday inside CEFCU Arena.  

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Shannon Dowell tallied her third 20-point outing in four MVC games this season as she posted her second double-double of the year. She added four assists to the performance and finished 8-for-14 from the field with a 3-for-4 mark from deep.  

• Maya Wong finished with a 13-point, 5-assist performance for her first double-figure scoring outing in MVC play this year. She put up an impressive performance on the defensive end, helping the Redbirds hold UNI's Maya McDermott (21.5 ppg) to just nine points in the win.  

• Addi Martin tied her season high for Illinois State, totaling 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in the win for Illinois State. She finished 6-for-7 from the field, scoring 8 of her points in the first half.  

• Nevaeh Thomas has recorded a double-double in three-straight games, after a 10-point and 10-rebound outing Friday. All 10 of Thomas' points came in the second half, helping the Redbirds pull out a win.  

• Illinois State trailed the Panthers 22-7 in the first quarter, before a 19-5 run gave the Redbirds their first lead of the game 27-26 at the 7:31 mark of the second quarter. Dowell knocked down a long-ball to put Illinois State ahead briefly. UNI regained the advantage and never surrendered the lead before halftime, taking a 39-35 lead into the locker-room.  

• The Redbirds battled to open the third quarter, but UNI answered each time. Illinois State trailed 54-46 at the 3:38 mark of the quarter, before a 10-2 run over the closing moments of the third tied the game. Wong's three off a Dowell assist went down and the Redbirds leveled the score at 56 heading into the fourth.  

• The run continued into the fourth quarter as Illinois State scored seven unanswered and forced a UNI timeout. Wong, Dowell and Thomas scored buckets over the run, as the Redbirds built a 63-56 lead that they never surrendered. Illinois State outscored UNI 23-10 in the fourth quarter, led by 10 points from Dowell. She went 4-for-4 from the field and hit one three-pointer.   

GAME  NOTES 

• The Redbirds have finished with four-plus double-figure scorers in 13 of 15 games to open the season and six straight outings. Over the last two seasons, Illinois State has finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 26 games, and 5+ double-figure scorers in ten games. The Redbirds are 22-6 when putting four-plus players in double-figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. 

• Illinois State held a 41-27 advantage on the boards in the win, grabbing 40+ boards for the fifth time in the last six games. The Redbirds out-rebounded their opponent for the ninth time in the last 11 games, and the third straight time in MVC play.  

• Illinois State shot 29-55 (52.7%) from the field in the win, shooting north of 50% for the third time in MVC play and the sixth time this season.  

• The outing was Dowell's fourth-career performance of 25+ points against an MVC foe. She is the only Redbird since the start of the 2009-10 campaign to record at least four performances of 25+ points against an MVC foe before the end of their sophomore campaign. (Per HerHoop Stats). 

• Thomas leads Illinois State with six double-doubles, a mark that ties her six double-doubles as a freshman last season at Evansville. She is one of just two players in the Valley this season with 5+ double-doubles on the year. (Gift Uchenna, Southern Illinois) 

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