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 Avanti's 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 weekend games 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 redshirt junior forward Addison Martin. Martin is in her first season as a Redbird and is averaging 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, starting all 14 games for the Birds. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native has scored in double-digits 10 times on the season, including a season-high 14 which she has done four times, including as recently as the team's win over Northern Iowa on Friday evening.
Illinois State women's basketball (9-7) comes into the show having split a home weekend series against Northern Iowa and Drake, topping the Panthers 79-66 on Friday, before falling to MVC-leading Drake on Sunday. ISU had three players reach double-figure scoring against the Bulldogs, led by 14 points from Shannon Dowell, while Martin and Doneelah Washington each scored a dozen. After concluding its four-game homestand, Illinois State takes to the road this coming weekend with a Friday evening, when ISU travels to Valparaiso for a 6 p.m. tip-off, before finalizing the weekend with a Sunday afternoon contest against UIC starting at 2 p.m.
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 sophomore forward Chase Walker. The Columbus, Ohio, native has played in 16 games for ISU, and leads the team in scoring (14.4 points per game) and rebounding (6.3 rebounds per game). He has scored in double-figures 12 times this season, including twice scoring a career-high 27 points.
The men's basketball team (10-7) fell at home on Saturday night in a heartbreaker to the Northern Iowa Panthers by an 85-84 final score, as Walker scored a game-high 27 points for the Redbirds – making 14-of-16 free throw tries – while Johnny Kinziger scored 19 and Jordan Davis 16. ISU travels to Des Moines, Iowa, for a Wednesday evening, 8 p.m. tip-off inside the Knapp Center, before returning home on Saturday, January 18 against the Missouri State Bears at 4 p.m.
Fans are invited to watch Monday's show live at Avanti's, located at 407 S Main Street 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.
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. 20 – Rob Dob's (801 N Hershey Rd., Bloomington)
Jan. 27 – Avanti's (407 S Main Street, Normal)
Feb. 3 – Rob Dob's
Feb. 10 – Avanti's
Feb. 17 – Rob Dob's
Mar. 3 – Avanti's
Mar. 10 – Rob Dob's
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