Redbirds Run Away From Indiana State to open 2025

NORMAL, IL – Nevaeh Thomas scored a career-high 25 points to lead Illinois State women's basketball (7-6, 1-1 MVC) by Indiana State (2-11, 0-2 MVC) 96-69 Thursday at CEFCU Arena.  

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Two Redbirds posted 20+ points in the win, led by Thomas' 25-point effort along with 20 points from Shannon Dowell. Thomas scored 15 of her points in the second half, including a 2-for-2 mark from three. She also dished 4 assists. Dowell, who tallied her second-straight 20+ point performance and fourth this season, split her 20 points evenly between the first and second halves.  

• Doneelah Washington joined Thomas, tallying her first-career double-double in the win. She finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, which included 7 offensive rebounds. She was 6-for-8 (75%) in just 19 minutes Thursday.  

• Elyce Knudsen scored all 13 of her points in the first half, knocking down a trio of first-half threes.  

• Illinois State broke open the game after a tight first quarter. The Redbirds outscored Indiana State 28-9 in the second quarter, building a 46-28 halftime lead. Thomas scored seven for the Redbirds in the second quarter and was one of three Redbirds in double figures at the break (Knudsen 13, Dowell 10, Thomas 10).  

• The Redbirds jumped ahead 61-37 with Dowell's bucket at the 5:38 mark of the third quarter, but Indiana State pulled within 14 heading into the fourth. A 16-7 Redbird run to open the fourth quarter extended the lead north of 20 points to close out the game.  

GAME NOTES 

• Illinois State earned its 11th consecutive win over Indiana State, a streak that dates back to 2019. It is the program's second-longest active win streak over a current Valley foe (14 vs Bradley) Illinois State won its sixth straight over Indiana State inside CEFCU Arena.  

• After a 21-point and 10-rebound performance Nov. 6 at Saint Louis, Thomas is just the fourth Redbird in the Kristen Gillespie era (2017-Pres.) to post multiple 20-point, 10-rebound double-doubles, along with Simone Goods (7x), DeAnna Wilson (4x) and JuJu Redmond (2x).  

• Dowell has finished with 20+ points in consecutive games, following a 28-point performance at Murray State Sunday. She is averaging 24 points and 5.5 rebounds on 20-for-46 (43.4%) shooting over the last two games. 

• With a 39-for-76 (51%) performance from the floor Thursday Illinois State shot north of 50% for the second straight game to open MVC play this season (58.9% at Murray State Dec. 29). It is the first time in the Kristen Gillespie era that Illinois State has shot north of 50% in consecutive games to open league play.  

• Illinois State has shot north of 50% in five games this season, all in the last nine games.  

• Washington is just the fourth Redbird freshman since 2009-10 to post a double-double (Shannon Dowell, 2023-24; Lexy Koudelka, 2021-22; Viria Livingston, 2015-16). 

• The Redbirds have finished with four-plus double-figure scorers in 11 of 13 games to open the season and four straight outings. Over the last two seasons, Illinois State has finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 25 games, and 5+ double-figure scorers in nine games. The Redbirds are 20-6 when putting four-plus players in double-figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. 

• Illinois State's 96 points in the win are the most for the Redbirds against a Valley foe since at least 2009-10. It is the first time over that stretch that Illinois State has scored 95+ against a Valley foe and just the second time Illinois State has scored 90+ in MVC play since 2009-10.  

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