NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball (12-7, 6-2 MVC) continues a three-game home stand this week as the Redbirds host Southern Illinois (3-14, 1-7) Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Missouri State (15-4, 7-1) Sunday at 2 p.m. inside CEFCU Arena.
PLAY4KAY
Illinois State is set to host its 15th-annual Play4Kay game Sunday, benefiting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the fight against all cancers affecting women. The first 500 fans will get a free pink t-shirt.
Illinois State Athletics invites cancer survivors and those who are currently battling cancer to register to receive four free game tickets and access to a pre-game reception at 1 p.m. in the Legends Room at CEFCU Arena. (CLICK TO REGISTER). Fans must register before Jan. 31. At halftime, there will be an on-court recognition of all cancer survivors and those currently battling the disease. Any survivor of any type of cancer is invited to participate.
Last season Illinois State earned its third-consecutive Play4Kay national award, as for only the third time in Play4Kay's history, and for the third year in a row, Illinois State won the Division I BCS and Non-BCS national awards. The Redbirds have been named a Play4Kay divisional winner in nine consecutive years. Illinois State raised $38,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund at its annual Play4Kay game last year. That followed a program-record $66,701 for the Kay Yow Fund in its 2023 edition of the Play4Kay game.
For more information on the fundraising progress or to make your own donation, please visit Illinois State's team fundraising page.
SERIES HISTORY
The Redbirds have won five-straight meetings over Southern Illinois and lead the all-time series by a 67-46 margin. The streak is Illinois State's fifth-longest active win streak over a current Valley member. Illinois State has not suffered a loss to Southern Illinois since the 2021-22 campaign.
Sunday marks the 87th all-time meeting between Illinois State and Missouri State in a series the Lady Bears lead 50-36. The two sides split a pair of meetings last season, with the home team winning both contests. Illinois State took an 85-78 win over the Lady Bears inside CEFCU Arena last year, handing Missouri State its first loss in MVC play. DeAnna Wilson (26 points, 11 rebounds) and Kate Bullman (23 points, 10 rebounds) both put up 20-10 double-doubles to lead Illinois State to a win.
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
For the second time this season Elyce Knudsen earned MVC Newcomer of the Week. She led Illinois State with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in a 74-58 win over Bradley on Sunday. With the performance Knudsen surpassed 2,500 points for her career, becoming one of just three active players with 2,500 career points. It was her second-consecutive 20+ point outing, after a season high 24 points at UIC Jan. 19.
She shot 8-for-12 (66.7%) from the field in the win, which is the only performance of 20+ points on better than 65% shooting by a newcomer in Valley play this season. Overall, it was Knudsen's second performance this season with 20+ points on better than 65% shooting. She is the only Valley newcomer to post multiple games this year with 20+ points and better than 65% shooting.
THE REDBIRD STATE
Friday will be Illinois State's third-straight game against an in-state foe and their sixth game against an in-state foe this season. The Redbirds are 5-0 against Land of Lincoln foes this year.
Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 40-9 overall against in-state foes and 19-1 against in-state foes over the last two seasons. Since the start of 2019-20, Illinois State is 22-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena and has won 12-straight home games against in-state teams.
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