NORMAL, Ill. – Shannon Dowell and Elyce Knudsen combined for 51 points to lead Illinois State women's basketball (22-12, 14-6 MVC) over Western Illinois (17-17, 8-12 OVC) 90-80 and push the Redbirds into the WNIT Super 16.  

The Redbirds advance to play the Second-Round winner of Abilene Christian and Central Arkansas, scheduled for Monday night. Date, time and location of the WNIT Super 16 are still to be determined.

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Dowell scored 14 of her team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter Sunday. Elyce Knudsen also posted a 20+ point performance, knocking down five threes to finish with 23 points with a season-high 8 rebounds.  

• Three other Redbirds finished with double figures, including 15 points from Maya Wong and 12 points from both Nevaeh Thomas and Addison Martin.  

• The Redbirds shot 54.7% from the floor and 52.5% from deep, knocking down 11 threes in the win.  

• Knudsen scored seven first-quarter points, but the Redbirds trailed 23-19 after one quarter. Dowell and Thomas both tallied nine points in the second quarter as Illinois State outscored Western Illinois 26-17 to take a 45-40 halftime lead. Dowell knocked down a three to level the score at 29-29, before Thomas' bucket later gave Illinois State the largest lead of the game at the time 43-36.  

• Knudsen's bucket at the 8:36 mark of the third gave Illinois State a double figure lead for the first time 51-40. The Leathernecks fought within five points, but Illinois State answered with threes from Knudsen and Wong to lead 62-53.  

• Western Illinois pulled within 78-76 at the 4:18 mark of the fourth quarter, until Martin scored five unanswered points to give Illinois State an 83-76 cushion. The Redbirds outscored Western Illinois 12-4 over the final four minutes, securing the win.  

GAME NOTES 

• Illinois State won its 15th straight game over an in-state team inside CEFCU Arena. Since the start of the 2019-2020 campaign, the Redbirds are 45-10 against in-state foes and 25-2 vs in-state foes inside CEFCU Arena. That includes a 10-1 mark against in-state foes this year, which improved the Redbirds to 24-2 against in-state teams over the last three seasons.   

• Illinois State improved to 17-10 overall in the WNIT since 2000 and 14-3 at home in the WNIT over that stretch.  

• Dowell climbed to 576 points for her sophomore campaign and needs three more points to move into fifth on the program's single season scoring list.  

• Dowell scored 20+ points for the fourth consecutive outing and is averaging 26.5 points per game over that stretch. 

• Kundsen has knocked down 80 three pointers on the 2024-25 campaign, which ranks third on the program's single-season three-pointer list. She joins Mary Crompton (86, 2022-23) and Katie Broadway (89, 2011-12) as the only Redbirds to hit 80+ threes in a single season.  

• Illinois State's 11 threes tied the program's postseason record (NCAA and WNIT tournaments). Illinois State also tallied 11 threes in WNIT wins over Miami (3/22/90) and Central Michigan (3/15/12).  

• Wong made her 132nd career start Sunday, which ties Maggie Krick's program record from 2006-10.  

• The Redbirds finished with 4+ double-figure scorers for the 23rd time this season. Illinois State is 30-9 when putting 4+ in double-figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. 

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