Knudsen, Redbirds Set Records, Beat Louisiana Tech 78-70 in WNIT Great 8

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball (24-12, 14-6 MVC) shot a postseason program record 57.1% and Elyce Knudsen set a single-season program three-point record to lift the Redbirds over Louisiana Tech (18-16, 8-10 CUSA) 78-70 in the WNIT Great 8 Monday night inside CEFCU Arena.  

The Redbirds advance to take on Troy in the WNIT Fab 4 Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. inside CEFCU Arena. Tickets go on sale Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at goredbirds.com/tickets.  

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Elyce Knudsen made program history Monday night with five triples to bring her season total to 90 and set a program single-season record. She tallied a game-high 21 points, including three long balls in the fourth to grab a double-figure Redbird lead for the first time in the game. She scored 18 points in the second half alone and finished 5-for-7 from deep overall. 

• Three Redbirds joined Knudsen in double figures, including 16 points from Nevaeh Thomas, 15 points  from Maya Wong and 10 points from Shannon Dowell.  

• Illinois State shot a program postseason record 57.1% from the field (28-for-49) in the win, and 57.1% (12-for-21) from deep. Knudsen (5 threes), Thomas (3) and Wong (3) all knocked down 3+ triples in the win.  

• Illinois State trailed 30-22 with 6:02 left in the first half, before the Redbirds scored 14 unanswered points in a 16-1 overall run to close the first half. The Redbirds took a 38-31 lead into halftime. 

• Maya Wong scored the first five points of the run before Thomas' bucket put Illinois State in the lead 31-30. Knudsen knocked down her first three of the game moments later and Illinois State led 36-30.  

• Louisiana Tech fought back and took a 48-47 lead in the third quarter. Wong and the Redbirds responded with a 4-0 spurt that put Illinois State ahead by one heading into the fourth.  

• Knudsen caught fire in the fourth quarter, hitting her first bucket at the 8:20 mark to put Illinois State ahead 57-52. She knocked down the first of her three fourth-quarter triples with 6:44 to go and put Illinois State ahead by double figures for the first time. Two more Knudsen threes fell and Illinois State led 70-59 with 5:06 to pull away from the Lady Techsters and secure a win.  

GAME NOTES 

• Illinois State's 24 wins ties the 2022-23 squad for the most in a single season under head coach Kristen Gillespie and is tied for the fifth-most in program history. 

• The Redbirds have shot better than 50% from the field and the floor in all three of their WNIT wins. 

• Knudsen is now the program's single-season three-point leader and the first player in program history with 90+ triples in a single season. She is tied for 8th in MVC history for three-pointers in a single season.  

• The Redbirds advance to the WNIT semifinal for the fourth time in program history, joining the program's 2009, 2010 and 2011 WNIT runs. Illinois State has never played in the WNIT championship game.  

• Dowell's 932 career points are the second-most for a Redbird before the end of their sophomore campaign. Monday she surpassed Hall of famer Kristi Cirone, the program's all-time leader, and her mark of 930 points before the end of her sophomore campaign.  

• Illinois State improved to 19-10 overall in the WNIT since 2000 and 16-3 at home in the WNIT over that stretch. 

• The Redbirds finished with 4+ double-figure scorers for the 25th time this season. Illinois State is 32-9 when putting 4+ in double-figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. 

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