Road Trip To UIC, Indiana State Up Next For the Redbirds

SETTING THE SCENE
After a three-game homestand at CEFCU Arena, Illinois State (10-8, 4-3 MVC) will hit the road for a pair of games this weekend looking to keep its three-game winning streak alive against UIC on Thursday and Indiana State on Sunday.

THE FASTBREAK
• Illinois State enters Thursday's contest on a three-game win streak with victories over UIC, Evansville and Valparaiso at home.
• The Redbirds have started 9-0 at home for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
• Last time out, Trista Fayta recorded the first triple-double for the Redbirds since 1991, when she scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists against Valparaiso.
• Doneelah Washington set a new career high with 29 points against the Beacons, and scored the most points by a Redbird in a game this season.
• After averaging a double-double for the week and helping Illinois State to a pair of wins at home over UIC and Evansville, sophomore forward Doneelah Washington was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season. She previously earned the honor on Nov. 24.
• ISU shot .636 from the field against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, the sixth-highest field goal percentage in program history and the highest in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
• Five Redbirds scored in double figures against Oakland. Doneelah Washington led all scorers with 21 points, while  Addison Martin scored in double figures for the 12th straight game with 19 points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter.
• Jaeden Pratt had the best game of her young career in ISU's win over Eastern Illinois, recording a career-high 15 points and nine rebounds while going 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
• Washington notched a career-high seven steals against Eastern Illinois, the most in a single game for a Redbird since Terrion Moore had seven at Loyola Chicago on March 5, 2021. She also added 10 points and nine rebounds in the win.
• Washington recorded a new-career high with three triples against UNI.
• Madison Austin pulled down a career-high six boards in just under 11 minutes of play against UNI.

THE SERIES
Thursday's contest marks the 28th meeting between the Flames and the Redbirds. Illinois State has won four straight against the Flames and 12 of the last 14 contests. ISU is 6-1 against UIC since the Flames joined the Missouri Valley Conference. The first-ever meeting between the two programs came on March 4, 1977, when ISU prevailed, 85-59. Sunday's game against Indiana State will be the 109th meeting between the Redbirds and Sycamores. ISU holds a 63-45 advantage in the series and has won 13 straight, with the Sycamores' last win coming in 2019. The inaugural matchup between the two squads occurred on Jan. 15, 1972, when the Redbirds earned an 44-26 victory.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
• UIC head coach Ashleen Bracey is a former Illinois State women's basketball player who graduated in 2010. She played in 119 games for the Redbirds and averaged 10 points.
• UIC closed a three-game MVC road trip with a 63-58 loss at Southern Illinois on Sunday in Carbondale.
• Jessica Carrothers led the Flames with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists, moving within 59 points of 2,000 career points across the NCAA and NAIA levels.
• Carrothers is third in the MVC in scoring (18.9 ppg), field goal percentage (.525) and fourth in assists (4.0).
• UIC ranks second in the league in defense, allowing 63.4 points per game.
• The Sycamores snapped a three-game losing streak with a a 77-71 win over Evansville inside Hulman Center on Sunday.
• Da'Naria Washington scored a season-high 17 points and Kennedy Claybrooks finished one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double in the win for Indiana State.
• Indiana State had five athletes score in double-figures in both games last week, and are now 4-1 on the season when achieving that feat.

100 MVC WINS FOR GILLESPIE
• With ISU's 75-61 win over UIC on Jan. 8, Redbird head coach Kristen Gillespie notched her 100th career Missouri Valley Conference victory.
• Ahead of ISU's matchup with Evansville, Gillespie received a commemorative ball in recognition of becoming the 10th coach in MVC history to reach triple-digit wins.

WASHINGTON WOWS
• Doneelah Washington has been on a tear lately for the Redbirds, scoring 20 or more points in four of her last five games including a career-high 29 points in a win against Valparaiso last time out.
• With 26 points and 10 boards against Evansville, Washington notched her seventh double-double of the season (third straight) and her second 20-point, 10-rebound game as a Redbird. 
• She is the fifth Redbird in the Gillespie era to record multiple 20-point, 10-rebound games in their career, joining Nevaeh Thomas, DeAnna Wilson, JuJu Redmond and Simone Goods.

MVC HONORS
• After averaging a double-double of 22.5 points and 10 rebounds for the week and helping Illinois State to a pair of wins at home over UIC and Evansville, sophomore forward Doneelah Washington was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 12.
• After helping the Redbirds to a pair of wins, Washington and Kya Hurt both earned weekly player honors from the MVC on Nov. 24. Washington was named the MVC Player of the Week, while Hurt was tabbed as the MVC Freshman of the Week by the league office.

DONEELAH DOES IT ALL
• Doneelah Washington put together a strong all-around effort with 26 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocks against Evansville.
• She is one of only five MVC players since 2009-10 with 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, 4+ steals and 2+ blocks in a game against an MVC opponent. Washington is also the only ISU player since 2009-10 with that same stat line.
• Washington is one of eight DI players and the only Valley player with 15+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ steals and 4+ assists in a single game this season, joining UConn's Sarah Strong, Saint Joseph's Aleah Snead and Madison Booker of Texas.
• Washington is currently the only MVC player ranked in the top-three in the league in rebounds, offensive rebounds, blocks and steals.
• Washington's career-high five blocked shots against Nebraska are the most in a single-game for a Redbird since Kate Bullman had six versus Evansville on Feb. 25, 2024.
• Washington's career-high seven steals against Eastern Illinois are the most for a Redbird since Terrion Moore had seven at Loyola Chicago on March 5, 2021.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• Illinois State holds a perfect 9-0 mark at CEFCU Arena this season, the best start at home under head coach Kristen Gillespie.
• The Redbirds have protected home court well over the last four years, posting a 48-9 record since the start of the 2022-23 season.
• The Redbirds won their home opener for the fourth consecutive season as Illinois State secured an 87-76 win over Dayton. 
• Illinois State posted a 14-4 mark at CEFCU Arena last year, tied for the second-most wins at home in a single season in program history.

BALANCED EFFORT
• The Redbirds finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 25 games last season and have done so in nine games so far in the 2025-26 season.
• Illinois State is 39-11 when putting 4+ in double figures since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
• Over the last three seasons, Illinois State has finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 50 games, and 5+ double-figure scorers in 15.

NELSON FROM DOWNTOWN
• Grace Nelson had two impressive outings against the Murray State and the Belmont, especially from three-point land.
• Nelson matched her career-high with four triples against the Racers before hitting a career-best five treys against the Bruins to round off a 20-point performance. She has scored in double figures in four of the last seven contests, including a 10-point outing against Evansville.
• Over the last seven games, the true freshman is averaging 10.9 points in 21 minutes per game while shooting 51.4% from beyond the arc (18-for-35) and 51.1% from the field (24-for-47).

MONEY MARTIN
• Redshirt senior Addison Martin scored in double figures in 14 straight games to start the season and has done so in 17 of the Birds' 18 contests.
• Martin has recorded three double-doubles this season, with her most recent coming against Murray State (13 points, 10 rebounds).
• She ranks 13th in the conference in scoring with 13.8 points per contest. She is one of two players ranked in the top 15 in scoring without a made three-pointer. Martin is also second in the MVC in minutes played per game (35.1).
• Martin led the MVC shooting 58.7% from the field in Valley play last season. She shot north of 50% in 16 MVC games, more than any player in the Valley. 
• She had two 20+ outings in MVC play last season. That included a season-high performance of 23 points vs Southern Illinois Jan. 31, her first 20-point performance as a Redbird. She finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds at Drake Feb. 7. 

FAYTA TAKES OVER
• Fayta became the first Redbird since the 1990-91 season to record a triple double with a 14-point, 10-rebound and 10-assist outing against Valparaiso. It's the first triple double in the MVC this season and just the fifth in the last five seasons.
• She currently leads the MVC and is tied for 20th in the NCAA with 5.7 assists per game.
• In her first career start, Trista Fayta tallied the first double-double of her career with 19 points and 10 assists against Dayton.
• Her complete performance turned out to be a unique one, as Fayta become just the second MVC player in the last 14 seasons to put up 19 points, 10 assists and 4 or more steals in a game.
• With her 10 assists, she became the first Redbirds to post double digit assists since JuJu Redmond in 2022.
• Addison Martin joined the exclusive club with a career-high 10 assists against Murray State on Jan. 2.

HURT IS HOOPIN'
• True freshman Kya Hurt had a career night against Indiana State, posting new personal-bests in points (26), assists (6), field goals (9-for-12), three-pointers (4-for-6) and steals (4). 
• Hurt is the only freshman in the NCAA this season with at least 25 points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds in a game, and the only player from any class to do so while shooting 75% from the field.
• Hurt's 26 points against Indiana State are the most by an MVC freshman in a game this season.
• Hurt took over in the second quarter against the Sycamores, shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and scoring 16 points to reach 22 points by halftime.

MADISON GOES MAD
• True freshman Madison Austin also had a career night against the Sycamores, setting new personal-bests in points (14), field goals (4-for-6) and free throws (5-for-5) while matching a personal-high with six boards and one three-pointer.

DOUBLE DOUBLE TROUBLE
• Addison Martin (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Doneelah Washington (16 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles against the Sycamores. 
• They are the first Redbird pair to do so since DeAnna Wilson and Kate Bullman did it against Chicago State in 2023.

SHOOT FOR THE STARS
• In ISU's win over Oakland, the Redbirds shot .636 from the field, the sixth-highest single-game mark in program history and the best since shooting .638 at the University of Northern Iowa on Jan. 8, 1987. It also stands as the highest field goal percentage in the MVC this season.
• ISU shot .688 from the field in the first quarter and .654 from the field in the second half, marking the Redbirds' highest field goal percentage in a single quarter and half this season.
• Five Redbirds scored in double figures against the Grizzlies, including Grace Nelson, who came off the bench and went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and scored 11 total points, setting new career-highs in both categories.
• The Redbirds currently lead the MVC in team field goal percentage at .444.

HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
• The Redbirds scored a season-high 105 points against Indiana State on Dec. 29, marking the fifth time under head coach Kristen Gillespie that Illinois State has eclipsed the century mark.
• The Redbirds' 105 points are tied for the fifth-most in a single game in program history.
• ISU's final basket of the game against Chicago State put the Redbirds over the century mark with 101 points.
• It marked the first 100-point output for the Redbirds since scoring 110 against St. Francis last December.

GEM FROM JAEDEN
• Freshman Jaeden Pratt, a starter in the first nine games, came off the bench and had the best game of her young career against Eastern Illinois. She recorded a career-high 15 points and nine rebounds while going 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
• Pratt headed a 9-0 run for the Redbirds in the second quarter, scoring a layup and a triple to force the Panthers to call a timeout with 2:15 left in the first half.

THREEBAY UNLOCKED
• The first basket for Illinois State against Dayton was a three-pointer, but it came from an unexpected shooter in Doneelah Washington who made her first two career shots from beyond the arch against the Flyers.
• She became the first Redbird since the 2009-10 season with 20+ points in a game on a perfect night shooting from the field.
• Washington recorded a new-career high with three triples against UNI.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 
• Illinois State returns seven players from last season's squad that advanced to the WNIT Fab 4, including MVC All-Freshman team selection Doneelah Washington and All-MVC Newcomer team member Addison Martin. 
• Martin and Nevaeh Thomas were listed among several MVC women's basketball "Players to Watch" for the 2025-26 season. 
• Martin started all 37 games for Illinois State and was one of six Redbirds to break the program's single-season record for games played. 
• Thomas averaged 12.1 points per game, a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game and 2.5 assists per game while ranking fifth in the MVC shooting 54.5 percent from the field. Thomas scored in double figures in 29 games, including the first 15 outings of the season, and tallied ten double-doubles, becoming just the sixth player in program history to tally 10+ double-doubles in a single season