SETTING THE SCENE
After opening MVC play on December 3 with a matchup in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Illinois State and Northern Iowa will conclude their regular-season series with a crucial MVC matchup on Thursday at 6 p.m. at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois.
THE SERIES
Illinois State and the University of Northern Iowa will meet for the 95th time in program history on Thursday night to. The Redbirds lead the all-time series, 49-45, but have lost seven of the last 11 matchups against the Panthers including the MVC opener in December. The two squads first met on Dec. 3, 1976, when UNI won, 70-55. The Redbirds went on to win 22 straight games against the Panthers before losing in heartbreak fashion in overtime in 1994. ISU and UNI split the series last season, with the Redbirds winning at home, 79-66, and losing at the McLeod Center, 72-52.
THE FASTBREAK
• Illinois State enters Thursday's contest as winners of four of its last five games.
• The Redbirds have started 9-0 at home for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
• Doneelah Washington was named MVC Player of the Week for the third time this season, following strong performances last weekend against UIC and Indiana State. Washington averaged 22.5 points per contest and 8.5 rebounds per game while playing nearly 30 minutes per contest.
• 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.
• Washington set a 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, Washington was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season.
• 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.
• 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.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
• This will be the second meeting between the Redbirds and the Panthers, as the two programs met inside the McLeod Center on December 3 in the MVC opener. That contest saw UNI take home a 68-54 victory.
• UNI is coming off its first MVC loss in the McLeod Center this season in a 68-65 contest with Evansville. An 11-point Aces run in the third quarter proved to be the difference maker as the Panthers couldn't get over the hump and dropped the contest at home.
• In that matchup, Twedt led UNI with 30 points, including six three-pointers. She was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week, after she led the Valley in scoring last week with 50 total points, including a 20-point performance in UNI's 15-point victory over then-MVC-undefeated Murray State.
• UNI leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 4.1 blocks per game, a 38.2% field goal percentage defense, and 28.8 defensive rebounds per game.
• The Panthers are also second in the Valley with a 63.9 scoring defense and a 33.2% three-point percentage.
• UNI's 28.8 defensive rebounds per game rank 30th in the nation. Individually, Elise Jaeger is third in the nation with a Valley-leading 9.4 defensive rebounds per game. The sophomore is second in the Valley with 10.1 rebounds per game, the 24th-best mark in the nation, and 192 total rebounds.
• Ryley Goebel leads the conference with the nation's 16th-most blocks per game (2.21), 20th-most total blocks (42), and 23rd-best field goal percentage (57.4%). The senior is second in the league with seven double-doubles, third with 2.00 steals per game, fourth with 153 total rebounds, and sixth with 8.1 rebounds per game.
• Twedt is second in the conference with a 37.9% three-point percentage, third in the Valley with 2.47 threes per game and 47 total threes, and fourth in the MVC with 124 total three-point attempts.
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.
CONVERTING FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
• The Redbirds were busy at the free throw line in their win at Indiana State. ISU was 37-of-43 from the charity stripe in the victory, with six players attempting at least five shots each.
• The 37 free throws made by the Redbirds set a new school record, topping the previous mark of 32 made against Missouri in 1996.
• ISU attempted 43 free throws, which was one shy of the school record of 44 set against UNI in 2004 and overall shot 86 percent from the stripe on the day.
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 five of her last seven games including a career-high 29 points in a win against Valparaiso.
• 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
• Doneelah Washington continues to dominate on the floor for the Redbirds and for her efforts, she was named the MVC Player of the Week for the third time this season on Jan. 26.
• She continues to do it all for the Redbirds and put together another strong week where she nearly averaged a double-double on the road against UIC and Indiana State.
• Washington averaged 22.5 points per contest and 8.5 rebounds per game while playing nearly 30 minutes per contest against the Flames and the Sycamores, with 28 points against the Trees.
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.
BALANCED EFFORT
• The Redbirds finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 25 games last season and have done so in 10 games so far in the 2025-26 season.
• Illinois State is 40-11 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 51 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 19 of the Birds' 20 contests during the 2025-26 campaign.
• Martin has recorded three double-doubles this season, with her most recent coming against Murray State (13 points, 10 rebounds).
• She ranks 14th in the conference in scoring with 13.6 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 (35.2).
• 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.
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
20+ WIN SEASON
• Illinois State secured a 20-win campaign for the third consecutive season under head coach Kristen Gillespie in 2024-25, marking the first time since 2008-09 to 2010-11 that the program has earned three consecutive seasons with 20+ wins.
• Illinois State's 24 wins last season tie the 2022-23 squad for the most in a single season under head coach Kristen Gillespie.
