SETTING THE SCENE
Illinois State women's basketball (7-8, 1-3 MVC) will continue conference play this weekend,hosting UIC and Evansville. First, the Redbirds play the Flames (7-8, 2-2) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. before welcoming the Purple Aces (3-11, 1-2) to CEFCU Arena on Sunday for a 2 p.m. game.
THE SERIES
Thursday's contest marks the 27th meeting between the Flames and the Redbirds. Illinois State has won three straight against the Flames and eight of the last 10 contests. ISU is 5-1 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 Evansville will be the 66th meeting between the Redbirds and Purple Aces. ISU holds a 46-19 advantage in the series and has won 16 straight, with the Purple Aces' last win coming in 2017. The inaugural matchup between the two squads occurred on Jan. 14, 1995, when the Redbirds earned an 83-58 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 is coming into Normal off of a five-game homestand, most recently defeating Indiana State, 70-57.
• The Flames' Jessica Carrothers is third in the MVC in scoring (18.0 ppg), field goal percentage (.516) and assists (4.2).
• UIC ranks second in the league in defense, allowing 63.7 points per game.
• The Purple Aces recently won their first conference game of the season and play Southern Illinois on Friday before meeting with the Redbirds.
• Evansville's Camryn Runner is second in the MVC in assists (4.5) and minutes played per game (35.1) and eighth in scoring (16.1 ppg). She is one of three MVC guards with multiple double-doubles this season.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Redbirds are coming off of two tough road losses against Murray State and Belmont, falling to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the MVC.
• After overcoming a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation, ISU lost in double overtime to the Racers. Then, the Redbirds were tied with the Bruins with four minutes to go and fell short, 75-68.
WASHINGTON WOWS
• With 23 points on a career-best 10 field goals made and a career-high 16 boards against Belmont, Doneelah Washington notched her fifth double-double of the season and her first 20-point, 10-rebound game as a Redbird.
• She is the fifth Redbird over the last two seasons to record a 20-point, 10-rebound double double, joining Nevaeh Thomas, Shannon Dowell, DeAnna Wilson and Kate Bullman.
• In the Kristen Gillespie era, Washington became the 10th Redbird to post a 20-point, 10-rebound performance.
NELSON FROM DOWNTOWN
• Grace Nelson had two impressive outings last weekend against the Racers and the Bruins, especially from three-point land.
• Nelson matched her career-high with four triples against Murray State before hitting a career-best five treys against Belmont to round off a 20-point performance. She has scored in double figures in three of the last four contests.
• Over the last four games, Nelson is averaging 12.5 points per game while shooting 54.5% from beyond the arc and 55.2% from the field.
BALANCED EFFORT
• The Redbirds finished with 4+ double-figure scorers in 25 games last season and have done so in seven games so far in the 2025-26 season.
• Illinois State is 37-11 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 48 games, and 5+ double-figure scorers in 15.
