Women’s Basketball Opens 2022-23 MVC Season Friday in CEFCU Arena

NORMAL, Ill. – The Redbirds of the Illinois State women’s basketball team return to the hardwood after an extended holiday break between games when they host the Drake Bulldogs on Friday evening.

The Redbirds and Bulldogs kick off their respective MVC seasons at 6:32 p.m CT from CEFCU Arena. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3, with Scott Sudikoff and Sean Johnson on the call. Friday’s contest will also be available on the Varsity Network or WJBC 102.1 FM & 1230 AM with John Fitzgerald on the call. 

GAME INFORMATION (Game Notes)

Illinois State v. Drake
When: Friday, Dec. 30
Tip-off: 6:32 p.m. CT
Location: Normal, Ill.
Facility: CEFCU Arena

TV: ESPN3

Live Stats: StatBroadcast Live Stats

Radio: Illinois State Radio Network             1230 AM & 102.1 FM

LAST TIME OUT

Despite a phenomenal double-double performance from DeAnna Wilson (19 points and 10 rebounds), the Illinois State Redbirds fall in their final non-conference tune up of the 2022-23 season by a final of 63-49 to the Green Bay Phoenix (full recap).

The story of the afternoon would be the stifling Phoenix defense as they held ISU to a season-low 20 points in the first half, including six points in the entire second quarter.

Wilson led all athletes with her 19-point, 10 rebound effort in the loss. Joining Wilson in double digits was Paige Robinson, who finished with 12 points and two assists on the afternoon. The 12 points are Robinson’s lowest scoring effort this season since Dayton (11/10/22) when the Bethany native gathered nine points.

Green Bay was led in scoring by Jasmine Kondrakiewicz who finished her night with 12 points and four rebounds. The other Phoenix athlete in double figures Sunday would be Levy, who was held scoreless in the second half, but still finished with 10 points. Green Bay saw Cassie Schiltz led the way in rebounds with 11 on the afternoon.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

Drake will be well-rested, like the Redbirds, when they come to CEFCU Arena on Dec. 30. The Bulldogs last played on Dec. 18, a win over Southwest Baptist. They were scheduled to take on #14 Iowa State prior to MVC play, but the matchup was cancelled as part of the severe weather last week.  

So far this season, Drake has gone up against three nationally ranked programs, going 1-2 in the games, including a win over then-no. 22 Nebraska on Nov. 19. Overall, when playing on the road, the Bulldogs are 1-1, falling to then-no. 18 Creighton while holding a win at South Dakota.

At the helm of the program, in her second season, is Allison Pohlman. Pohlman, a longtime associate head coach and one of the primary architects of the Drake women’s basketball program’s renaissance, was named the Suzie Glazer Burt Head Women’s Basketball Coach on April 18, 2021.  Pohlman has been a member of the Drake staff since 2007 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2014 by then-head coach Jennie Baranczyk.

In her 14 years on the Drake campus, Pohlman has crafted and established a proven legacy of culture building, on-court excellence, and the ability to recruit and develop some of the finest student athletes in Drake history. Under Baranczyk, Pohlman served as the Bulldogs’ recruiting coordinator, where she assembled rosters that advanced to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, won four regular-season MVC titles, two MVC Tournament championships, and a record of 123-39.

Her recruiting efforts led to Bulldogs earning six Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year honors and four MVC Freshman of the Year accolades. A total of 27 of her recruits have earned All-MVC honors during her tenure.

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE BULLDOGS

Friday will be the 88^th all-time meeting between Drake and Illinois State, as the Bulldogs hold a 49-38 series lead. At home, ISU is 24-18 against Drake all-time.

In the last meeting last February, Illinois State would be trounced 104-62 as the Bulldogs saw five athletes score in double-figures. For the Redbirds, Juliunn Redmond had a team-high 11 points with Kayel Newland and DeAnna Wilson each adding 10. The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Megan Meyer’s 18 points.

TOP-TIER BULLDOGS

This season, the Drake Bulldogs have placed themselves among the top in the country and Missouri Valley Conference in many statistical categories. Ahead of their trip to Normal, the Bulldogs sit first in the MVC for 10 statistical categories, while being top-75 in each category across Division I, respectively (as of 12/29/22).

QUICK START IS CRUCIAL

Since 1982-83, just three teams (Missouri State, champions in 1998-99, 1994-95, and 1990-91; Drake, champions in 1996-97 and co-champions in 1987-88; and Evansville, a 2007-08 co-champion) have won at least a share of the regular season title without winning its regular season opener.

In fact, 17 of the last 22 regular season champs (or co-champs) have opened 2-0 or better in MVC play, with Evansville in 2007-08, Missouri State in 2004-05, UNI in 2010-11, Missouri State in 2011-12, and UNI in 2015-16 serving as the only five exceptions.

49 YEARS TOO LONG

As part of a record-breaking weekend in Vegas for the Redbirds, the Illinois State women’s basketball program would match their best program start in 49 years after taking down the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters on Nov. 26.

With the 70-53 victory, the Redbirds would sit at 5-0 to start the 2022-23 season. This matched the best program start in 49 years, when ISU would start the 1973-74 season with the same record.

BROKEN RECORDS

It had been over 12 years on Dec. 6 since Illinois State women’s basketball had seen over 6,000 fans in attendance inside CEFCU Arena. As part of the program’s annual Education Day (huge shoutout to ISU Marketing’s Danny Bugg and Lauren Henderson), the Redbirds saw a new home attendance record be set as 6,363 school children, staff, admin., and longtime Redbird fans piled into CEFCU to watch ISU take on UMSL.

Prior to Dec. 6, 2022, the previous record stood at 6,075 which was set during the 2010 WNIT when California paid Normal a visit.

CASTING A WIDE NET (RANKING) FOR THE VALLEY

The NCAA NET Report (Dec. 28) has four Valley teams that rank in the top-100, including six of the 12 sitting in the top-150.  Drake leads the way at no. 47 with UNI (72), Belmont (87), and Murray State (92) rounding out the schools in the top-100.

As a league, the Missouri Valley Conference is ranked 12^th.

HOME SWEET HOME

Since head coach Kristen Gillespie took over in 2017-18, the Redbirds hold a 3-2 record in Missouri Valley Conference openers.

Of the previous five games, the Redbirds have seen three straight MVC openers be won when played at home, while the ‘Birds sit at 0-1 when on the road to start the conference slate.

BATTLE OF MID-MAJOR HEAVYWEIGHTS

When the Bulldogs and Redbirds tip off Friday, it will feature a pair of the nation’s top-20 mid-major programs, according to CollegeInsider.com. For the third consecutive week, Drake sits as the highest ranked MVC program at no. 7 while the Redbirds see a spot at no. 16 ahead of the start of MVC play.

MILESTONES TO WATCH

Through ten games, Mary Crompton sits with 983 career points as a Redbird, seeking to become the 30th ISU WBB athlete to eclipse 1,000 points, and only the second (Juliunn Redmond) to do so under Kristen Gillespie.

Meanwhile, head coach Kristen Gillespie is inching closer to history of her own, sitting with 93 career wins at ISU and 198 career wins as a head coach. Gillespie is seeking to become the first ISU head coach to eclipse 100 career wins as a Redbird since current Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton, who finished her ISU career with a mark of 144-81 over seven seasons.

MAKING THEMSELVES KNOWN

As the Redbirds prepare for the start of Missouri Valley Conference play, the Redbird duo of Paige Robinson and Mary Crompton have made themselves known as part of the top-100 in a variety of statistical categories across both DI WBB and MVC (as of 12/29/22).

PLAYING BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL

Thanks to their efforts thus far, ISU currently ranks top-100 in four categories (as of 12/29/22) across Division I WBB while being top five in the MVC for each category, respectively.

WELCOME TO THE HALL OF FAME

Illinois State women’s basketball legend Cathy Boswell was selected as one of five to be inducted as the 24th Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Class this past Sunday morning. The members for the Class of 2023 are Cathy Boswell (Veteran Player), Donna Lopiano (Contributor), Lisa Mattingly (Official), Carolyn Peck (Coach), and Lindsey Whalen (Player).

Boswell (1979-83) was a two-time WBCA Kodak All-American and two-time Wade Trophy finalist during her time at ISU, finishing her collegiate career with 2,005 points and 1,054 rebounds. She led the Redbirds to 90 wins, an NCAA Tournament berth in 1983, a 15th-place finish in the AIAW National Tournament in 1981 and two WNIT bids (1980 and 1982). Boswell was a member of the 1984 women’s Olympic gold medalist USA basketball team and competed internationally for 14 years, earning seven team most valuable player awards, one league MVP title, a player of the year award and five league championships.

The Class of 2023 will be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, receiving their coveted Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Trophy and Baron Championship Induction Ring on April 29th, 2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

GAINING NATIONAL RECOGNITION

For the week of December 27, Illinois State drops four spots after finishing non-conference play, as they sit at no. 16 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major top-25.

Joining the ‘Birds in this week’s top-25 are 2022-23 opponents Drake (#7), Green Bay (#14), and Northern Iowa (#19). Meanwhile, fellow MVC members Belmont, UIC, and Murray State are all receiving votes.  

GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

On August 20, 2022, Illinois State women’s basketball lost one of their own as former standout Simone Goods lost a courageous battle with cancer. Goods finished her time as a Redbird with 2019 All-MVC First Team honors as well as finishing in the program’s top-25 for field goals made in a season (190), rebounds in a season (238), career free-throws (227), career blocks (51) and blocks in a season (33).

This season, ISU players and staff will don an “SG” patch on their jerseys and gameday attire to honor the life and legacy of Simone Goods as ISU is dedicating the 2022-23 season in her honor.

NEW FACES ALL AROUND

Throughout the 2022-23 season, seven of Illinois State’s opponents (or possible opponents) will be under the direction of a first-year head coach. Four of the seven new faces will come during MVC play as Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Bradley, and UIC all made coaching hires during the offseason.

NEW NAME, SAME ARENA

Illinois State University and CEFCU have come to terms on a naming rights and sponsorship agreement valued at approximately $3.1 million over 10 years. The agreement, which will support the funding for ongoing and ever-evolving costs associated with the student-athlete experience, was initiated by LEARFIELD’s Redbird Sports Properties, the University’s athletics multimedia rightsholder. The former Redbird Arena will be known as CEFCU Arena – Home of the Redbirds, with the University’s Board of Trustees approving the arena name change at its October 14 meeting. The CEFCU Arena naming rights and sponsorship agreement will continue to support funding of the Redbird Student-Athlete experience. Particularly in these ever-evolving times, funding is vital to maintaining and expanding upon the current NCAA, Division I student-athlete experience.

REDBIRDS SIGN FOUR TO NLI’s

Earlier this season as part of National Signing Day, the Illinois State women’s basketball program announced the signings of four high-level talent as part of 2022 National Signing Day. The 2023 recruiting class includes Brooke Coffey (St. Charles, Mo.), Shannon Dowell (O’Fallon, Ill.), Molly Lenz (Eden Prairie, Minn.), and Savannah McGowan (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Coffey, a 6-1 guard from St. Charles Mo., has led the Incarnate Word to 68 straight wins, including multiple state titles, as the program has now captured a total of 12 MO Class 6 Championships. Finally, Coffey will join former Redbirds Kayel Newland and Cameron Call as well as current ISU athlete, DeAnna Wilson, as athletes for ISU women’s basketball under Kristen Gillespie to hail from the state of Missouri.

Dowell, a 5-10 guard from O’Fallon, Ill., comes from O’Fallon Township High where she was named First Team Southwestern All-Conference in 2021-22 along with Third Team All State for the IBCA following last year. Dowell has had the chance to learn from five-time IBCA Co-Coach of the Year in District 19 4A (Coach Knolhoff) and amassed 1,000 career points in her junior year as a Panther.

Lenz, a 5-8 guard from Eden Prairie, Minn., was awarded 2021-22 Lake Conference All-Conference and Minnesota Girls Basketball Association All-State Honorable Mention honors. As a junior, Lenz was selected as one of Eden Prairie’s three Varsity captains. Lenz will join former Redbird Viria Livingston (from Minneapolis) and fellow signee Savannah McGowan as athletes to come from Minnesota and play for ISU under head coach Gillespie.

McGowan, a 6-2 forward from Minneapolis, Minn., amassed 1,000 career points during her junior season for the Armstrong High Falcons, gaining her All-State honorable mention honors. McGowans joins former Redbird Viria Livingston (also from Minneapolis) as athletes to come from Minnesota and play for ISU under head coach Gillespie.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets are available for the 2022-23 season. Follow this link to purchase your season tickets or contact the Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 for more information. Tickets start at just $65 for general admission to the women’s season. 

For all latest on Illinois State women’s basketball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team at @RedbirdWBB (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:  Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.