Women’s Basketball Brian White
NORMAL, Ill. – For the first time since defeating Wisconsin on Nov. 20, Illinois State women’s basketball returns home as they will play host to the visiting University of Missouri-Saint Louis (UMSL) Tritons Tuesday. The Redbirds and Tritons will tip off at 11:00 a.m. CT Tuesday as part of ISU’s annual Education Day where nearly 6,000 students and staff are expected in attendance.
For fans who cannot make it out on Tuesday, the game will be shown on ESPN+ with Scott Sudikoff and Sean Johnson on the call as well as can be heard on the Varsity Network or WJBC 102.1 FM & 1230 AM with Greg Halbleib on the call.
*Section 115 in CEFCU Arena will be for general admission, player guests, and season ticket holders during Tuesday’s contest.* All additional general admission seating can be found in the North and South end zones of the upper bowl in CEFCU Arena.
GAME INFORMATION (Game Notes)
Illinois State v. UMSL
When: Tuesday, Dec. 6
Tip-off: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Normal, Ill.
Facility: CEFCU Arena
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast Live Stats
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network 1230 AM & 102.1 FM
LAST TIME OUT
For the second straight contest, Illinois State women’s basketball came up just a little short, this time coming by a 75-65 margin inside Chaifetz Arena to the Saint Louis Billikens (full recap).
As the Billikens got on the board first in the first quarter off a pair of free throws from Peyton Kennedy, it was Paige Robinson stepping up to sink a three-pointer at 9:18 in the first to give ISU a one-point lead. From there, the home team would score six straight before allowing Robinson to hit another shot as she held all six of ISU’s points early.
As the first quarter media timeout hit, it was Saint Louis leading 13-11. Right out of the timeout, Martinez would make SLU’s lead four before her teammate, McMakin, was lights out and made it 18-11 SLU with 2:44 remaining. The Redbirds would fight back to tie the game up off a pair of DeAnna Wilson free throws at the 1:23 mark. McMakin would knock down a jumper with just over a minute remaining as Kate Bullman responded with a second chance layup with 30 seconds left as the first frame ended with both sides knotted at 20.
The second 10 minutes was yet another back-and-forth battle as Wilson would knock down a pivotal and-one to close the deficit to one (24-23) only a minute into the quarter. Mary Crompton would later give ISU a lead with a three-pointer at 7:48, but it would be short lived as Saint Louis tied the game up off a Briana Johns jumper shortly after.
At the halftime break, ISU would be led by Mary Crompton’s 10 points while Paige Robinson was close behind with eight as both athletes grabbed a pair of rebounds during the first 20 minutes. For Saint Louis, Kyla McMakin was leading the way with 15 as Julia Martinez held 12 points at the break, including 2-2 from behind the arc.
Right out of the break as the second half started, Saint Louis scored five straight points in a span of a minute to make it 45-36 before the Redbirds got on the board thanks to a pair of free throws from Paige Robinson. In a déjà vu situation, DeAnna Wilson converted yet another and-one situation with 7:51 remaining to trim the lead to four (45-41). After the first media timeout of the quarter came and went, SLU would build their lead out to eight (51-43) with 6:29 remaining in the third.
However, thanks to the efforts of DeAnna Wilson and Ta’Shonna Wright-Gaskins, the lead was trimmed to four (51-47) as the third quarter media timeout came. Saint Louis would continue leading, until Maya Wong would see the shot clock winding down as she made a move on her SLU defender, knocking down a triple and giving ISU a 55-53 lead with 1:48 remaining.
The lead would shift between the two to start the fourth, as SLU took a two-point lead before ISU knotted it up before taking a three-point lead with 8:33 remaining off a three from Paige Robinson. The lead would once more shift as Kennedy gave ISU a one-point lead at the 7:14 mark off a layup. After Martinez spread the Billikens lead to three at 5:57, Kate Bullman would knock down a layup as 5:40 remained on the clock.
The final 5:40 of the fourth would be a massive deciding factor in Saturday’s result. The Redbirds would be stifled by the Billikens defense, as they were held scoreless for almost the remainder of the game, apart from a Mary Crompton three with 17 seconds left. In the final 5:40 of the fourth quarter, ISU would also see five turnovers forced by SLU which helped pave the way to the 10-point victory.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UMSL will treat Tuesday’s meeting with Illinois State as an exhibition, as the Redbirds are one of two Division I programs (Eastern Illinois) on the Tritons’ 2022-23 schedule. The Tritons come into Tuesday after dropping a pair of home contests to Drury (72-55) and Missouri S&T (58-48) last week.
Against Drury, Morgan Ramthun led the way in scoring with 14 points off 4-6 shooting. She would once again lead the Tritons in scoring on Saturday against Missouri S&T, finishing with 16 points as she played all 40 minutes.
Jalysa Stokes leads UMSL in scoring for the 2022-23 season as she currently averaages 12.1 points per game. Kiara Stewart is UMSL’s leading rebounder, with an average of 9.3 rebounds per game this season.
At the helm of the program, in her 11th season, is Katie Vaughn. Vaughn is the all-time wins leader in program history as she currently sits with a record of 163-115 (.586). She came to UMSL following three seasons at Lincoln (Mo.) University, where she would go 190-162 (.539). Vaughn directed Lincoln to its most successful season in school history with a 15-13 record –tying season records for most wins in a season and most conference wins during the 2011-12 campaign.
Her 2021-22 team posted school records for overall wins (23) and conference wins (17), notching a 20-win season for just the fourth time in program history. The Tritons also went 17-3in GLVC play en route to claiming the GLVC Central Division championship. The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history.
In her time as UMSL coach, Vaughn has seen 18 All-GLVC selections as well as one All-America selection (Alex LaPorta in 2020-21, the program’s first since 1989).
Tuesday will be the third all-time meeting between UMSL and Illinois State, as the Redbirds have taken the last two meetings including the last meeting during the 1977-78 season, an 83-44 win for ISU.
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.
GOING FOR A RECORD
When the ball is tipped for Illinois State women’s basketball’s Education Day, CEFCU Arena will most likely see something for the first time in 13 years. As there will be nearly 6,000 school children and staff in attendance, the ISU WBB program home attendance record of 6,075 could be on the brink of being broken.
The record mark came back in 2010 when Illinois State hosted California in the WNIT. The highest attended home WBB game under the direction of Kristen Gillespie came in 2018 when ISU hosted Saint Louis and saw 3,500 fans in the stands.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Through seven games, Mary Crompton sits with 963 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 92 career wins at ISU and 197 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.
WE MEET AGAIN
Tuesday will not be the first-time grad transfer Paige Robinson has seen the Tritons in competition. As a member of Drury from 2018-2022, Robinson has faced the Tritons nine previous times as a member of the Panthers. Against the Tritons, Robinson is 8-1 with the lone loss coming in February2022 in Saint Louis.
MAKING THEMSELVES KNOWN
As the Redbirds continue non-conference action, a multitude of Redbirds have made themselves known as part of the top-100 in various statistical categories, across both DI WBB and MVC (as of 12/04/22).
CATEGORY
VALUE
NCAA
MVC
Minutes (Paige)
36.3
42nd
1st
Blocks (Kate)
11.0
84th
3rd
PPG (Paige)
20.9
16th
1st
3PT FG% (Mary)
.525
13th
1st
3PT/Game (Mary)
3.0
24th
1st
Free Throw Pct (Maya)
1.000
t-1st
1st
PLAYING BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
Illinois State has continued to showcase its ability to be a threat on both sides of the ball through seven games. Thanks to their efforts thus far, ISU currently ranks top-100 in four categories (as of 12/04/22) across Division I and MVC women’s basketball.
CATEGORY
VALUE
NCAA
MVC
3PT Per Game
7.3
84th
6th
3PT FG%
.386
20th
1st
Blocks Per Game
4.71
39th
2nd
Turnover Margin
3.86
70th
2nd
CALM UNDER PRESSURE
Redshirt junior Maya Wong is once again one of the nation’s best at the charity stripe, as she currently leads the Redbirds in the category through seven games. The Normal native is one of five athletes (through 12/4/22) to hold a perfect mark from the charity stripe in 2022-23 (min. 15 attempts).
NAME
FT-FTA
SCHOOL
Maya Wong
18-18
ISU
Erin Houpt
27-27
Mercer
Sammie Puisis
26-26
South Florida
Jalynn Gregory
19-19
Middle Tennessee
Destiny Thurman
15-15
Colorado St.
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.
DECEMBER DELIGHTS
Since head coach Kristen Gillespie took over in 2017-18, ISU is 17-9 all-time in the month of December.
GAINING NATIONAL RECOGNITION
For the second straight week, Illinois State sees themselves seated at no. 8 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major top-25 poll, as of Nov. 29.
Joining the ‘Birds in this week’s top-25 are fellow MVC members Drake (#7), and UNI (#22). Meanwhile, 2022-23 opponents Belmont, Green Bay, Valparaiso, Missouri State, and UIC are all receiving votes.
FILLING THE STAT SHEET
In what head coach Kristen Gillespie dubbed “probably one of the best performances in Redbird women’s basketball history,” graduate guard Paige Robinson played lights out on Sunday, Nov. 20, in part of ISU’s 62-57 win over Big Ten foe, Wisconsin. The Bethany, Ill native went for 37 points (14-19 FG), including a perfect 7-7 from behind the arc while adding six rebounds and an assist in the five-point victory.
For context: Through games on 11/20/22, no other player in all Division I have gone 7-7 from three this season and no one has done better than that since 2018 (per Calvin Wetzel of Her Hoop Stats). Robinson is also the first player since 2018 to score 37+ points and go a perfect 7-7 from the arc, becoming only the third player to do so since at least the 2009-10 season (when Her Hoop Stats started collecting data).
The 37 points for the guard mark the first time a Redbird has scored 37 in a game since JuJu Redmond did so against Valparaiso last February. Also, as Robinson would make 14 field goals against the Badgers, she became the first Redbird to make 10+ field goals in a game since Redmond did so in last year’s March Madness against Iowa.
Robinson’s 37 points were second-most in all Division I women’s basketball on Sunday, only trailing Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist who totaled 41 points off 14-25 shooting. Robinson and Siegrist were two of nine DI women’s basketball players with at least 30 points on Nov. 20, joined by DePaul’s Darrione Rogers, North Dakota’s Kacie Borowicz, Maryland’s Diamond Miller, James Madison’s Kiki Jefferson, Iowa State’s Ashley Joens, UConn’s Azzi Fudd, and Iowa’s Cailtin Clark).
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.
BATTLE TESTED
Including the season opener at Dayton on Nov. 10, Illinois State has now played six overtime or double overtime games under head coach Kristen Gillespie. In those six games, the Redbirds have gone 4-2 overall, with four of the games taking place during the 2019-20 season.
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.
B1G TIME EFFORT FOR B1G TIME RESULT
With a 62-57-win on Nov. 20, Illinois State women’s basketball saw its first home victory over Wisconsin since December 1985, a 64-57 OT victory. Meanwhile, the five-point win also allowed ISU to pick up its first win over a current Big Ten program since 2012 when ISU handed Northwestern a 64-46 defeat.
The win also moved ISU head coach Kristen Gillespie to 2-2 all-time against current Big Ten schools, with her previous win coming on the road at Illinois in November 2019.
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.
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.
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.
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