2023-11-24 05:50:36
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NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Women’s Basketball (3-1, 0-0 MVC) heads to the San Francisco Bay Area for a pair of matchups once morest first-time foes at the 2023 Saint Mary’s Thanksgiving Classic. The Redbirds open with UT Arlington Friday evening at UCU Pavillion before taking on host Saint Marys Saturday at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+ and the Redbird Sports Radio Network. Friday’s contest is only available on the Redbird Sports Radio Network.
SERIES HISTORY
Illinois State will take on both foes for the first time.
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois State took down in-state foe Saint Francis 89-51 in its last outing at CEFCU Arena Nov. 19 as the Redbirds improved to 2-0 at home on the young season.
Four newcomers scored in double figures, led by Caroline Waite’s game-high 19 points on 5-for-9 shooting from deep. Waite scored 16 points in the third quarter, hitting four from behind the arc. It was her third performance this year with 17-plus points in a single game. Three freshman reached double figures off the bench Sunday, led by Shannon Dowell’s 12 points following a seven-point first quarter. Brooke Coffey notched 11 points while Savannah McGowan scored 10 for the Redbirds. It was Dowell and Coffey’s first double-figure scoring outing of their college career. McGowan also reached double figures with 12 points in the Redbird season opener at Omaha Nov. 6.
Dowell guided Illinois State to a 25-11 lead following the opening frame. Her 5-0 personal run helped the Redbirds to a 17-7 advantage, their first double-digit lead of the game, with 2:27 left in the quarter. Illinois State’s freshman class scored 24 of the team’s 39 first-half points as the Redbirds led 39-20 at the break. Dowell led all scorers with 10 while McGowan had 8, Coffey scored 4 and Molly Lenz had 2 points. Waite and the Redbirds outscored Saint Francis 29-13 in the third to build a 68-33 lead heading into the fourth. Illinois State hit six threes in the third including three straight to open the quarter as Aalsma hit a pair and Waite hit one. Waite went on to score 8 straight points for the Redbirds from 3:53 to 3:10 in the quarter.
WAITE’S WORLD
Junior Bradley transfer Caroline Waite has made a splash in her short time with the Redbirds.
She averaged 19.5 points across two wins last week on 9-of-16 shooting (56 percent) from behind the arc. Waite opened the week with her first 20-point scoring outing at Illinois State, pouring in 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep as the Redbirds beat SIUE 90-86. Waite followed it up with her 19-point performance Sunday in Illinois State’s win over Saint Francis (IL).
Waite has scored 17-plus points in all three of Illinois State’s wins this year. She also hit 3-plus three pointers in each of those wins. She ranks 9th in the Valley this season, averaging 15.3 points per game and first in the league with 3.3 three pointers per game. She is shooting 48.3 percent from behind the arc this year.
MAKING IT RAIN
The Redbirds hit a season-high 12 threes in Sunday’s win, led by Waite (5) and Aalsma (3) who each hit three-plus in the game. Five different Redbirds hit from deep as Coffey, Cohen and Dowell also connected. It was the second time this year the Redbirds have hit 10-plus threes, joining the season opener at Omaha (10).
For the season, Illinois State is shooting 43.8 percent from deep (7th in NCAA DI and 1st in MVC) and is averaging 8.8 three pointers per game (31st in NCAA DI and 3rd in MVC).
HIGH SCORING OFFENSE
The Redbirds scored 90-plus points in two of their first three games of a season for the first time in program history. Illinois State scored 105 to open the year at Omaha Nov. 6 and 90 vs SIUE Nov. 15. Illinois State is the only Valley team to put up 90+ points in two of their first three games this season.
Sunday’s scoring performance was Illinois State’s third game this season scoring 85+ points. The Redbirds are averaging 86.5 points per game this year.
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