McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team is preparing for upcoming games against Indiana State and Evansville. The Redbirds, currently holding a 14-9 overall record and an 8-4 record in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), will face Indiana State on Thursday at 6 p.m. and Evansville on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Redbirds have maintained strong winning streaks against both opponents. They have won their last 11 meetings with Indiana State, including a decisive 96-69 victory earlier this season. In that game, Nevaeh Thomas scored a career-high of 25 points and added 10 rebounds. Shannon Dowell contributed with 20 points, while freshman Doneelah Washington achieved her first double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Historically, Illinois State leads the series against Indiana State with a record of 61-45.

Against Evansville, Illinois State has also shown dominance, winning their last 15 encounters. Their most recent meeting resulted in a 79-55 win for the Redbirds, where senior Caroline Waite led the team with 14 points and surpassed the milestone of scoring over 1,000 career points. Overall, Illinois State holds a commanding lead in their series against Evansville with a record of 45-19.

Maya Wong is set to make history for Illinois State by appearing in her 146th game on Thursday, surpassing Nicolle Lewis's previous program record. Over her five-year tenure with the team, Wong has contributed to an impressive overall record of 95-53.

Freshman Doneelah Washington continues to excel defensively by tallying her 26th block of the season recently at UNI. She leads all freshmen in the MVC in blocks and ranks third on Illinois State's freshman single-season block list.

For more information about tickets and merchandise related to Illinois State athletics, fans are encouraged to visit GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App.