McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team is preparing for its final home games of the 2024-25 season. The Redbirds, currently holding a record of 17-10 overall and 11-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), will face off against UIC on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Valparaiso on Saturday at 4 p.m., both matches taking place at CEFCU Arena.

Senior Day will be observed during the game against Valparaiso, with players Elyce Knudsen, Lauren Cohen, Caroline Waite, and Maya Wong being honored before the match begins. Fans can use the promo code 'SENIOR25' to purchase discounted tickets for this final home game via goredbirds.com/tickets.

The Redbirds have a strong historical performance against UIC, leading their all-time series by a margin of 21-4, including a record of 10-2 at CEFCU Arena. In their last encounter on January 19 in Chicago, Illinois State secured a victory with scores contributed significantly by Elyce Knudsen and Maya Wong.

Against Valparaiso, Illinois State has maintained an eight-game winning streak. Their recent victory over Valparaiso was achieved with a score of 79-65 earlier this year. This winning streak is the third-longest active streak for Illinois State against current MVC members.

Shannon Dowell has been performing exceptionally well recently, averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game over her last four outings. Her shooting accuracy stands out with field goals made at 54.7% and three-pointers at 41.6%. Last week alone she averaged 20 points and grabbed an average of eleven rebounds per game.

Dowell is among two league players maintaining averages above certain thresholds in MVC play alongside Katie Dinnebier from Drake University. Dowell ranks fifth in the Valley for scoring within conference play.

The upcoming game against UIC marks Illinois State's eighth matchup this season against an in-state rival. Since the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, they have amassed a record of 41 wins to ten losses against such opponents and are particularly dominant when playing them at home inside CEFCU Arena.

Freshman Doneelah Washington has made notable contributions defensively with her blocking ability; she leads Valley freshmen with her block count in MVC play which also places her high among all players within the conference.

For more information about tickets or other details related to Illinois State athletics events visit GoRedbirds.com or download their official app available online.