McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team, seeded fifth, is set to face Southern Illinois, the 12th seed, in the opening round of the 2025 Credit Union 1 MVC Women's Basketball Tournament. The Redbirds have a record of 20-11 overall and 14-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Southern Illinois stands at 4-25 overall and 2-18 in conference play.

Several players from Illinois State received recognition for their performances this season. Shannon Dowell was named to the All-MVC second team, having averaged 16.9 points per game with a shooting percentage of 48.7%. Elyce Knudsen and Addison Martin were both honored on the MVC Newcomer Team. Knudsen averaged 14 points per game with notable shooting percentages, earning five MVC Newcomer of the Week titles. Martin led the league with a shooting percentage of 58.7% and was a three-time recipient of the same weekly honor. Doneelah Washington was included in the MVC Freshman team, leading all freshmen with 25 blocks during Valley play.

Historically, Illinois State has been successful in the MVC Women's Basketball Tournament, winning it five times previously. This year marks only their fourth appearance as a No.5 seed since the tournament expanded to ten teams in 2006.

The Redbirds have dominated their series against Southern Illinois, leading it by an overall margin of 69-46 and holding a slight edge at MVC tournaments with a record of 5-4 against them. They recently defeated Southern Illinois in their last regular-season game with standout performances from Knudsen and Dowell.

Elyce Knudsen also earned her fifth Valley Newcomer of the Week title after averaging over twenty points per game across two games last week. She scored a season-high of twenty-eight points against Southern Illinois and achieved career highs in several categories.

For more information on tickets and other resources related to Illinois State sports, fans are encouraged to visit GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App.