McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team has secured a First-Round bye in the 2025 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), as announced by the WNIT office. The Redbirds will face the winner of the Western Illinois and Lipscomb game, scheduled for Thursday in Macomb, Illinois.

The specifics regarding the date, time, and location of Illinois State's Second Round game will be disclosed later. The WNIT Second Round is slated for March 23-25.

Historically, Illinois State has dominated its encounters with Western Illinois, leading the series 43-4. Their last meeting was in 2020 when Illinois State won 85-55 in Macomb. The Redbirds have never played against Lipscomb.

Under head coach Kristen Gillespie, Illinois State (21-12, 14-6 MVC) has achieved three consecutive seasons with over 20 wins. This marks their first such streak since the period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Additionally, this season represents their fifth-straight postseason appearance, including participation in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This year will be their fourth WNIT appearance during Gillespie's tenure and their third consecutive WNIT bid.

Since 2000, Illinois State holds a record of 16-10 in the WNIT. Last season they defeated Charleston at CEFCU Arena to advance to the WNIT Super 16.

The current WNIT features a field of 48 teams with 11 automatic qualifiers and 37 at-large selections based on various criteria evaluated by WNIT officials. Among these teams are those that have achieved at least 20 wins this season, including Illinois State with its tally of 21 victories. All tournament games will be hosted on campus sites beginning March 20-22. The championship game is scheduled for April 5 at CBS Sports Network.

For more information on tickets and other updates related to Illinois State athletics, visit GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App.