McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team is set to compete against Troy in the WNIT Fab 4 on Wednesday night at CEFCU Arena, Normal, Illinois. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The winner will progress to face either Buffalo or Cleveland State in the WNIT Championship on Saturday at 4 p.m., which will be aired on CBS Sports Network. The finals' venue is yet to be determined.

The Redbirds are making their fourth appearance in the WNIT Semifinal in the program's history, the first since 2011. Previously, they reached the semifinals consecutively from 2009 to 2011, defeating six Power 5 teams in the process, although they have never reached the championship game. Their WNIT record stands at 19-10 since 2000, with a formidable 16-3 win-loss record when playing at home.

A standout performance by Elyce Knudsen was noted on Monday, as she made five three-pointers, bringing her season total to 90. This achievement sets a new program record for the most triples in a season and places her eighth in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) history.

The Redbirds delivered a strong performance in their victory over Louisiana Tech, achieving a field goal rate of 57.1%, setting a postseason record. This was the third consecutive WNIT game where they shot over 50% from both the field and three-point range.

The upcoming game will be the 37th of the season for Illinois State, the highest number in team history. Players Shannon Dowell, Nevaeh Thomas, Addison Martin, Trista Fayta, Maya Wong, and Doneelah Washington are all expected to participate for the 37th time this season.

Shannon Dowell has accumulated 932 career points before the end of her sophomore year. She has surpassed Kristi Cirone, the program's all-time scoring leader, who scored 930 points by the same point in her career.

Illinois State's 24 victories this season match their 2022-23 performance under head coach Kristen Gillespie. A win on Wednesday could see them achieve 25 or more wins in a season for the fifth time in program history, a feat not accomplished since the 2009-10 season.

For more information on Illinois State sports, including tickets and merchandise, visit GoRedbirds.com or check the Illinois State Redbirds App.