The Illinois State women’s basketball team turned in another record-breaking season in 2009-2010. The Redbirds tied the school record for wins with 28, won a third-straight Missouri Valley Conference Regular-Season title, and advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for a second-consecutive year.
Wins over Butler and Purdue in the first two rounds set up rematches for the Redbirds in the next two games. ISU avenged a loss in the 2009 WNIT semifinals by beating Kansas, 71-51, in Redbird Arena.
In-state rival Illinois came back to Redbird Arena in the quarterfinals. The Fighting Illini beat the Redbirds in the regular season, but thanks to 4,459 screaming Redbird fans and a late three-pointer, ISU exacted its revenge with a 53-51 win.
Another home game awaited ISU in the semifinals, with California making the trip to Illinois from the West Coast. A cold-shooting night plagued the Redbirds, who lost to Cal, 61-45.
