In case you missed it, Coach Gillespie and the women’s basketball team raised the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament trophy and earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 50-48 victory over Northern Iowa! This is the fifth tournament title in program history (1983, 1989, 2003, 2008, 2022).
The Birds are set to take the national stage this Friday (March 18), taking on second-seeded Iowa in Iowa City at 3 p.m. (CDT).
Tournament Tickets
Single-session tickets are $16 and can be requested for purchase at GoRedbirds.com or by calling the Redbird Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 while supplies last. Tickets will be issued in the following priority from interested parties: Weisbecker Scholarship Fund donors, Women’s Basketball season ticket holders, and letterwinners, Illinois State University alumni, and all other fans.
Fan Bus
Ride to the game in style on the Illinois State Athletics fan bus with fellow Redbird fans. Tickets for the bus are $75 and include the ride to and from Iowa City, a snack, and a ticket for the Friday game. Buses will leave from Horton at 9:30 a.m. Register for the fan bus through GoRedbirds.com.
Redbird Rally
Redbird fans can plan to gather prior to the game Redbird fans can plan to gather prior to the game to get in the Redbird spirit before heading to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Join ISU cheer and band along with Athletic Director Kyle Brennan and President Terri Goss Kinzy to get ready to cheer for the team. A short program and team send-off will take place around 1:15 p.m. Rally is free to attend. Limited food and drink will be available for purchase.
When: 12:30-2 p.m.
Where: Courtyard by Marriott Conference Room and Lobby, 901 Melrose Ave, Iowa City
Watch Parties
Redbird fans that can’t make it to Iowa City can catch the game on ESPN. Several watch parties are in the works for regional areas to come together to #BackTheBirds.
- Bloomington
- Party begins @ 3 p.m.
- Schooners, 810 East Grove Street, Bloomington
- Chicago
- Hosted by the Chicago Suburban Alumni Network
- Party begins @ 3 p.m.
- Wheatstack, 5900 South Route 53, Lisle
- RSVP by March 17 online.
- East Peoria
- Party begins @ 2 p.m.
- Buffalo Wild Wings, 833 W. Camp Street, East Peoria
