When the Illinois State University women’s basketball team (20-10) takes on the University of Evansville (4-27) Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament opening round, the Redbirds will face a foe they defeated without much trouble just a few weeks ago. The one big difference is that the calendar has changed to March, a fact not lost on head coach Kristen Gillespie.
“Everyone gets really excited when March rolls around,” Gillespie said. “We have the utmost respect for Robyn (Robyn Scherr-Wells, Evansville’s head coach) and what she’s done with her program at Evansville. They’ve been playing pretty well as of late, so we have to be locked in and ready to go.”
Opening Hoops in the Heartland on a Thursday as a five seed—the top four don’t play until Friday’s quarterfinal round—is not where Gillespie was aiming. But there are benefits to playing on Thursday, she said, including possibly settling some nerves.
“If you have success on Thursday, you’ve got a game under your belt,” she said. “Some of those nerves are out by Friday. You feel a little bit more settled in the arena. Your players feel a little bit more comfortable.”
Even though the Redbirds’ 78-50 defeat of the Purple Aces at CEFCU Arena on February 25 is a fresh memory, Gillespie said her team is focused on winning in Moline.
“We aren’t overlooking Thursday,” she said. “We know that we have to come with our A game.”
“We know that we have to win on Thursday. We can’t worry about Friday. Thursday is the biggest game of the year for us.”
Kristen Gillespie
Key players for the Redbirds this season include DeAnna Wilson, the team’s leading scorer, Maya Wong, Kate Bullman, Daijah Smith, Abbie Aalsma, and Caroline Waite, all veteran players. A big surprise has been the play of freshman guard Shannon Dowell, who scored 25, 28, and 23 points in three of the past four regular season games.
“What I love about Shannon is No. 1 she’s just an unbelievable human being,” Gillespie said. “She’s one of the fan favorites and is friends with everyone in our locker room.
“She’s been working so hard after practice, getting in early working with Mannie Robinson on our staff. She has a great desire to be really good. She’s been playing at a really high level.”
Gillespie said she’s come to rely on Wilson, Wong, and Bullman to set the tone for team culture and make clear to younger players what the expectations are of the program. She also appreciates her team’s attitude and effort and the fact that she’s gotten contributions from a variety of players this season.
“What I love about the 13 individuals in our locker room is they’re all competitors,” she said. “They all want to win.”
Gillespie said March turns into a brand new season where everyone dreams of going to the NCAA Tournament and having the chance to climb up a ladder and cut down nets.
“It’s the greatest time as a competitor,” she said. ““There are 12 teams traveling to Moline to try to make some memories happen, and we want to be one of those teams.
“We know that we have to win on Thursday. We can’t worry about Friday. Thursday is the biggest game of the year for us.”
2024 Hoops in the Heartland Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament ticket and hotel package information
Where: Vibrant Arena at The MARK, Moline
When: March 14-17, 2024
Tickets: Illinois State’s ticket allotment for Hoops in the Heartland is sold out. Fans still looking for tickets can purchase them through Ticketmaster.
Hotel info: The Element Moline is the Illinois State home base during the 2024 Hoops in the Heartland tournament.
Price: $169/night
Reservations: For reservations, call (309) 517-1659, and ask for the Illinois State MVC fan block.
Quad Cities Redbird Rally
As a part of the weekend, Illinois State Athletics, the Office of the President, and the Alumni Association invite you to Pour Bros. Craft Taproom Moline, the official Redbird hangout for tournament weekend, for a rally prior to the Redbirds’ 2:30 p.m. game against the Evansville Purple Aces on March 14 at Vibrant Arena at The MARK.
Illinois State Interim President Aondover Tarhule, Interim Director of Athletics Jeri Beggs, and Illinois State’s band and cheerleading team will all be part of the rally.
When: 1 p.m., Thursday, March 14
Where: Pour Bros. Craft Taproom Moline, 1209 4th Ave., Suite 2
Cost: Free to attend. Complimentary food provided by Interim President Tarhule and Redbird Athletics. Cash bar available.
TV/radio coverage
Games Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be streamed on ESPN+, and Sunday’s 1 p.m. championship game will be televised on ESPN2. All of Illinois State’s games will be broadcast on WJBC AM 1230 / FM 93.7 / The Varsity Network.
