NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State women's basketball (23-12, 14-6 MVC) battles Louisiana Tech (18-16, 8-10 CUSA) Monday in the WNIT Great 8 inside CEFCU Arena. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at goredbirds.com/tickets. 

Monday's winner will advance to play North Dakota State or Troy in the WNIT Fab 4. Date, time and location of that matchup are to be announced.    

SERIES HISTORY 

The two programs are set to meet for the eighth time all-time and the third time in the postseason. Monday will mark the second meeting between the programs in the WNIT, joining a 73-59 win for the Redbirds inside CEFCU Arena in 2009. The Redbirds traveled to Ruston in the 1985 NCAA Tournament, falling 81-57.   

Illinois State has won the last two meetings, which includes a 70-53 victory over the Lady Techsters in the 2022 UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament.  

WNIT HISTORY 

Illinois State makes its 16th appearance all-time in the WNIT and its fourth trip to the WNIT in Kristen Gillespie's tenure. The Redbirds have earned a WNIT bid for the third consecutive season. Illinois State is 18-10 overall in the WNIT since 2000 and 15-3 at home in the WNIT over that stretch. This year marks the second-straight season the Redbirds have hosted postseason basketball at CEFCU Arena.  

Illinois State made three consecutive trips to the WNIT Semifinals from 2009 to 2011, earning six wins over Power 5 foes across the three runs. 

SINGLE SEASON HISTORY 

Thursday marks Illinois State's 36th game this season, which ties the 1980-81 and 2009-10 squads for the most games in a single season in program history. Shannon Dowell, Nevaeh Thomas, Addison Martin, Trista Fayta, Maya Wong and Doneelah Washington are all expected to make their 36th appearance this year, which will tie a school record held by five members of the 2009-10 Redbirds and six Redbirds from 1980-81. 

Martin and Wong are expected to make their 36th starts of the season, which will also tie a school record held by four members from 2009-10 and Cathy Boswell from 1980-81. 

SHANNON SCORING MARK 

With 604 points this season Shannon Dowell ranks fourth on the Illinois State single season scoring list. She is one of four players in program history to score 600+ points in a single season and the second Redbird to achieve that as a freshman or sophomore. (Cathy Boswell, 1980-81).  

Her 922 career points is the third-highest scoring total all-time for a Redbird before the end of their sophomore season. She is behind the program's all-time scoring leaders Kristi Cirone and Cathy Boswell. 

E FROM DEEP 

With a career-high 85 threes this season Elyce Knudsen has climbed into the top three of Illinois State's single season three pointer list. She is one of just three players in program history to knock down 80+ threes in a single season.  

Knudsen is five threes away from breaking the program's single-season three point record and would become the first player in program history to make 90+ threes in a single season. 

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