LAST TIME OUT
Four Wildcats scored in double figures as Northwestern cruised to an 88-64 win over Parkside in its lone exhibition game this past Sunday. Kyla Jones paced the ‘Cats with 18 points. Taylor Williams finished with a double-double, putting up 16 points and 16 rebounds. Casey Harter knocked down three triples en route to finishing with 16 points of her own, while Grace Sullivan added 14 points.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
Piloted by eighth-year head coach Kristen Gillespie, Illinois State finished 22-12 (13-7 MVC) in 2023-24, the program’s second consecutive 20-win campaign. The Redbirds made their a fourth-straight trip to the postseason, advancing to the Super 16 of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
Illinois State was picked to finish seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Preseason Poll. Gillespie welcomes back a pair of starters from last season in Maya Wong and Shannon Dowell. Wong, a Preseason All-MVC pick, ranked second on the team in scoring last season, averaging 11.8 points per game, while Dowell scored in double figures 17 teams en route to earning a spot on the MVC All-Freshman Team.
During Gillespie’s tenure, Illinois State owns victories over a pair of Big Ten Conference opponents, having downed Illinois (2019) and Wisconsin (2022), respectively.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern and Illinois State will meet for the 16th time, a series which the Wildcats’ lead, 9-6 (.600). The ‘Cats are a perfect 5-0 (1.000) all-time against Illinois State inside Welsh-Ryan Arena, most recently defeating the Redbirds by a 69-62 final on November 17, 2011 behind a team-high 18 points from Danielle Diamant.
Since his arrival in Evanston prior to the start of the 2008-09 season, Northwestern is 14-2 (.875) all-time in regular season openers under head coach Joe McKeown. McKeown also sports an impressive 15-1 (.938) mark in home openers with the Wildcats.
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back on the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood on Sunday, November 10 for a 2 p.m. tilt against Lehigh.
