Illinois State and UNI lead The Valley race entering this week’s action, sitting at 5-1 in league play. The Redbirds completed a four-game road trip with four-straight wins, becoming the first team in league history to go unblemished over a four game league road trip. Murray State, Drake and Missouri State each sit one game behind the leaders at 4-2.
This week’s schedule is highlighted by Belmont and Murray State hosting Missouri State and Southern Illinois.
Nothing But NET
The NCAA NET Report (Jan. 16) has four Valley teams that rank in the top-100, including six of the 12 sitting in the top 130. Drake leads the way at No. 51 with UNI (70), Murray State (93) and Illinois State (96), rounding out the schools in the Top 100. Belmont (109) and Missouri State (127) rank in the top 130.
Only seven other leagues have six or more teams in the Top 130 of the NET (ACC, American, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, MVC, Pac-12 and SEC.)
Warren Moving Up
UNI Head Coach Tanya Warren continues her pursuit to becoming the MVC’s all-time leader in games coached. Warren will coach her 500th game on Thursday vs. Valparaiso and is on pace to become The Valley’s all-time leader on Feb. 12 at Valparaiso.
MOST GAMES COACHED
Name, School (Years) Games
Cindy Scott, Southern Illinois (1983-98) 506
Jill Hutchison, Illinois State (1983-99) 501
Tanya Warren, UNI (2008-present) 499
Sharp Shooter
Illinois State’s Mary Crompton continues her move up The Valley career three-point field goal list. The graduate student enters the week with 260 career three-point field goals and sits 13th on The Valley’s all-time list.
3-Point Field Goals Made (Career)
1. 314 - Gabi Haack, Bradley 2017-22
2. 294 - Dayna Finch, Creighton 2001-04
3. 277 - Rishonda Napier, Southern Illinois 2014-17
4. 276 - Brittany Schoen, Indiana State 2008-12
5. 271 - Kari Koch, Missouri State 2002-06
6. 266 - Lindsay Whorton, Drake 2004-08
7. 265 - Jenni Lingor, Missouri State 2002-05
265 - Jacqui Kalin, UNI 2007-10; 2012-13
9. 266 - Makenzie Silvey, Southern Illinois 2017-22
10. 263 - Kelsey Luna, Indiana State 2006-10
11. 262 - Jaleshia Roberson, Missouri State 2008-12
12. 261 - Kelsey Woodard, Creighton 2007-11
13. 260 - Mary Crompton, Illinois State 2018-pres.
14. 258 - Melody Howard, Missouri State 1991-94
258 - Becca Hittner, Drake 2016-20
1,000 Point Club
The Valley has 11 active players in the 1,000 point club entering this week’s action. Missouri State senior Sydney Wilson is just three points shy of becoming the 31st Lady Bear in program history with 1,000 career points.
Current MVC Players in 1,000 Point Club
1,853 - Macey Turley, Murray State
1,374 - Abby Feit, Evansville
1,341 - Katelyn Young, Murray State
1,312 - Sydni Harvey, Belmont
1,238 - Destinee Wells, Belmont
1,185 - Aniya Thomas, Missouri State
1,096 - Grace Berg, Drake
1,090 - Myia Clark, Evansville
1,070 - Kam Finley, UNI
1,062 - Mary Crompton, Illinois State
1,031 - Chelsea Cain, Indiana State
BEL: Tough Loss vs. Redbirds
Junior guard Destinee Wells scored a team-high 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting in Sunday’s loss to Illinois State. It was her seventh 20-point game of the season and 27th of her 73-game career. Sophomore guard Kilyn McGuff registered 11 points, six rebounds and a season-high three steals Sunday versus the Redbirds. She has reached double figures in three of the last four games.
BU: 1-74 Rivalry
The Braves battled back against long-time rival Illinois State but were defeated 50-60. Caroline Waite scored 19 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished two assists and snagged three steals, going 4-8 from three-point range. Isis Fitch once again almost had another double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
DU: So Close and So Far
Drake women’s basketball split their pair of games in opposite fashion last week. The Bulldogs began their week of action with a hard-fought, back-and-forth 70-69 loss to UNI (1/11). The Panthers picked up their first win in Des Moines since 2016 on a last-second floater by Maya McDermott. Drake was able to rebound on the road with a comfortable 21-point defeat of Indiana State in Terre Haute (1/14). The Bulldogs 86-65 victory over the Sycamores was their ninth double-digit win.
UE: Packed the House
Against Indiana State on Wednesday night, the Aces nearly filled Meeks Family Fieldhouse. Holding an Orange Out, 616 fans filled the Fieldhouse, helping UE to a 65-54 win over Indiana State. The 616 fans are the second-most in Meeks Family Fieldhouse history for women’s basketball.
UIC: Successful Homestand
The Flames started two weeks at home with a loss to Indiana State, but beat Evansville, Valparaiso and Southern Illinois to finish the homestand 3-1. The Flames were led by Josie Filer, who offensively averaged 17.25 PPG and 9.25 rebounds per game. Snapping a five-game losing streak that spanned over almost all of December, the Flames have reached double-digits in the win column (11-6) for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. They return on the road to take on Drake and Northern Iowa this week to maintain momentum.
ILS: Milestone Watch
Kristen Gillespie moved her ISU win total to 98 with the two road wins last week. Gillespie is looking to become the first Redbird head coach to amass 100 career wins at ISU since current Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton, who finished her ISU coaching career with a mark of 144-81 over seven seasons.
Graduate guard Mary Crompton sits with 98 career starts as a Redbird. Crompton is looking to become the ninth ISU WBB athlete to eclipse 100 career starts and first since current UIC head coach and former Redbird star Ashleen Bracey did so over her career from 2006-10.
INS: Dropping Dimes
Despite the scoreline in Indiana State’s last game against Drake, Sycamore guard Anna McKendree still had a game to remember. McKendree led Indiana State with 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals while also chipping in 14 points. It was the first double-double of her Indiana State career and the first points-assists double-double by a Sycamore since ISU Hall of Famer Melanie Boeglin accomplished the feat on March 4, 2006.
MOST: Thomas’ Big Night
In last week’s win against Southern Illinois, fifth-year senior Aniya Thomas tallied 25 points and a career-high 10 assists to just two turnovers. She became the first Lady Bear since Casey Garrison on Jan. 29, 2012 to record at least 20 points and 10 assists. Thomas leads the team with 74 assists and 37 steals, and ranks 2nd in the MVC with 4.9 assists/game and 2.5 steals/game.
MUR: Dominating Performances
The Racers have been dominant in their wins this season, leading nine of 11 victories by 35 minutes or more, including five wire-to-wire wins.
Katelyn Young is one of the most dominant players in the nation, averaging 21.1 points per game and 7.6 rebounds. She is currently 13th in the nation in points per game, 27th in field goal percentage (56.0) and 25th in the nation in free throw percentage (89.0).
UNI: Rivalry Win
Maya McDermott hit the final second floater to give UNI its first win over Drake in the Knapp Center since 2016. McDermott led the Panthers with 19 points and six assists in the 70-69 win. McDermott hit a one-handed floater with 0.3 seconds left on the clock to snap UNI’s five game losing skid to the Bulldogs.
SIU: Double Digit Guard
Saluki senior guard Ashley Jones has scored double figures in all but two games this season. The Mississippi State transfer leads the team in scoring (15.0), 3-pointers made (24) and free throws made (42) and is second in assists (3.1). She averages an identical 15.0 points per game through six Valley games to date.
VU: Taking Down the Lady Bears
Valpo earned its first win in program history over Missouri State on Saturday, as the Beacons were previously 0-10 against the Lady Bears, with all 10 matchups coming since Valpo joined the MVC and with an average margin of defeat of 16.4 points. The win over MSU means Valpo has now defeated all nine teams which were members of the Valley when it joined at least once.
HerHoopStats Stat of the Week
Ky Dempsey-Toney of UIC is the only player in the country averaging at least 1.25 points each time she tries to shoot including when fouled while finishing at least 35% of her team’s plays while on the floor.
