Illinois State women’s basketball faces South Dakota for a spot in the WNIT Championship

Image from Illinois State women’s basketball.

NORMAL, Ill. — Illinois State women’s basketball seeks redemption in the WNIT Fab 4 at 7 p.m. on April 1 as they face South Dakota in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. This is the first time the Redbirds and Coyotes have faced each other, but seasons are at stake with a spot in the championship on the line,

This is the second-straight year ISU has been to the Fab 4, but they fell short to Troy last year in CEFCU Arena. The Redbirds lost four starters from that team going into this season, but hope for a different result in the away campaign.

ISU is coming off a 61-53 win against George Washington University where four Redbirds ended the night in double-digits. The flock had their best 3-point shooting night of the season, going seven of 14. Addison Martin led the team with 15 points, her 27th game of the season with 10 or more.

South Dakota faced a tough battle against Montana State in its Great 8 matchup, but reigned victorious over the Bobcats with a 65-56 win. The team was led by Molly Joyce who had a career-high 31 points. The junior had six points in the last minute to help secure South Dakota its 15th home win of the year. The Coyotes shot 44% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc.

USD finished its regular season third in the Summit League Conference, but turned things around in the WNIT. The Fab 4 matchup is the second time in school history the team is playing in April. They have only lost one game in front of their home crowd during all appearances in the WNIT.

Both teams have highly honored players on their rosters. Doneelah Washington earned the Missouri Valley Conference Most-Improved Player award and a spot on the MVC’s First-Team roster, while Kya Hurt secured a position on the All-Freshman team. For the Coyotes, Joyce’s Summit League Newcomer of the Year honor earned her a spot on the All-Newcomer Team and was on the second team all-Summit League. Angelina Robbles secured a spot on the First Team All-Summit League roster.

USD finished its regular-season as the best defensive team in the Summit League and ISU will need to get Washington going in the point. Trista Fayta is ISU’s All-Time Assists Leader and it will be crucial for her to move the ball well both inside and outside the arc.

The Redbirds look to secure their first ever WNIT Championship appearance and a win for the Coyotes would send them back to the championship game for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The winner awaits a date the winner of Marshall and Arkansas State.

For all things Redbird women’s basketball, stay tuned on wznd.com.