Starting Five - Storylines for the Illinois State Game
1) The No. 17/21 Missouri State Lady Bears (23-3, 13-1 MVC) embark on their final road trip of the regular season this week with games at Illinois State (15-10, 7-7) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Bradley (19-6, 10-4) at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Lady Bears have won nine games in a row and are 47-6 overall since Dec. 20, 2018, ranking fourth nationally in total wins since that date. MSU can clinch a share of the MVC title with two wins this week.
2) Missouri State has shot 40 percent or better 22 times and scored at least 68 points in 24 games this season. Through Feb. 25, MSU ranks 15th nationally in scoring offense (78.4), 8th in 3-point percentage (.379), 25th in field goal percentage (.449) and 17th in foul shooting (.768). MSU's scoring average ranks third-best in school history behind the Final Four clubs of 1992 and 2001.
3) MSU has won the rebounding battle in 23 of 26 games this season and owns a plus-9.8 margin on the glass this year, on pace for second in school history. The Lady Bears lead the nation in defensive rebounding rate at .773, and rank 9th in rebound margin.
4) The Lady Bears are off to their best 26-game start since the 2003-04 team opened 24-2, and best home start at 13-0 since that same club finished 17-0 in Springfield. Missouri State's 10 wins prior to MVC play were the most in school history, and the school record for regular season wins is 25.
5) MSU is 20-3 in its last 23 true road games, 26-4 in the last 30 games away from home, 17-1 in the last 18 road Valley games, and 39-8 in the last 47 away MVC contests. The Lady Bears had streaks of 13 straight overall road wins and 13 MVC road wins during that stretch, both school records. Three of the four losses were to teams ranked 17th or higher in the AP Poll.
Series Histories
Missouri State owns a 45-32 series lead over Illinois State with a 19-18 record in Normal. MSU has won 10 of the last 11 in the series and the last six meetings at Redbird Arena.
    The Lady Bears lead Bradley 57-25 in the all-time series with six consecutive wins. MSU is 22-14 against the Braves in Peoria.
Scouting Illinois State
Illinois State is 15-10 overall and 7-7 in MVC play. Lexi Wallen leads the Redbirds in scoring at 17.7 points per game on 58 percent shooting, TeTe Maggett (15.5) and Juliunn Redmond (10.9) also score in double figures, and all three players average at least 6.2 rebounds per game. ISU scores 70.5 points per game and allows 65.4, shooting 43.4 percent overall, 33.6 percent on 3-pointers and 72.4 percent at the foul line with a plus-4.3 rebound margin.
Scouting Bradley
Bradley is 19-6 overall and 10-4 in Valley play for third place. Lasha Petree averages 16.6 points with 61 treys and 44 blocked shots, Gabi Haack adds 13.1 points, 6.4 boards and 60 triples, and Chelsea Brackmann chips in 11.0 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Braves, who were 36th in the Feb. 24 RPI ratings. As a team, BU scores 71.1 points and allows an MVC-low 62.5, shooting 42.5 percent overall, 34.6 percent on 3-pointers and 73.5 at the foul line with a plus-3.2 rebound margin.
First Meeting With Illinois State
Missouri State shot 54 percent and placed five scorers in double figures in an 87-74 victory at JQH Arena on Feb. 2.
Abby Hipp collected her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 boards,Â
Alexa Willard scored a team-high 16 points, and
Mya Bhinhar contributed 14 off the bench. MSU was a perfect 15-for-15 at the foul line and plus-11 on the glass. ISU shot 42.4 percent overall and got six 3-pointers from Mary Crompton and 25 points from Lexi Wallen.
First Meeting With Bradley
Missouri State blitzed the Braves by a 90-56 final on Jan. 31 in Springfield, leading by as many as 42 points in the fourth quarter. The MSU defense held Bradley to 31.4 percent shooting, and six Lady Bears scored at least nine points, led by 15 each from
Brice Calip and
Jasmine Franklin. MSU owned a 43-32 rebounding edge and shot 45.5 percent overall and 21-for-26 at the foul line.
