Preview: Northern Iowa Panthers at Illinois State Redbirds

NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — Two teams jockeying for position in the Missouri Valley Conference standings will meet Thursday when the Illinois State Redbirds host the Northern Iowa Panthers in a women’s basketball matchup.

Both teams enter with identical 10-9 overall records, adding stakes to the conference clash at Redbird Arena. The Panthers will look to replicate their success from the teams’ first meeting this season, a 68-54 Northern Iowa victory at home on Dec. 3.

Northern Iowa (10-9) is coming off a narrow 68-65 home loss to Evansville on Sunday. The Panthers are led by guard Jenna Twedt, who is in the midst of a stellar scoring run. She poured in 30 points in the loss to Evansville and is averaging 18.1 points over her last seven games, including a 20-point performance in a win over Murray State on Jan. 23.

Illinois State (10-9) arrives with momentum after an 85-69 road win at Indiana State on Sunday. The Redbirds are powered by forward Doneelah Washington, who dominated with 30 points and nine rebounds in that victory. Washington has been a force, averaging 24.1 points and 7.9 rebounds over her last seven contests. She recorded a 23-point, 16-rebound double-double in a loss to Belmont on Jan. 4.

The game features a compelling contrast. Northern Iowa will rely on Twedt’s backcourt scoring and the interior presence of Elise Jaeger, who grabbed 15 rebounds against Evansville. Illinois State will counter with Washington’s inside-out versatility and a balanced attack that saw Addison Martin (14 points) and Trista Fayta (10 points, 7 assists) contribute significantly in the win over Indiana State.

With both teams sporting .500 records and seeking a key conference win, Thursday’s contest is pivotal for building momentum for the second half of the Valley schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at Redbird Arena.