GW will visit the Illinois State Redbirds of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in a Great 8 match up of the WNIT on March 30 at 6:30 PM (ET). The Ramblers finished 3rd in the MVC regular season and lost to 10th-seeded Evansville in the semi-finals of the conference championships. The Redbirds posted 3 victories against A10 opponents this season, having beaten Dayton, Loyola Chicago, and Saint Louis in their OOC schedule. They also defeated Bradley, GW’s Round 1 WNIT opponent, twice in conference play. Wins over University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Abilene Christian in the WNIT booked their slot in the Great 8. 

Illinois State Redbirds: 13-7 in the MVC and 22-13 overall.
Leading Scorers: Doneelah Washington (17.1 ppg), Addison Martin (12.4 ppg), Trista Fayta (11.8 ppg)
Leading Rebounders: Washington (8.5 rpg), Martin (5.9 rpg), Fayta (4.2 rpg)
Assists Leaders: Fayta (5.8 apg), Martin (2.9 apg)
Key Bench Players: Grace Nelson (5.8 ppg), Bella Finnegan (5.7 ppg)
Team Offense: 72.5 ppg; 44% Field Goal Accuracy (31% on 3-pointers); 16.4 Assists per game; 14 Turnovers per game; Assist-to-Turnover Ratio 1.2
Team Defense: 67.3 ppg; 36.7 rpg; 14.2 Forced Turnovers per game 

George Washington Revolutionaries: 7-11 in the A10 and 18-17 overall
Leading Scorers: Gabby Reynolds (14.6 ppg), Sara Lewis (11.2 ppg), Kamari Sims (8.2 ppg)
Leading Rebounders: Lewis (6.0 rpg), Tannah Becker 4.4 rpg), Reynolds (4.4 rpg)
Assists Leaders: Sims (2.3 apg), Mia James (1.9 apg)
Key Bench Players: Jaeda Wilson (5.5 ppg), Peyton Dulin (1.8 ppg)
Team Offense: 61.2 ppg; 41.2% Field Goal Accuracy (31.1% on 3-pointers); 11.5 Assists per game; 15.8 Turnovers per game; Assist-to-Turnover Ratio 0.7
Team Defense: 60.7 ppg; 35 rpg; 13.8 Forced Turnovers per game 

Illinois State provides GW’s biggest challenge yet in the WNIT. Not only are the Redbirds 16-1 on their home court, but they have been successful against a number of other A10 opponents this season. This contest will feature a battle between Southern Illinois’ potent offense and GW’s stout defense. The Revs’ defense will have to limit a trio of players who can score and rebound, and who are also adept at playmaking. In the WNIT, Washington has averaged 22 ppg and 6 rpg, while Martin has added 10.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg and Fayta has dished out 6 apg. On offense, the Revs must run their deliberate offense, without careless turnovers, to create good shot opportunities. Lewis and Reynolds are capable of big games, but they’ll need help from others to counter the Redbirds’ balanced attack. Sims can be a consistent threat, but any additional scoring from Wilson, Becker, or James will help. Once again, the bench will have to provide effective support in their minutes to allow the starters to rest. Dulin, Loving, and Calisto have provided solid minutes defensively and need to continue to do so. And neither Lewis or Reynolds can afford to get into foul trouble. This is a great opportunity for both teams, but only one can come out on top. 

To the winner, a trip to the WNIT Fab 4.