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2010-11 Women's Basketball News

Monday, June 13, 2011
Rasmussen, Prettyman Honored by NACDA
ORLANDO, Fla. - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced the winners of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award today (June 13) and two MVC ADs were honored.

Friday, June 03, 2011
MVC Announces 2011-12 Championship Sites
Commissioner Doug Elgin has announced a list of dates and sites for the various Missouri Valley Conference sports championships for the 2011-12 athletic season.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011
2010-11 Elite 18 Award Winners
The list of Elite 18 honorees is highlighted by eleven 4.00 GPA selections, with one student-athlete winning the award twice in one year. Nine of the ten Valley schools are represented.

Friday, May 27, 2011
Indiana State Selected for 2011 Preseason WNIT Field
Indiana State was selected as part of the 16-team field for the 2011 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament, announced Thursday.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wichita State Earns All-Sports Trophy
ST. LOUIS, MO. -- Wichita State is the 2010-11 Missouri Valley Conference all-sports champion. Wichita State has won six of the past eight MVC all-sports crowns and owns a league-best 18 all-sports trophies.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Epps Named Evansville Women's Basketball Coach
Oties Epps was named the new head women's basketball coach at the University of Evansville, as announced by Director of Athletics John Stanley in a news conference today.

Monday, April 18, 2011
MVC Enters Partnership With Special Olympics
Commissioner Doug Elgin has announced that the Missouri Valley Conference and the Special Olympics have entered into a partnership that will feature a league-wide community outreach program.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Redbird Run Ends in WNIT Semis
Illinois State's impressive run in the 2011 WNIT ended Wednesday night, as the visiting USC Trojans defeated the Redbirds by a score of 63-36. The Redbirds finished the season 17-1 at home and advanced to the WNIT semifinals for the third-straight year.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Glance Named 2011 Maggie Dixon Rookie Coach of the Year
Illinois State head coach Stephanie Glance is the 2011 recipient of the Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today. This distinguished award honors a WBCA Division I head coach who has led their team to a successful season during their first year at the helm.

Sunday, March 27, 2011
Redbirds Advance to WNIT Semifinals for Third-Straight Season
Illinois State remained perfect at home, as the Redbirds defeated Arkansas, 60-49, in the WNIT Quarterfinal Round Sunday afternoon. Illinois State's home record improves to 17-0, and extends the all-time WNIT home record to 10-1.

Thursday, March 24, 2011
Redbirds Advance to WNIT Quarterfinals
For the third-straight season, Illinois State advances to the WNIT Quarterfinal Round, following a 79-66 win Thursday night over visiting Duquesne. The Redbirds will host Arkansas Sunday at 1:05 p.m. in Redbird Arena.

Sunday, March 20, 2011
UNI Comeback Falls Short Against Michigan State, 69-66
The 13th-seeded UNI Panthers staged a furious comeback against fourth-seeded Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the Panthers came up short at the end, falling 69-66.

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Illinois State Tops Wisconsin in WNIT, 62-59
Illinois State held off a late charge by Wisconsin to win a WNIT second round game, 62-59, at the Kohl Center. For the third-straight season, the Redbirds advance to the WNIT third round, where they will host Duquesne Thursday at Redbird Arena.

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Lady Bears' Rally Falls Short, Fall 65-64 to Arkansas
Despite a furious Missouri State rally in the final minutes, Arkansas pulled out a 65-64 victory over the Lady Bears in second-round WNIT action at JQH Arena. With the loss the Lady Bears close the 2010-11 season with a 24-11 record, marking their highest win total in six years.

Thursday, March 17, 2011
Lady Bears Handle Rice in WNIT Opener, 76-65
Missouri State won its WNIT first round game, a 76-65 decision over the visiting Rice Owls, Thursday night at JQH Arena. The Lady Bears will host Arkansas in the WNIT second round on Sunday, March 20, at 2:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 17, 2011
Creighton's Season Ends in WNIT Loss at Northwestern
Creighton's season came to an end Thursday with an 89-63 loss to Northwestern in the first round of the WNIT Tournament. Carli Tritz led the Bluejays with 14 points and DaNae Moore scored a career-high 11 points, but the Jays couldn't overcome the hot-shooting of the Wildcats.

Thursday, March 17, 2011
Redbirds Defend Home Court in WNIT First Round Victory
Illinois State advanced to the second round of the WNIT for the third-consecutive year Thursday night as the Redbirds beat Central Michigan, 72-59. The Redbirds (21-10) remained undefeated at home in 2011, extending their home-court win streak to a program-best 15 consecutive games.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wichita State Falls to Kansas in WNIT First Round
Playing in the WNIT for the first time in more than a decade, Wichita State could not contain the inside game of Kansas and took a 79-58 defeat Wednesday night. Jessica Diamond scored 18 points to lead the Shockers.

Monday, March 14, 2011
Four League Teams Earn WNIT Tournament Berths
For just the second time in MVC history a league-best four teams will represent the Missouri Valley Conference in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, as Creighton, Illinois State, Missouri State and Wichita State earned bids to the 64-team tournament, as announced Monday evening.

Monday, March 14, 2011
Panthers to Face Michigan State in NCAA First Round
The Panthers will face Michigan State, the Big Ten regular-season champion, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March, 20, at 6:30 p.m. CST in Wichita, Kan. UNI (27-5) is a No. 13 seed, while the Spartans (26-5) are a No. 4 seed.

Sunday, March 13, 2011
UNI Earns MVC Automatic NCAA Berth
The top-seeded UNI Panthers rolled to their 19th straight win in a 69-41 decision over Missouri State in the championship game of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Friday, March 11, 2011
Valley Completes Pilot Season With Game Plan Instant Replay
The Valley has completed a pilot season of utilizing a new High Definition Courtside Video Replay system at its member institutions, as well as the first-ever deployment of this cutting-edge technology at its post-season basketball tournaments.

Thursday, March 10, 2011
UNI's Kalin Named Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year
After leading Northern Iowa to its best season in program history, Jacqui Kalin has been named the 2011 Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year, becoming the first-ever Panther in league history to earn this award.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011
MVC Announces Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams
The league announces its all-Missouri Valley Conference teams today.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011
MVC Announces Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Teams
UNI's Jacqui Kalin has been named Prairie Farms MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and headlines a group of five of the league's top players named to the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete First Team, as voted by the conference's Sports Information Directors.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011
State Farm MVC Women's Basketball Tournament Notebook (Mar. 8)
Tournament play starts Thursday with the Bradley vs. Evansville game (5:05 pm). All opening round and quarterfinal games will be videostreamed FREE on MVC Live, while Saturday's semifinals and Sunday's championship game will be shown live on Fox Sports.

Monday, March 07, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Mar. 7)
Bradley's Raisa Taylor and Creighton's Carli Tritz have been named the league's final regular-season Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively. Taylor earned her first career Player of the Week honor, while Tritz registered her league-record ninth Newcomer of the Week honor this season.

Saturday, March 05, 2011
Saturday WBB Recaps (Mar. 5)
The regular-season wrapped up Saturday afternoon, setting the table for next week's State Farm MVC Women's Basketball Championship. Seeds are as follows: (1) UNI, (2) ILS, (3) MSU, (4) CU, (5) WSU, (6) DU, (7) INS, (8) BU, (9) UE, (10) SIU.

Saturday, March 05, 2011
UNI is Top Seed for 2011 State Farm MVC Tournament
Northern Iowa, which clinched the Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball regular-season title for the first time in program history, has earned the No. 1 seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament.

Thursday, March 03, 2011
Thursday WBB Recaps: Redbirds and Lady Bears Reach 20 Wins
Illinois State and Missouri State joined UNI in reaching the 20-win plateau, following wins Thursday night over Bradley and Evansville, respectively. Wichita State and UNI were also winners tonight.

Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Mar. 1)
Entering the final weekend of MVC regular-season play much is on the line as teams compete for tournament seeds. UNI clinched its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title last weekend, and will enter the State Farm MVC Women's Basketball Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time ever.

Monday, February 28, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 28)
Wichita State's Haleigh Lankster and Indiana State's Anna Munn have been named the league's Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday WBB Recaps: Home Teams Hold Court
All four home teams were winners in Sunday Valley women's basketball, as Wichita State, Missouri State, Illinois State and Indiana State took care of business on their home courts. With today's win over Drake, the Shockers swept the season series with the Bulldogs for the first time since 1995.

Friday, February 25, 2011
UNI Clinches First-Ever MVC Regular-Season Title
UNI clinched its first-ever MVC regular-season title following a 71-61 win Friday night at Bradley. The win is the Panthers 14th straight and 22nd overall, matching the program record for wins in a season.

Thursday, February 24, 2011
Redbirds Set Home Winning Streak with Win Over Evansville
Illinois State remained perfect at home this season with a 13-0 record, which set a new best home-court start in Redbird history, besting Evansville, 49-39. Senior Shala Jackson became a part of Redbird history, as she recorded her 1,000th point Thursday night.

Thursday, February 24, 2011
UNI's Jacqui Kalin Named CoSIDA Academic All-American
UNI junior guard Jacqui Kalin has been named to the CoSIDA Capitol One Academic All-America second team, as announced today by the organization.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 22)
With just two weekends remaining in regular-season MVC action, UNI is just one win away from clinching at least a share of the MVC regular-season title for the first time in league history. The Panthers are one of four teams to be featured on the league's two "Wildcard Weekend" telecasts this Friday and Sunday.

Monday, February 21, 2011
Valley Shootaround
MVC Basketball video report taking a look at this week's upcoming men's and women's matchups.

Monday, February 21, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 21)
Drake's Kristin Turk and Creighton's Carli Tritz have been named the league's Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps
Creighton and UNI both tacked on another win, continuing to separate themselves from the rest of the pack heading into the final weeks of the regular-season. Drake and Bradley were also winners on Saturday, as all 10 teams jockey for position in the league standings.

Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thursday Women's Basketball Recaps (Feb. 17)
Drake snapped Illinois State's seven-game winning streak after rallying from a double-digit deficit to top the Redbirds, 67-58. UNI earned its 12th straight win, a 68-41 decision over SIU, securing a 20-win season for the third time in program history. Wichita State, Creighton and Bradley were also winners in Thursday night Valley women's hoops action.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 15)
With just three weeks remaining in the regular-season, UNI looks to build on its most impressive season to date, while the rest of the pack looks to move up in the standings.

Monday, February 14, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 14)
Illinois State's Emily Hanley and Creighton's Carli Tritz have been named the league's Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Saturday, February 12, 2011
Redbirds Remain Perfect at Home
Illinois State improved to 12-0 at home this season, tying the best home court start in program history, as the Redbirds topped Missouri State, 78-59. UNI, Creighton, Evansville and Indiana State were also winners on Saturday.

Thursday, February 10, 2011
UNI Cushions Lead Atop League Standings
In a battle of the league's top two teams, UNI won its 10th straight game and took a two-game lead over second-place Creighton with a 60-52 win over the Bluejays. Illinois State improved to 11-0 at home this season with a 69-60 decision over Wichita State. Missouri State and Drake were also winners in Thursday night action.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 8)
Two of the league's hottest teams will square off on Fox Sports Midwest on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m. when Creighton heads to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on UNI. The Panthers are riding a program-best nine-game winning streak, while the Bluejays are winners of five straight.

Monday, February 07, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Feb. 7)
UNI's Jacqui Kalin and Creighton's Sarah Nelson have been named the league's Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Sunday, February 06, 2011
Panthers Win Again; Shockers Down Braves
UNI won its ninth straight game, a 67-59 victory at Missouri State, marking the longest Panther winning streak in school history. Wichita State registered five players in double figures as the Shockers stopped Bradley, 81-74.

Saturday, February 05, 2011
Saturday WBB Recaps: Home Teams Hold Court
Home court advantage was the theme of the day, as all three host teams were winners in Saturday Valley women's basketball. Illinois State won its 12th straight home league game, a 75-52 decision over Indiana State, while Drake was a 67-50 victor over Southern Illinois. Creighton won its fifth consecutive game in a 60-50 victory over Evansville.

Friday, February 04, 2011
Braves Tame Lady Bears; UNI Wins Eighth Straight
Bradley posted its first league road win of the season, snapping Missouri State's eight game MVC home winning streak, with a 73-68 decision over the Lady Bears. UNI won its eighth consecutive game, the most since winning eight straight in 1975-76, with a 77-57 win at Wichita State.

Friday, February 04, 2011
WBB: Eight Named Academic All-District
Eight Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball players have been named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District teams, highlighted by five student-athletes named to the first team in their respective regions.

Thursday, February 03, 2011
Thursday WBB Recaps (Feb. 3)
Drake snapped a five-game losing skid in its 63-55 win over Evansville, while Creighton moved into sole possession of second place in the league standings with its fourth straight win.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 1)
The Missouri Valley Conference moved up two spots to No. 8 in the latest (Jan. 31) Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, marking the league’s highest ranking this season.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011
MVC Selects Wildcard Weekend Women's Basketball Telecasts
The Missouri Valley Conference has selected the Feb. 25 UNI (8-1 MVC) at Bradley (3-6 MVC) and the Feb. 27 Creighton (7-2 MVC) at Missouri State (7-2 MVC) contests as the final two women's basketball telecasts as part of the league’s Wildcard Weekend.

Monday, January 31, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 31)
Missouri State's Casey Garrison and Creighton's Carli Tritz have been named the league's Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps (Jan. 29)
In the Bluejays' 50-48 OT victory, Creighton head coach Jim Flanery tallied his 100th career Missouri Valley Conference win, becoming just the seventh coach in league history to reach the milestone.

Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday WBB Recaps (Jan. 27)
Fast starts were the key to victory on Thursday in Valley women's basketball action, as Wichita State, Creighton and Illinois State all jumped out to early leads and never looked back. Indiana State, on the other hand, chipped away from Evansville's early lead, as the Sycamores picked up their first road win of the season.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Jan. 25)
For the first time this season, four Valley teams rank in the RPI's Top 85, led by Missouri State (33). Creighton (75), Illinois State (80) and UNI (81) also represent the MVC among the nation's top teams in the RPI.

Monday, January 24, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 24)
Missouri State's Christiana Shorter and Creighton's Sarah Nelson were selected as the league's Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday WBB Recaps (Jan. 23)
UNI improved to 7-1 in league play after winning its sixth straight game, a 79-39 decision over visiting Southern Illinois. The Panthers now have a half-game lead over Missouri State (6-1) in the Valley standings.

Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday Women's Basketball Recaps (Jan. 22)
In Saturday MVC women's basketball action, Creighton led from start to finish, improving to 5-2 in league play with a 62-53 win at Indiana State. Illinois State won its 11th consecutive MVC home game, the longest active streak in the Valley, with a 60-45 victory over Drake.

Saturday, January 22, 2011
Home Teams Dominate Friday Women's Hoops Action
Friday night featured a trio of dominating performances by the home teams, as Bradley, UNI and Missouri State each posted victories of 30-plus points, moving the Valley's home record to 23-9 (.719) in league home games.

Friday, January 21, 2011
Redbirds, Sycamores Defend Home Courts
Illinois State improved to a perfect 8-0 at home this season, while also extending its Valley home winning streak to 10 games, as the Redbirds downed Creighton, 70-57. Indiana State held off visiting Drake, 77-74, in a contest that needed overtime to decide the winner.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Jan. 18)
The second Valley women's basketball telecast of the season will hit the air on FSMidwest on Friday, Jan. 21 at 7:05 p.m. CT when Southern Illinois heads to Peoria, Ill., to take on Bradley.

Monday, January 17, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 17)
Missouri State's Casey Garrison and Tia Mays led the Lady Bears to wins over Illinois State and Indiana State last week, topping the Redbirds for the first time since 2007 and tallying their eighth consecutive home Valley win.

Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday Women's Hoops Recaps (Jan. 16)
Home court advantage contiunes to be a recurring theme in Valley women's basketball action, as the league improved to 18-9 (667) in home games with the Shockers and Lady Bears tallying wins on Sunday.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Lady Bears Top Redbirds in Tuesday Valley Action
Missouri State outscored Illinois State, 76-61, in Tuesday night Valley women's basketball action. The Lady Bears' victory snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Redbirds, dating back to 2006. Missouri State improved to 4-1 in MVC action, still standing as one of five league teams to have one or fewer Valley losses.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
MVC Women's Basketball Releases / Game Notes
Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball updated releases and game notes are available, courtesy of league sports information directors. Updated PDF files will be uploaded to this page as soon as they are made available.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Jan. 11)
Illinois State and Missouri State will open the league's television package, airing live on the MVC TV Network (Fox Sports Midwest) tonight, Tuesday, January 11, at 7:05 PM. Creighton (3-0) remains as the lone perfect team after the first two weeks of conference action. The Bluejays will put their undefeated MVC record on the line this weekend when they host UNI (3-1 MVC) and Bradley (1-3 MVC).

Monday, January 10, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 10)
Drake's Kristin Turk poured in an outstanding 41 points in the Bulldogs' overtime win at Evansville, which matches the second-highest single-game scoring output in the NCAA this season. In Drake's two wins the week, she averaged 31 points whiel shooting 65.7 percent (23-of-35) from the floor. Creighton freshman Carli Tritz continues to shine, averaging 11 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.5 assists per game in the Bluejays' two wins over Evansville and Southern Illinois.

Monday, January 10, 2011
Women's Basketball Players of the Week
Women's Basketball Players of the Week

Sunday, January 09, 2011
Turk Shoots Drake Past Aces in OT
In the lone Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball contest of the day, Drake held off Evansville's second-half surge to top the Purple Aces, 69-62 in overtime. Senior Bulldog Kristin Turk poured in 41 points in the victory, tying the second highest single-game scoring output in the nation this season

Sunday, January 09, 2011
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps (Jan. 8)
Just one undefeated team remains in MVC women's basketball - Creighton - sitting at a perfect 3-0 after a road win over Southern Illinois on Saturday. Illinois State, the other remaining undefeated team heading into today's action, was knocked off in convincing fashion at Indiana State, 74-55. Missouri State and UNI both improved to 3-1 in league action with wins over Bradley and Wichita State, respectively.

Saturday, January 08, 2011
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps (Jan. 8)
Just one undefeated team remains in MVC women's basketball - Creighton - sitting at a perfect 3-0 after a road win over Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Friday, January 07, 2011
Thursday WBB Recaps
In Thursday MVC women's basketball action, all four victors put the game away by 10+ points, with the closest matchup in a battle of two of the league's hottest teams, UNI and Missouri State.

Friday, January 07, 2011
Thursday WBB Recaps (Jan. 6)
In a battle of two of the league's hottest teams, UNI and Missouri State, the Panthers outscored the Lady Bears 12-2 over the final two minutes to win 80-69. Bradley and Drake won their first MVC games of the season in wins over Wichita State and Southern Illinois, respectively. Creighton, one of two remaining undefeated MVC teams, was a 81-55 winner at Evansville.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Jan. 4)
After just one week of Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball action, the home teams compiled an impressive 7-2 (.778) mark so far. Illinois State (2-0), Missouri State (2-0) and Creighton (1-0) remained perfect after the first weekend of conference action. The three teams will put their undefeated MVC records on the line this weekend, as the Redbirds are on the road at Indiana State, the Lady Bears will travel to UNI and Bradley and the Bluejays are at Evansville and Southern Illinois.

Monday, January 03, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 3)
Illinois State's Emily Hanley and Creighton's Carli Tritz were selected as the league's Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively. Tritz earned her league-leading fourth award of the season, while Hanley registered her first honor of 2010-11.

Monday, January 03, 2011
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 3)
For her outstanding efforts, Hanley has been named the MVC Player of the Week. Creighton freshman Carli Tritz tallied 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while tying her career-highs with six rebounds and five steals, adding two assists in a 58-51 win over Drake.

Monday, January 03, 2011
Sunday WBB Recaps - Home Teams Win Again
After closing out the first week of Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball action, the home team improved to 7-2 behind two more host victories on Sunday. Wichita State registered its first league win with a 76-53 decision over Southern Illinois, while Missouri State improved to a perfect 2-0 after a 75-54 victory over Evansville.

Sunday, January 02, 2011
Sunday WBB Recaps - Home Teams Win Again
Wichita State registered its first league win with a 76-53 decision over Southern Illinois, while Missouri State improved to a perfect 2-0 after a 75-54 victory over Evansville.

Saturday, January 01, 2011
Saturday WBB Recaps: Home Teams Hold Court
The home teams started 2011 on the right track as both Indiana State and Illinois State were victorious in Saturday women's basketball action. The Sycamores won their first league game of the seson behind strong shooting from beyond the arc, connecting on 12 three-pointers to top Bradley, 84-68. The Redbirds improved to 2-0 in Valley play behind a strong second-half surge, to take down UNI, 69-60.

Saturday, January 01, 2011
Friday WBB Recaps (Dec. 31)
In Friday Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball action, preseason favorite Missouri State took care of business over Southern Illinois, while Creighton held on for a tight win over Drake. After winning just one league game last season, Evansville won its first Valley game of the season, taking down Wichita State on the road.

Friday, December 31, 2010
Women's Basketball Opens League Play
The Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball opened league play with two conference games Thursday night. UNI, the defending State Farm MVC Tournament champion topped Indiana State on the road, while Illinois State, the two-time outright regular-season champion, opened MVC action with a victory over visiting Bradley.

Thursday, December 30, 2010
Women's Basketball Opens League Play
The Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball opened league play with two conference games Thursday night. UNI, the defending State Farm MVC Tournament champion topped Indiana State on the road, while Illinois State, the two-time outright regular-season champion, opened MVC action with a victory over visiting Bradley.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Dec. 28)
The league's 90-game conference slate begins on Thursday, Dec. 30, as two-time outright defending league champion Illinois State hosts Bradley and defending State Farm MVC Tournament champion UNI travels to Indiana State. At least two Valley contests on Friday, Saturday and Sunday round out the league's opening week schedule as the chase for the MVC title gets underway.

Monday, December 27, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 27)
Creighton swept the Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball weekly honors, as Kelsey Woodard and Carli Tritz were selected as the league's Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively. Tritz earned her league-leading third award of the season, while Woodard registered her first honor of 2010-11.

Monday, December 27, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 27)
Creighton's Kelsey Woodard averaged 20 points in the Bluejays' final two non-conference games last week against North Dakota and Kansas, while adding 3.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the field (14-of-28) and three-point range (5-of-10). For her outstanding efforts, Woodard has been named the MVC Player of the Week. Her teammate, freshman Carli Tritz, averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while making 7-of-12 (.583) shots from the floor. For a league-leading third time this season, Tritz has been named the MVC Newcomer of the Week.

Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday Women's Hoops Recaps (Dec. 22)
Drake's Kristin Turk scored her 1,000th career point in the Bulldogs' 77-61 victory over visiting Air Force. Indiana State was also a victor in its final non-conference matchup of the season, as the Sycamores were a 86-68 winner over SIU Edwardsville. In other MVC action, UNI fell to No. 13 Iowa, 75-64, while Kansas topped Creighton in a close 58-64 contest.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday Women's Basketball Recaps (Dec. 21)
The Valley went 2-1 in Tuesday women's basketball action, with Illinois State and Missouri State tacking on another win for the leagues' non-conference schedule. The Redbirds used a 13-2 run to force overtime and take down UAB, 63-55, while the Lady Bears doled out an impressive 30-2 run to shut down Morgan State, 66-39. In other action, Bradley had its four-game winning streak snapped at UIC, falling 65-74.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Dec. 21)
Six Valley teams - 60-percent of the league's squads - have registered four or fewer losses so far this season. Only four other conferences (Big 12, Pac-10, SEC and ACC) can make the claim that at least 60-percent of their teams have four or fewer losses. Those other four conferences, all BCS leagues, are also in the RPI's top six ranking conferences.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
No. 14 Iowa Squeaks Past Drake, 75-71
Drake was ever so close to pulling off the league's first victory over a ranked opponent this season, but fell short in the closing minute to fall to No. 14 Iowa, 71-75. In other Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball action on Monday, Creighton ran away with a 39-point victory over visiting North Dakota, while Illinois State fell to Purdue and Southern Illinois stumbled at Purdue.

Monday, December 20, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 20)
Indiana State's Shannon Thomas and Wichita State's Heather Robben were selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively. Thomas earns her second consecutive POW honor, while Robben's selection was her first of the season.

Monday, December 20, 2010
Lady Bears Win Streak Halted by No. 20 Georgetown
Missouri State's five-game winning streak was halted on Sunday by No. 20 Georgetown, as the Lady Bears fell to the Hoyas, 59-72. In other action around the Valley, Wichita State scored a huge win over Texas Pan American, 95-55, while Indiana State fell on a last-second bucket at UT Martin, 66-68.

Sunday, December 19, 2010
Valley Goes 4-1 in Saturday Women's Hoops
It was another successful Saturday on the hardwood for Valley women's basketball teams, registering a 4-1 record, with the only loss coming at the hands of a ranked opponent. Southern Illinois hit a three-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to tally a win, while UNI (vs. North Dakota), Creighton (vs. North Dakota State) and Bradley (vs. Northern Illinois) each took care of business at home. In other MVC action, Evansville fell at No. 23 UW-Green Bay.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010
State Farm MVC WBB Tournament Tickets on Sale Dec. 15
All-session tournament tickets for the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball All-session tournament tickets for the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Tournament will be available Dec. 15. Now in its fourth year at a neutral site, the event takes place at The Family Arena in St. Charles, and will be held Thursday-Sunday, March 10-13, 2011.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Dec. 14)
The Missouri Valley Conference boasts a 49-36 (.576) record in non-conference action so far in 2010-11. If the non-conference season ended today, it would mark the third best winning percentage in the history of the Valley. Through a month of non-conference play, nine of ten league schools currently hold records at or above .500. If this holds true, it would be the highest total of MVC teams to end the season with records at or above .500.

Monday, December 13, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 13)
Indiana State's Shannon Thomas and Creighton's Carli Tritz were selected as the Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball Player and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps
Saturday Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball produced just one victory, as UNI took care of business at home against South Dakota State, winning 81-60. Two games went down to the wire - Drake fell in a last-second putback to Tennessee Tech, 55-56, while Evansville lost a three point contest to UT-Martin, 60-63. In top-25 action, Creighton was on the low end of a 91-54 decision at No. 18 Notre Dame.

Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday WBB Recaps (Dec. 9)
Illinois State and Missouri State were both big-margin winners on Thursday night, both recording victories of 20-plus points. The Redbirds put it to Ball State, topping the Cardinals 77-51, while the Lady Bears used a strong defensive effort to put away visiting SIU Edwardsville, 68-39. In other MVC action, Drake had its four-game winning streak snapped in a 60-49 setback versus Wisconsin.

Thursday, December 09, 2010
Creighton Falls in Close Contest to No. 22 Nebraska
Creighton's late rally against No. 22 Nebraska fell short, as the Bluejays dropped a 63-55 decision to the Huskers in front of the largest women's basketball crowd ever in D.J. Sokol Arena history (2,061). Bluejay senior Sam Schuett became the 23rd player in Creighton history to record 1,000 career points. In the Valley's other lone matchup on Wednesday, Indiana State topped Eastern Illinois, 59-50.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010
MVC Goes 3-1 in Tuesday Women's Hoops Action
The Valley tallied another three wins in non-conference action Tuesday, improving to 42-30 on the season. UNI and Evansville improved to 5-3 with wins over South Dakota and Butler, respectively. With the win, the Purple Aces have already exceeded their win total from last season. Bradley won its third consecutive game, a 62-55 victory over in-state rival Western Illinois, while Southern Illinois fell to Vanderbilt.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Dec. 7)
The season's first Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report has been released and the Missouri Valley Conference ranks ninth of 33 conferences. Three Valley teams rank in the Top 100, led by Missouri State (30). Creighton (45) and Illinois State (85) also represent the MVC among the nation's top teams in the RPI. As a league, The Valley has the 10th-best strength of schedule.

Monday, December 06, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 6)
Drake's Kristin Turk recorded her fourth-straight 20-plus point performance en route to the Bulldogs' two victories over North Texas and North Dakota last week. Her teammate Angela Christianson is this week's Newcomer of the Week after tallying two double-digit scoring efforts, including career-highs in points (17, at North Dakota) and rebounds (14, vs. North Texas).

Sunday, December 05, 2010
Valley Goes 4-2 in Saturday Women's Hoops Action
Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball squads went 4-2 in Saturday action, improving the league's overall non-conference record to 38-28 (.576). Drake won its fourth straight game, while Illinois State registered a come-from-behind overtime win. Bradley topped Saint Louis on one of its best shooting performances in program history, while UNI bested UW-Milwaukee on the road.

Friday, December 03, 2010
Thursday Women's Basketball Recaps (Dec. 2)
The Valley split a quartet of games in women's basketball action Thursday night, as Creighton and Wichita State both improved #$%^to 4-2 on the season, which ties the Bluejays and Shockers with Drake in a three-way tie atop the league standings.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Nov. 30)
Through two weeks of non-conference play, nine of ten league schools currently hold records at or above .500. If this holds true, it would be the highest total of MVC teams to end the season with records at or above .500. In the most recent CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top-25 poll (Nov. 23), the Missouri Valley Conference is one of two leagues to have at least three teams mentioned in the top-20 (ILS - 6, MSU - 15, CU - 18).

Monday, November 29, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 29)
Drake's Kristin Turk recorded two 20-plus point performances en route to earning MVP honors at the Northern Arizona Thanksgiving Tournament, leading the Bulldogs to wins over Central Michigan and host Northern Arizona. For her outstanding efforts, Turk has been named the MVC Player of the Week. Creighton's Carli Tritz is this week's Newcomer of the Week after grabbing 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and a game-high five steals in the Bluejays' win over visiting Marquette.

Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday WBB Recaps: SIU Nabs First Win
Southern Illinois earned its first victory of the season, a 12-point win over 2010 NCAA Tournament participant Austin Peay, behind five double-digit Saluki performances. Creighton won its ninth-straight at home in a 63-61 decision over visiting Marquette.

Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday Women's Hoops Recaps (Nov. 27)
The Valley was an even 3-3 in Saturday women's basketball action, tallying another two victories over 2010 postseason teams. Missouri State took down Louisiana Tech, an NCAA participant last season, while Evansville tallied another win, this time over Eastern Washington (WNIT). Drake won the Northern Arizona Thanksgiving Tournament with a win over the host Lumberjacks.

Saturday, November 27, 2010
Valley Goes 5-1 in Friday Women's Hoops
Valley women's basketball teams compiled a 5-1 record in Friday hoops action, with the lone setback a two-point loss at Colorado. Wichita State and UNI, both winners today, still own just one loss this season, while Bradley, Drake and Indiana State were also victorious today. Leauge teams are now a perfect 5-0 in neutral court contests this season.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Valley Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Nov. 23)
Six Valley women's basketball schools are taking part in tournaments during the Thanksgiving holiday, beginning with games on Friday, Nov. 26. In tournament play, league schools will have the opportunity to take on five postseason qualifiers from a season ago. Illinois State (3-0) remains as the league's final unbeaten team this season. This week the Redbirds will take on South Dakota State - the Redbirds and Jackrabbits are considered two of the premiere mid-major teams in the nation, as both rank in the top-15 of the collegeinsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.

Monday, November 22, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 22)
Missouri State's Casey Garrison scored 17-straight points for the Lady Bears late in the game to lead her team to a 73-69 road win over Toledo in the Preseason WNIT, snapping the Rockets' 14-game home winning streak. For the second consecutive week, Garrison has been named the MVC Player of the Week. Evansville's Briyana Blair is this week's Newcomer of the Week after averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game against Murray State and Ball State.

Monday, November 22, 2010
UNI Falls in Close Contest to No. 17 Iowa State
The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team fell short in its bid to upset No. 17 Iowa State, falling to the Cyclones 69-59 in front of 2,544 fans in the McLeod Center Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, November 21, 2010
Valley Goes 4-1 in Women's Hoops Action
The Valley went 4-1 in Saturday women's hoops action, tacking on two more victories against 2010 postseason teams. Creighton handed Wyoming (WNIT) its first loss of the season, while Missouri State topped Toledo (WNIT) in its final game of the Preseason WNIT. The Shockers and Redbirds were both winners of their home courts, taking down George Mason and SIU Edwardsville, respectively, while Evansville tasted its first defeat of the season in a close 61-58 setback at Ball State.

Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday Night Women's Basketball Recaps
In women's basketball action Wednesday night, the Missouri Valley Conference had a near-perfect slate, going 2-1 in non-conference action. Evansville (2-0) and UNI (2-0), both winners tonight, and Illinois State (1-0) all remain perfect on the season.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
No. 22 Iowa Tops Bradley
In the league's second matchup with a ranked opponent in back-to-back days, Bradley could not keep pace with No. 22 Iowa, as the Braves fell to the Hawkeyes, 91-53, in Iowa City. In other Valley action, Wichita State notched its first win of the season, a 26-point victory over SIU Edwardsville, while Southern Illinois fell at home to Tennessee State.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010
MVC Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Nov. 16)
The Missouri Valley Conference posted a non-conference record of 9-6 (.600) after the first weekend of play, including six wins over 2009-10 postseason teams. The Valley has already tallied two-thirds (six) as many wins over postseason teams as the league did all of last season (nine). This week, the league will face seven 2009-10 postseason teams, including three from BCS conferences and two ranked opponents.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Drake Falls at No. 17 Iowa State
After going 9-3 last weekend to open the regular-season in Valley women's basketball action, league teams faltered in all three games tonight, including Drake's 46-64 loss at No. 17 Iowa State. The Lady Bears also fell in WNIT Quarterfinal action to DePaul, 66-82, while Creighton lost a 53-79 decision at defending MAC champion Bowling Green.

Monday, November 15, 2010
Women's Basketball Player/Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 15)
The only league player to top 30 points was Missouri State's Casey Garrison, who poured in 33 points, including 26 in the second half, en route to the league's first State Farm Player of the Week honoree in 2010-11. Evansville's Staci Gillum came away with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals in leading the Purple Aces to a 63-62 season-opening victory over defending MAC champion Bowling Green, to capture the conference's initial Newcomer of the Week honor.

Saturday, November 13, 2010
Valley Goes 7-2 in Women's Basketball Opening Night
The Missouri Valley Conference started its season with a bang, going 7-2 on the opening night of women's basketball action. Highlights include - Evansville holding off defending MAC champion Bowling Green; Missouri State coasting to an 83-60 Preseason WNIT win over Lamar; Indiana State first-year head coach Teri Moren winning her Sycamore debut; Illinois State topping Illinois in Champaign for the first time since 1992; Creighton outlasting 2010 NCAA participant Liberty, 40-35; Drake winning its season opener for the first time since 2008; and UNI having four players score in double-figures to help the Panthers roll to a 74-50 victory at Colorado State.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Missouri State's Garrison Selected for Naismith Preseason Watch List
Missouri State junior guard Casey Garrison has been named to the prestigious 2010-11 Naismith preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced yesterday. Garrison, the unanimous preseason choice to repeat as Missouri Valley Conference player of the year, was the lone MVC player chosen for the 50-player list.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Lady Bears Picked as Favorite in Valley Women's Hoops
Missouri State, which returns all five of its top scorers from last year's third-place squad, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the MVC's women's basketball race in the annual survey of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media members.

Thursday, October 07, 2010
Missouri Valley Conference Releases 2010-11 Women's Basketball Schedule
The Missouri Valley Conference has released its 2010-11 women's basketball schedule, whose regular-season slate culminates with the State Farm MVC Championship in St. Charles (March 10-13). The league will play 18 games against 2009-10 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, including three Sweet Sixteen participants and seven total opponents that advanced to the Second Round last season.

Friday, July 23, 2010
Indiana State, Creighton and UNI Named to WBCA Top 25 Academic Honor Roll
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced its winners for the 2009-10 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. This award, given in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College, awards teams throughout the nation that carry the highest grade point averages (GPA) for the entire season based on the nomination submitted by WBCA-member head coaches.