CORALVILLE, Iowa (Interstat) — Illinois State outlasted Drake 69-62 in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball tournament game Friday at Xtream Arena. The Redbirds used a decisive 22-point second quarter to build a 35-30 halftime lead and held off a late push from the Bulldogs, who scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. Trista Fayta led Illinois State with 22 points and five assists. Doneelah Washington added 20 points. Abbie Aalsma scored a game-high 24 points for Drake. Lexi Carlsen contributed 15 points. Illinois State improved to 19-12. Drake finished its season 12-20.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (Interstat) — In a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball tournament quarterfinal defined by runs and resilience, Illinois State held off a furious fourth-quarter rally from Drake to secure a 69-62 victory Friday at Xtream Arena. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final minute, with Illinois State clinging to a one-point lead. After Drake’s Abbie Aalsma hit a clutch 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 65-63 with 1:33 remaining, the Redbirds’ Trista Fayta was fouled on the ensuing possession. The sophomore guard from Green Bay, Wisconsin, who had carried the offensive load all night, calmly sank both free throws to push the lead back to four. Drake, refusing to relent, answered immediately. Aalsma drove for a layup off an Ava Hawthorne assist, making it 67-65 with just 30 seconds left. The Bulldogs then trapped in the backcourt, forcing a turnover by Illinois State’s Grace Nelson, which Hawthorne stole. The comeback momentum, however, was abruptly halted. On the decisive play, Aalsma was called for a foul on Fayta as Illinois State inbounded the ball with 29 seconds left. Fayta returned to the line and hit the first of two free throws. After a missed second attempt, a scramble for the rebound resulted in a foul on Drake’s Lexi Carlsen, sending Illinois State’s Jaeden Pratt to the line with 22 seconds left. Pratt made one of two, extending the lead to 69-65. Drake’s final attempts, a missed 3-pointer by Aalsma and a missed jumper by Carlsen, sealed the outcome, allowing Illinois State to escape with the seven-point win. The victory advanced Illinois State, the higher-seeded team, while Drake’s season concluded. The Redbirds improved to 19-12, while the Bulldogs finished 12-20. The contest was a tale of contrasting halves and pivotal individual performances. Drake started strong, leveraging an active defense to build a 16-13 lead after the first quarter. The Bulldogs’ early momentum was quickly erased in the second period, as Illinois State unleashed a 22-14 quarter to take a 35-30 advantage into halftime. The Redbirds’ surge was fueled by interior dominance, converting Drake’s turnovers into easy baskets. For the game, Illinois State scored 17 points off turnovers and outscored Drake 36-28 in the paint. Illinois State’s lead ballooned to 51-41 by the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for Drake’s final push. The Bulldogs, led by Aalsma’s offensive explosion, mounted a 21-point fourth quarter. The sophomore from Waupun, Wisconsin, scored 13 of her game-high 24 points in the final period, including three 3-pointers, to will her team back into contention. Fayta was the steadying force for Illinois State, countering every Drake run. She finished with 22 points, five assists and played 36 minutes. Her backcourt partner, Doneelah Washington of Lincoln, Nebraska, provided crucial secondary scoring and defensive presence, adding 20 points, two assists and two blocks. The duo’s combined 42 points proved indispensable. For Drake, Aalsma’s 24-point effort was supplemented by 15 points from Lexi Carlsen of Sycamore, Illinois. The Bulldogs’ late surge showcased their fighting spirit, but they ultimately could not overcome the second-quarter deficit and Illinois State’s efficient response in the closing seconds. The game was played before an announced crowd of 954. Illinois State will face Evansville in a tournament semifinal Saturday. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Illinois State entered the game with a 56.90 percent probability to win.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (Interstat) — A quick rematch with Missouri Valley Conference and postseason implications is set for Friday when the Illinois State Redbirds host the Drake Bulldogs in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at Xtream Arena. The game, scheduled for March 13, 2026, pits two teams moving in opposite directions late in the season. Illinois State (18-12) enters with a winning record and momentum from a narrow 66-65 road victory over Bradley on March 8. Drake (12-19) snapped a two-game skid with a dominant 81-55 home win over Valparaiso on March 12. This contest is the third meeting this season between the conference foes. The series is split, with each team winning on its home floor. Illinois State secured a 77-70 victory on Feb. 7 in Normal, Illinois, but Drake answered with a decisive 73-55 win in Des Moines on March 5. A key matchup will feature two of the league’s top guards. Drake’s Abbie Aalsma is averaging 17.2 points over her last five games, including a 24-point, 6-assist performance in a win at Evansville on Feb. 26. She scored 16 points in Thursday’s win over Valparaiso. Illinois State will counter with Trista Fayta, who is coming off a season-high 26 points and 5 assists in the win at Bradley. The point guard has recorded double-digit assists in three of her last seven games, demonstrating elite playmaking ability. Despite Drake’s lower overall record, its recent form includes four wins in its last six games. Illinois State has been inconsistent, alternating wins and losses over its past six contests. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Illinois State is projected with a 56.90 percent probability to win Friday’s neutral-site game in Coralville, located roughly 130 miles from Drake’s campus in Des Moines. Tipoff is set for Friday evening, with the Redbirds looking to solidify their standing and the Bulldogs aiming to build a late-season surge.