Peoria, Ill. – Bradley Women's Basketball hits the road to face the Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Game Information
Matchup: Bradley Braves at Illinois State Redbirds
Date: Sunday, February 1, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: Link
What to Watch
The Braves enter the weekend matchup with the longest active winning streak in the MVC and are in third place with a 7-3 MVC record. In their last game, Bradley jumped ahead early and defeated Drake 85-79. The Braves have been solid on both sides of the ball, scoring the third-most points (73.0) and allowing the third-fewest (65.1) in the conference. The Braves have been efficient from the field this season, ranking fourth in field goal percentage (.425) and holding opponents to the third-lowest field goal percentage (.404) in the conference. However, they have thrived from beyond the arc, where they rank first in both three-point percentage (.349) and three-point defense (.250), which ranks seventh in the nation.
The Redbirds have also been a strong team this season, as they come into this game with a 12-9 record (6-4 MVC) and a perfect 10-0 record at home. Illinois State has won their last two games, beating UNI 59-55 and Indiana State 85-69. The Redbirds have one of the best offenses in the conference, ranking second in points scored (73.8), first in field goal percentage (.442), and fifth in three-point percentage (.302). In addition to their strong offense, Illinois State's defense has also been effective, ranking fifth in points allowed per game (68.5), sixth in opponent field goal percentage (.425), and fourth in opponent three-point percentage (.303).
Key Players to Watch
Kaylen Nelson is coming off her best game of the season, scoring a career-high 32 points while adding five rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block. She raised her season scoring average to 18.4, which ranks her fourth in the MVC, and she leads the MVC in three-pointers made and three-point percentage. Maya Foz ranks 10th in the MVC in field goal percentage (.460) and points scored (14.5 per game). She's coming off a strong game in which she totaled 12 points, five rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Mya Wardle also had a strong game, finishing the day with 12 points, six assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
Illinois State is led by Doneelah Washington, who ranks seventh in the MVC in scoring at 16.3 points per game while adding 8.8 rebounds per game, 49 steals, and 33 blocks. She ranks third in the conference in total rebounds and second in both total steals and total blocks. Addison Martin is also a strong contributor, totaling 13.3 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, and 67 total assists. Trista Fayta is the best playmaker in the conference, averaging a conference-high 5.6 assists per game while adding 10.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, and 33 total steals.
