
The Redbirds of Illinois State were 13-18 a season ago and 7-11 in the Missouri Valley Conference, which put them in ninth. Illinois State made the NCAA Tournament after winning the conference tournament, but lost to Baylor University 91-70 in the first round.
“Their coach Robin Pingeton and I go way back.” said Steinmeyer. “She started in the NAIA and our teams played several times when I was at Doane College and she was at St. Ambrose University.”
The exhibition contest has another connection, as former Northwest Graduate Assistant Coach Jennifer (DeSmet) Putnam is now an assistant coach at Illinois State after spending the 2002-2003 campaign on the Bearcat sideline.
For the Bearcats, this is their only exhibition game of the 2005-2006 season, but not the only Division I foe for the year. On December 1, the ‘Cats will play at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
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