Dec. 22, 2005
Game Notes
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About The Game:
Tonight's game opens up Valley play for both teams. Illinois State is looking to snap a two-game losing skid, while Indiana State is off to a 7-0 start, its best since the 1978-79 NCAA Championship runner-up run.
Series History:
Tonight's game marks the 92nd meeting in the series. The Redbirds carry a 52-39 lead in the series and have won the last three meetings. The series began during the 1913-14 season.
Radio:
Dick Luedke, play-by-play; Mike Matthews, color; Bruce Evans, sideline (home only) and Jim Williams, studio host. Affiliates: WJBC (AM 1230/Bloomington), flagship; WBIG (AM 1280/Aurora), WJEZ (FM 98.9/Dwight), WZOE (AM 1490/Princeton) and WFMB (AM 1450/Springfield). All Redbird broadcasts, including Porter Moser's weekly call-in show, which generally airs each Thursday from 6:07-7 pm, depending on the schedule, can be heard via the Internet at GoRedbirds.com.
Television:
Tonight's game can be seen live on FSN Midwest and Fox College Sports. It will also be available on tape-delay basis on Comcast SportsNet Chicago and Metro Sports. Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Charlie Spoonhour (analyst) will serve as the talent. Satellite coordinates are: IA 8K, Transponder 15 - Digital Slot A.
Coaches
Porter Moser (Creighton '90) owns an 86-69 (.555) career mark in his third season at Illinois State, including a 32-35 (.478) record with the Redbirds. Prior to guiding the `Birds, Moser served three seasons at Arkansas-Little Rock in his first head coaching position. Moser is assisted by Chris Jans, Daniyal Robinson and Brian Barone.
Royce Waltman (Slippery Rock `64) is in his ninth season at Indiana State. He owns a 115-130 (.469) record with the Sycamores and carries a 304-216 (.585) record in his 18 seasons as a head coach. He is assisted by Dick Bender, Matt Mardis and Stan Gouard.
About the Indiana State Sycamores
Indiana State, located in Terre Haute, Ind., was founded in 1865 and has an enrollment of 11,484.
The Sycamores return 10 letterwinners, including three starters, from a team that finished 11-20 overall and tied for ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 5-13 mark.
Every Indiana State starter is averaging eight or more points per game.
Of the Sycamores 181 field goals, 62.9 percent have been the result of an assist.
Senior David Moss paces the Sycamores with 19.3 points per game, which ranks No. 3 in the Valley this season.
For League Openers
Illinois State is looking for a positive start to open Missouri Valley Conference play tonight. The Redbirds have not won their conference opener in the last six seasons and have not claimed a victory in their league road opener since 2000-01.
Ready on Ku
Recently when head coach Porter Moser has turned to his bench to look for a solution, senior Nedu Onyeuku has been the answer. Onyeuku is logging the most minutes among non-starters and has averaged 24 minutes in the last the five games. He also scored in double figures in three of the last four games, including back-to-back 14 point efforts which is his season high. In addition, Onyeuku is shooting 56.8 percent from the field.
Gone in 60 Points
It's not the sequel to Nicholas Cage's car thief film, but it has proven to be the recipe for success, or lack there of, for the Redbirds this season. The formula is simple. Opponents score less than 60 points, the Redbirds are 5-0. ISU foes eclipse the 60-point plateau, the `Birds are 0-3.
Another Sure Thing
Not only is the 60-point limit holding true, but so is field goal percentage. Again it's simple - if Illinois State shoots better than its foe, the `Birds are 5-0. In the three games where the `Birds have not shot as well they are winless.
180 Games With a Trey on the Board
ISU enters the game at Indiana State with at least one made three in 180 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
Holtz Heating Up
Known for his three-point prowess as a prep, Brandon Holtz is starting to shake his slow start from beyond the arc. After starting his collegiate career 0-for-8 on treys, Holtz has sank four of his last eight attempts from three. He is also coming off his first career double digit scoring game with 11 points against Cal State Northridge.
Hoosier Daddy
So far this season, Illinois State carries a 2-0 record against teams from the Hoosier state. To date, the Redbirds have recorded victories over Indianapolis and IPFW. With home and away series games against league foes Indiana State and Evansville, the `Birds will have six games this season against teams from Indiana.
Dilly Gets it Started
Junior Greg Dilligard has been setting the tone for the Redbirds this season, in practice and on game day. In eight games this season, Dilligard has opened the Redbird scoring in five of them.
Thirty Something
That's what Illinois State opponents are shooting in Redbird victories - 31.9 percent to be exact. In fact, in the win over UW-Green Bay, the `Birds put a clamp on the Phoenix by limiting them to 29 percent shooting from the field. The effort was the Redbirds' best since holding Tennessee-Martin to 28.8 percent shooting last season. But, even including the three losses, Illinois State opponents are only shooting 35.6 percent from the field on the season.
Some Holiday Steals
Senior Dana Ford has started his holiday shopping early this season and he's finding a number of steals. After eight games, Ford leads the Redbirds in thefts with 16 and is on pace to finish the season with 60, which would rank second in the Redbirds' top 10 all-time.
Plank's Constant
Quantum physics aren't needed to see that senior Neil Plank is asserting himself as the Redbirds' offensive leader. Plank has led the Redbirds in scoring in four of ISU's eight games and has scored in double digits in seven contests, including six straight. The senior leads the Redbirds with 11.5 points per game and in assists with 36 on the season. He is also coming off a near triple-double performance with 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists at Cal State Northridge.
D-Fence, D-Fence
Since Porter Moser's arrival at Illinois State he has emphasized team defense and it's starting to show. In the last two complete seasons, opponents have averaged under 66 points per game. This season, Redbird opponents are averaging 55.9 points per contest. If the Redbirds can maintain this effort, it would mark the first time this feat has occurred three straight seasons since the 1985-86, 1984-85 and 1983-84 campaigns. The 55.9 points per game by Illinois State foes would also rank as the lowest in school history.
Dilly Gets Defensive
When it is all said and done Greg Dilligard will go down in history as one of the best defensive players to suit up for the Redbirds. In his third season, Dilligard ranks No. 6 in career blocked shots with 79. He is also on pace to crack the top 10 in career steals as the team's returning leader with 63 career steals.
So This Is What a Full Roster Looks Like?
For the first time in Porter Moser's tenure, the Redbirds will field a team with all 13 scholarships occupied. After signing Osiris Eldridge and Bobby Hill during the early signing period, the Redbirds have one scholarship available for next season.
We Have Another Winner
With 17 wins during the 2004-05 season, the Redbirds enjoyed their 30th winning season in 35 years of being a Division I program. The 17 victories was the most by ISU since the 2001-02 season.
Road Warriors
Even though the `Birds have not recorded a road victory this season, Illinois State has had recent success away from home. Dating back to last season, the Redbirds are 4-5 in their last nine road games.
Out of Africa ...
And into Redbird Arena for four Redbirds this season. Freshmen Dinma Odiakosa and Eric Vianney are from the continent, with Odiakosa coming from Nigeria and Vianney being from Cameroon. In addition, senior Nedu Onyeuku and junior Roberto Fortes were each born in Africa before their families moved to the United States. Onyeuku was born in Nigeria, while Fortes was born in Angola.
Prized Pupil Plank
Neil Plank was named to the 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America® University Division Men's Basketball Second Team and was honored as the 2005 Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The two-time All-District V Academic selection was also a 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team selection. He carried a 4.0 grade point average as an undergraduate finance major and is currently pursuing his master's in business administration.
This Date in Redbird History
Dec. 22, 1999 - Tarise "En Fuego" Bryson poured in 40 points on 8-for-11 shooting on treys to lead the Redbirds to an 87-78 win over Miami (Fla.) in the consolation bracket of the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico. The `Birds rallied for the win, despite a four-point halftime deficit. Ryan Crowley added 16 points and L. Dee Murdock and P.J. Smith each added 14 points. Illinois State owns an 8-5 record on this date in the Division I era.
