Dec. 29, 2005
Game Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
About The Game:
Illinois State returns to Redbird Arena after dropping a pair of road contests looking to snap a three-game losing skid, while Creighton enters the game winners in four straight. The Redbirds are 5-1 at home this season and the Bluejays are 1-2 away from Omaha. This is the first of two regular season meetings with the second meeting taking place in just five days at the Qwest Center OMAHATM.
Series History:
Today's game marks the 54th meeting in the series. The Redbirds carry a 32-21 advantage in the series, but Creighton has won 13 of the last 15 meetings, including 10 of the last 11.
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:
Today's game is available on Redbird All-Access at GoRedbirds.com.
The Coaches
Porter Moser (Creighton '90) owns an 86-70 (.551) career mark in his third season at Illinois State, including a 32-36 (.471) 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.
Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico `80) is in his 12th season at Creighton. He owns a 225-122 (.648) record with the Bluejays and carries a 308-189 (.620) record in his 17 seasons as a head coach. He is assisted by Darian DeVries, Brian Fish and Kevin McKenna.
About the CReighton Bluejays
Creighton, located in Omaha, Neb., was founded in 1878 and has an enrollment of 6,804.
The Bluejays return seven letterwinners, including four starters, from a team that finished 23-11 overall and tied for third in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 11-7 mark.
After losing all-conference performer Nate Funk to a shoulder injury in the DePaul game, the Bluejays lost two straight after opening the season 3-0. However, since then, the Jays have regrouped and won four straight including a pair of 20-point wins over Nebraska and Missouri State.
Dilly Doubles Down
Junior Greg Dilligard registered his second career double double on a career night at Indiana State. Dilligard finished with a career best 22 points and a career high 12 rebounds. He also added three assists and three blocked shots, while shooting 11-for-18 from the field.
Even in Extra Time
With Thursday's 69-59 loss to Indiana State in overtime, head coach Porter Moser is now 2-2 in overtime games while at Illinois State. The Redbirds recorded extra period wins over Western Kentucky in 2003 and Creighton in 2005, but also lost in OT at Illinois in 2004.
That's a First
The loss to Indiana State marked the first time this season where the Redbirds shot better than their opponent and failed to record a victory. Illinois State shot 41.4 percent from the field, while the Sycamores shot 36.2 percent.
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 0-4.
Ready on Ku
Up until the game at Indiana State, when head coach Porter Moser turned to his bench to look for a solution, senior Nedu Onyeuku had been the answer. But, against the Sycamores, Onyeuku was another solution when Moser looked to shuffle his starting line-up. The senior guard, who has scored in double figures in three of the last five games, earned his second career starting assignment at Illinois State. In addition, Onyeuku is shooting 53.8 percent from the field on the season.
181 Games With a Trey on the Board
ISU enters the game against Creighton with at least one made three in 181 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 five of his last 10 attempts from three. He is also averaging 10 points per game over his last two outings thanks to his first career double digit scoring game (11 points) at Cal State Northridge.
Dilly Gets it Started
Junior Greg Dilligard has been setting the tone for the Redbirds this season, in practice and on game day. In nine games this season, Dilligard has opened the Redbird scoring in six 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 four losses, Illinois State opponents are only shooting 35.7 percent from the field on the season.
Some Holiday Steals
Senior Dana Ford has continued his holiday shopping and he's finding a number of steals. After nine games, Ford leads the Redbirds in thefts with 18 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 nine games and has scored in double diigits in seven contests. The senior ranks second for the Redbirds with 10.4 points per game and is first in assists with 38 on the season.
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 57.3 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 57.3 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 82. He is also on pace to crack the top 10 in career steals as the team's returning leader with 63 career steals.
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.
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.
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. 31, 1994 - It was "turn back the clock day" at Redbird Arena as Illinois State wore retro uniforms from the early 1970s, before turning back Northwestern 86-68. Brian Kern led the way for the Redbirds with 16 points. Illinois State owns a perfect 2-0 record on New Year's Eve in the Division I era.
