Jan. 10, 2006
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About The Game:
For the fourth straight game, Illinois State will face a team that is coming off a loss. The Redbirds travel to Missouri State on the heels of the Bears 72-62 loss to Northern Iowa. Illinois State is looking for its first road win of the season on its sixth try.
Series History:
Tonight's game marks the 45th meeting in the series. The Redbirds own a 26-18 advantage in the series, but the Bears have won five of the last seven meetings. Missouri State has won nine of the last 10 meetings in Springfield, Mo. The lone Redbird win came on Jan. 11, 2001.
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:
None.
The Coaches
Porter Moser (Creighton '90) owns an 87-73 (.544) career mark in his third season at Illinois State, including a 33-39 (.458) 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.
Barry Hinson (Oklahoma State `83) is in his seventh season at Missouri State. He owns a 118-84 (.584) record with the Bears and carries a 154-107 (.590) record in his nine seasons as a head coach. He is assisted by Troy Collier, Kyan Brown and Ben Miller.
About the Missouri State Bears
Missouri State, located in Springfield, Mo., was founded in 1905 and has an enrollment of 20,846.
The Bears return nine letterwinners, including three starters, from a team that finished 19-13 overall and finished fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 10-8 mark.
Junior guard Blake Ahearn leads the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring with 18.7 points per game, as the Bears, as a team, also lead the league in scoring with 84 points per contest.
Missouri State also ranks first in the conference in scoring margin (+13.7), three-point field goal percentage (40.6), rebounding offense (40.7), assists (17.31), defensive rebounds (27.15) and three-point field goals made (7.62).
Sophomore Dale Lamberth is the league's top 3-point shooter, converting 56.7 percent of his tries beyond the arc.
Dilly Raises the Bar
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 now ranks No. 5 in career blocked shots with 90. With four blocks against Wichita State, Dilligard surpassed Bill Braksick on the all-time list. Dilligard, who has 28 blocked shots this year, also needs seven more blocks to move into the top 10 for blocks in a season.
Dilly doubles Down
Prior to the season, junior Greg Dilligard was asked to become more assertive offensively -- he has responded. Dilligard has posted five straight double-digit scoring games, the longest string of his career. He now has 14 double-digit scoring games in his career, including eight this season.
Walking the Plank
It isn't the sole reason for defeat, but the Redbirds appear to go how senior Neil Plank goes. In the Redbirds' six wins this season, Plank is leading the team with 13.2 points per game, while shooting 50 percent (25-for-50) from the field. In the seven losses, Plank is averaging six points per game and shooting 25.9 percent (15-for-58) from the floor.
Built Ford Tough
Not only is Dana Ford leading the team in steals, he is also leading the Redbirds in defensive rebounds. Ford ranks second on the team with 4.6 boards per game, but 54 of his 60 overall rebounds have come off the defensive glass. Despite his 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame, Ford is coming away with the bulk of ISU's defensive rebounds.
Block Party
The Redbirds are averaging 4.8 blocked shots per game as a team, led by Greg Dilligard's 28 swats. With 62 blocked shots in 12 games, ISU leads the Missouri Valley Conference in blocked shots, while Dilligard ranks second with 2.2 blocks per game. At this pace, the Redbirds would have the second best shot blocking average in school history, trailing only the 1976-77 team which averaged 4.9 blocks per game.
ISU Defense Has It's Peaks and Valleys
Since starting league play, the Redbird defense has dipped in terms of field goal percentage defense. In non-league games, Redbird opponents were only shooting 35.6 percent from the floor. However, since starting conference play, ISU has seen its defensive field goal percentage rise to 46.1 percent against Valley foes.
First Things First
Illinois State enters tonight's game in search of its first road victory of the season. To date, the `Birds are 0-5 on the road this season. Dating back to last year, ISU has dropped seven straight road games, but the `Birds are 4-8 in their last 12 road contests.
Thirty Something
That's what Illinois State opponents are shooting in Redbird victories - 33.9 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 seven losses, Illinois State opponents are only shooting 39.3 percent from the field on the season, which is the best defensive effort in the Missouri Valley Conference.
So you want to Go to the League
Every collegiate player dreams of playing in the league, and the recent Illinois State schedule is giving the Redbirds a taste of the NBA life. The `Birds are facing Missouri State in the fifth of seven games in 17 days, which sure is a change of pace from the two games in 20 days surrounding finals week and the holidays.
185 Games With a Trey on the Board
ISU enters the game at Missouri State with at least one made three in 185 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
Some Holiday Steals
Sure it's January, but senior Dana Ford has continued his post-holiday shopping and he's finding a number of steals. After 13 games, Ford leads the Redbirds in thefts with 28 and is on pace to finish the season with 66, which would rank first in the Redbirds' top 10 all-time.
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 fewer than 66 points per game. This season, Redbird opponents are averaging 57.9 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 57.9 points per game by Illinois State foes would also rank as the lowest in school history.
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.
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
Jan. 11, 2001 - In the only time the Redbirds have won at Missouri State in the last decade, Shawn Jeppson paced the `Birds with 19 points as Illinois State posted a 64-60 win over the Bears at the Hammons Student Center. ISU used a 9-for-10 free throw shooting effort down the stretch to secure the win. Illinois State owns an 8-4 record on this date during the Division I era.
