The Hornets are averaging 12.3 steals per game.
DILLY DOUBLES DOWN
Senior Greg Dilligard posted his fourth career double-double at St. John's after registering 17 points and 11 rebounds. It was the first double-double of the season by the Redbirds. Dilligard has now scored double-digit points in two of the last three games, lifting his season average to 11 points per game.
LOCK DOWN
The Illinois State defense was in "lock down" mode last week. First, the Redbirds held Cal State Northridge to 55 points below its season average entering the game. On Saturday, the Redbirds kept St. John's Avery Patterson in check. Patterson entered the game averaging 17 points and shooting 19-of-38 on three-point tries. He finished the game with eight points and was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
SLACK ATTACK
Junior Anthony Slack is attacking the glass for the Redbirds. In his first five games, Slack is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game which the most by a `Bird since Rico Hill pulled down 8.2 board per game during the 1996-97 season.
LOW-CAL
There was no measure of dietary fats officially released, but the Redbirds' defense against Cal State Northridge was definitely low-cal. The Redbirds held the Matadors to a Redbird Arena low 25.9 percent shooting, replacing the old record of 27.1 percent set by Mt. St. Mary's in the first round of the 1996 National Invitational Tournament on March 13. The Matadors also tied the facility low with 14 made field goals, equaled by IPFW last season and Missouri State in 2004.
20/20
When Boo Richardson and Greg Dilligard each scored over 20 points in the game against McNeese State, it marked the first time since Nov. 27, 2004, where two Redbirds reached the 20-point plateau. Richardson finished with a career-high 23 points, while Dilligard was two off his career best with 20 tallies. The Redbird duo became the first to achieve the feat since Trey Guidry (27 pts.) and Lorenzo Gordon (23 pts.) did against Tennessee-Martin.
MATCHBOX 20
If the Illinois State box scores from the 2005-06 season were compared to the box scores from this season - one thing in particular jumps out. In 28 games last season, the Redbirds had a 20-point scorer three times. Greg Dilligard did it once and Roberto Fortes reached 20 points twice. This season, in the first three games, the Redbirds equaled that performance. Dom Johnson, Boo Richardson and Dilligard have all netted 20 points or more this season.
TAKING THE `NORM' OUT OF NORMAL
After finishing the 2005-06 season with a 9-19 record, the `Birds were in the midst of an aberration. The campaign marked only the sixth losing season in ISU's 35 years of being a Division I program.
THIRTY SOMETHING
Junior guard Dom Johnson became the first Redbird to score 30 or more points in a game since Trey Guidry tossed in 30 at Creighton on Jan. 22, 2005. Johnson torched Florida State for 32 points on 12-for-23 shooting. It was the most points by a Redbird since Tarise Bryson scored 38 in the 2001 National Invitational Tournament game at Purdue.
THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
In the first four games, the Redbird starting line-up has been Anthony Slack (New Orleans, La.), Greg Dilligard (Labelle, Mo.), Roberto Fortes (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Boo Richardson (Kansas City, Mo.) and Dom Johnson (Bell City, Mo.) - five players from outside the state of Illinois. The last time Illinois State started five players who weren't from the state of Illinois was 1997, when the `Birds started Skipp Schaefbauer (Minn.), Dan Muller (Ind.), Rob Gibbons (N.J.), Steve Hansell (United Kingdom) and Jamar Smiley (N.Y.) on Dec. 13, at Creighton.
205 GAMES WITH A TREY
ISU enters tonight's game against Sacramento State with at least one made three in 205 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
THAT 70's SHOW
Under head coach Porter Moser, ISU has limited its foes to 70 points or fewer in 62 of its 92 games (67.4 percent). There is also some significance when the `Birds reach 70 points. When ISU scores 70 or more, the `Birds are 21-4 under Moser.
CARRYING THE VALLEY FLAG
In Porter Moser's tenure at Illinois State, the Redbirds have carried the Valley flag well in non-conference match-ups. To date, ISU's fourth-year head coach boasts a 22-12 (.647) record in non-league games.
DILLIGARD JOINS CENTURY CLUB
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 ISU. In his final season, Dilligard ranks No. 4 in career blocked shots with 133 and is only the fifth player to post 100 or more career blocks as a Redbird. His junior year ended with 62 blocks, which is second best single-season effort all-time.
GONE IN 60 POINTS
The 60-point plateau continues to be a viable measuring stick for the Redbirds' success. Under head coach Porter Moser, the Redbirds own a 33-15 (.688) record when they score 60 points or more. When ISU scores less than 60, the Redbirds' record falls to 6-37 (.140).
POINT-N-SHOOT
It's not just the points either; shooting percentage is also a key factor for ISU in terms of wins and losses. When ISU shoots better than its opponent, the `Birds are 34-10 (.773) over the last four seasons. When the Redbirds shoot worse, ISU is 5-42 (.106).
JUCO ALL-AMERICA U.
Dominitrix Johnson and Keith "Boo" Richardson became the second and third junior college all-Americans respectively, to sign with ISU since Porter Moser's arrival. Richardson claimed first-team honors, while Johnson was a third team selection. The duo joins Lorenzo Gordon, who went on to earn Valley Newcomer of the Year honors in 2005.
RUBIN SIGNS
During the early signing period, head coach Porter Moser added his first to the 2007-08 recruiting class. Point guard Alex Rubin from Armstrong High School in Plymouth, Minn., signed his national letter of intent to continue his education and basketball career at ISU. At 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, Rubin led the Falcons to a 19-10 overall record, before falling in the sectional finals. A two-time all-Classic Lake Conference selection, Rubin averaged 14.5 points and 4.8 assists per game as a junior. In 2006, he was named to the all-metro defensive second team and was an honorable mention all-state selection.
