As a team, UTA is shooting 53.4 percent from the floor. Vereen is shooting at a 65.2 percent clip converting 30 of his 46 shot attempts. Jermaine Griffin, who is averaging 14.2 points per game, is shooting 68.3 percent from the field (28-of-41).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Both Greg Dilligard and Anthony Slack notched double-double efforts for the Redbirds against Sacramento State. It marked the first time a pair of Redbirds posted double-doubles in the same game since Feb. 15, 1998, when Dan Muller and Rico Hill each collected a double-double against Missouri State.
IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
It is the holiday season and the Redbirds were in a giving mood against Sacramento State on Wednesday. ISU dished out 26 assists in the 86-69 win over the Hornets, as 76.5 percent of the Redbirds' made baskets were the result of a pass. The team assist total ranked as the highest single-game total in the Porter Moser era at Illinois State and was the most since the `Birds handed out 31 assists on Feb. 28, 1998 in the quarterfinal of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament against Southern Illinois.
POWER SURGE
Illinois State's 86 points against Sacramento State was the most points scored by the Redbirds in 89 games. The last time the Redbirds scored that many points was in an 87-53 win over Bellarmine on Dec. 2, 2003. The 86 points is the third highest point total by the `Birds in the Porter Moser era.
DILLY DOUBLES DOWN, AGAIN
For the first time in his college career, senior Greg Dilligard posted back-to-back double-double performances. Dilligard notched 17 points and 11 rebounds at St. John's and followed that effort up with an 11-point, 10-board game against Sacramento State. Dilligard now has five double-doubles in his career.
SLACK ATTACK
Junior Anthony Slack is attacking the glass for the Redbirds. In his first six games, Slack is averaging 8.2 rebounds per game which is the most by a `Bird since Rico Hill also pulled down 8.2 boards per game during the 1996-97 season.
AN INSIDE PRESENCE
Against Sacramento State, the Redbirds dominated the post play as the Redbirds scored 50 of their 86 points in the paint. Forwards Greg Dilligard and Anthony Slack combined to score 32 points, grab 20 rebounds and shoot 14-for-16 (.875) from the field.
GIMMIE FIVE
Junior Anthony Slack paced five Redbirds who scored in double figures against Sacramento State with 21 points. He was joined by Boo Richardson (12), Roberto Fortes (11), Greg Dilligard (11) and Brandon Holtz (10). The last time ISU had five double-digit scorers was on Jan. 15, 2005 in a win against Drake.
THE STREAK
ISU enters tonight's game looking for its fifth straight victory, the longest winning streak in the Porter Moser era at Illinois State. In fact, the Redbirds have not won five straight games since the 2000-01 season.
DISHING THE ROCK
Junior point guard Boo Richardson enters tonight's game averaging 5.8 assists per game this season, which is the highest average by a Redbird since Jamar Smiley dropped 6.4 assists per game during the 1997-98 season. Richardson has 35 assists on the season and is on pace to finish the regular season with 175, which would rank No. 9 all-time.
SHOTGUN START
With Roberto Fortes' three-pointer to begin Illinois State's scoring against Sacramento State, he became the fifth player to score ISU's first game points in just six contests this season. Each of the five starters have opened the scoring for the `Birds, while Boo Richardson is the only one to crack the scoring column twice.
A NEW BENCHMARK
The Illinois State bench accounted for 23 points in the 86-69 win over Sacramento State Wednesday night. It marked the highest point total by the Redbird reserves this season. Brandon Holtz poured in 10 points, while Mike Vandello added eight tallies. However, ISU is still being outscored 90-71 on the season in bench points.
FOUR SCORE AND FIVE YEARS AGO?
Illinois State currently has four players averaging double-digit points on the season, including Boo Richardson (13.7), Dom Johnson (13.5), Anthony Slack (11.2) and Greg Dilligard (11.0). The last time ISU had four players average double digits was five years ago during the 2001-02 season. Last season, the Redbirds didn't have a single player average 10 or more points per contest.
MINUTE MARATHON
Sophomore Brandon Holtz has not been getting a lot of minutes this season, but he has been making strides with what he's gotten. In 29 minutes this season, Holtz has 19 points thanks in a large part to his five three-pointers. After pro-rating his playing time to a full 40 minutes per game, Holtz would have a marathon scoring game with 26.2 points per contest.
THREE-BALLIN'
Through six games, 40.5 percent of ISU's field goal attempts have come from beyond the 3-point arc. The `Birds are averaging 22.5 three-point tries per game and have almost made as many (45) as their opponents have shot (71). ISU has shot 135 treys this season, led by Dom Johnson, who has taken 48 attempts from three.
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 six 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.
206 GAMES WITH A TREY
ISU enters tonight's game against Texas-Arlington with at least one made three in 206 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 Porter Moser, ISU has limited its foes to 70 points or fewer in 63 of its 93 games (67.7 percent). There is also some significance when the `Birds reach 70 points. When ISU scores 70 or more, the `Birds are 22-4 (.846) 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 23-12 (.657) 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 tied for No. 2 in career blocked shots with 134 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 34-15 (.694) 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 35-10 (.778) over the last four seasons. When the Redbirds shoot worse, ISU is 5-42 (.106).
MAKING THE GRADE
The Illinois State men's basketball team set a record GPA during the Fall 2005 semester by posting a collective 2.81 GPA, topping the old mark of 2.75. The athletics department as a whole also netted a new standard during the Spring 2006 semester with a 2.99 GPA.
INSTANT IMPACT
Through six games, the six Redbird newcomers have made immediate impacts. The newest Redbirds have accounted for 60.3 percent of ISU's scoring, 46.3 percent of the rebounding and 63.1 percent of the assists this season.
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.
