SIU has eight players who are averaging more than 10 minutes per game.
O, WHAT A HOMECOMING
Freshman Osiris Eldridge played his first collegiate game in front of his hometown fans last Saturday, as the Redbirds defeated Illinois-Chicago 77-69, at the UIC Pavilion. Eldridge didn't disappoint, as he poured in a career-high 19 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 on threes. He also added six rebounds and two steals.
20/20
In both the McNeese State and Lewis games this season, the Redbirds had two players score 20 or more points. Against McNeese State, Boo Richardson scored 23 points, while Greg Dilligard tossed in 20. In the Lewis game, Anthony Slack led all ISU scorers with 22 points and Richardson added 20 tallies. It marked the first time since the 2004-05 season where two Redbirds reached the 20-point plateau in two separate games. Trey Guidry and Lorenzo Gordon both accomplished the feat against Mississippi and Tennessee-Martin.
FOUR SCORE AND FIVE YEARS AGO?
Illinois State currently has four players averaging double-digit points on the season, including Boo Richardson (12.3), Dom Johnson (12.0), Anthony Slack (10.8) and Greg Dilligard (10.0). 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.
BOO'S CLUES
Chances are if you want to see how the Redbirds did, just look at Boo Richardson's stat line. In the eight wins, Richardson is averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game, while dishing out 56 assists or 7.0 per game. He is also shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 46.9 percent on threes. In the four loses, Richardson is averaging 5.5 points per game, four assists per contest, shooting 15.4 percent and 6.3 percent on threes.
BOARDING CALL
For the first time since 1986-87 season, the Redbirds have two players averaging six rebounds or more per game on the season. Both Anthony Slack (6.8 rpg.) and Greg Dilligard (6.3 rpg.) are among the conference leaders in rebounding, becoming the first Redbird tandem since Derrick Sanders (8.1 rpg.) and Tony Holifield (6.0).
BLOCK PARTY
Through 12 games, Illinois State ranks third in blocked shot average in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds are averaging 3.6 blocked shots per game. At this pace, the `Birds would tie for the fourth highest blocked shot average in school history.
212 GAMES WITH A TREY
ISU enters tonight's game against Southern Illinois with at least one made three in 212 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
HITTING THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
After 12 games, senior Greg Dilligard has more offensive rebounds (38) than defensive rebounds (37). If he were to continue this pace, he would be the first Redbird since Kenneth Pierson in 1998-99, to end a season with more offensive boards than defensive boards.
PERCENT AND PROBABILITY
So far this season, when Greg Dilligard attempts a field goal there is a high probability it is going in. In fact it is so high, that if he stays on this pace it would be the second highest single-season field goal percentage in Illinois State history. Dilligard is second in the Missouri Valley Conference by making 64.0 percent of his field goals.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE-DOUBLE DOUBLED
Greg Dilligard and Anthony Slack have each notched double-doubles in the same game twice this season (Sacramento State and Miami (Ohio)). It's the first time a pair of Redbirds have posted double-doubles in the same game twice since the 1997-98 season when Dan Muller and Rico Hill each collected double-doubles in the two regular-season meetings against Missouri State.
RE-WRITING REDBIRD RECORDS
The Illinois State defense has taken the red ink to the "Redbird Arena Records" page in the 2006-07 media guide. Through four home games, the Redbirds have held Cal State Northridge to a Redbird Arena low 25.9 percent shooting. The Matadors also tied the facility low with 14 made field goals. The Redbirds also limited Miami (Ohio) to a Redbird Arena record 13 second-half points, while the RedHawks 40 total points were the second lowest in the facility's history.
IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
It is the holiday season and the Redbirds are in a giving mood as of late. In the last seven games, ISU has dished out 127 assists, including 26 assists in the 86-69 win over Sacramento State. The Redbirds' assist total against the Hornets 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.
DILLY DOUBLES DOWN, AGAIN
Senior Greg Dilligard entered the season with three career double-doubles. Through 12 games, Dilligard already has three this season. Dilligard has posted double-digit points and rebounds against St. John's, Sacramento State and Miami (Ohio) this year.
THREE-BALLIN'
Through 12 games, 42.1 percent of ISU's field goal attempts have come from beyond the 3-point arc. The `Birds are averaging 23.4 three-point tries per game. Against Texas-Arlington on Dec. 2, the Redbirds set a Redbird Arena record with 14 made treys, which was also the second most in ISU history. The Redbirds are on pace to shoot 726 threes on the season, which would top the school record of 615 set in 1995-96.
SLACK ATTACK
Junior Anthony Slack is attacking the glass for the Redbirds. In his first 12 games, Slack is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game which is the most by a `Bird since Baboucarr Bojang pulled down 7.6 boards per game during the 2001-02 season.
DISHING THE ROCK
Junior point guard Boo Richardson enters tonight's game averaging 6.0 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 65 assists on the season and is on pace to finish the regular season with 186, which would rank tied for No. 7 all-time.
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.
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 139 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 the 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 38-15 (.717) record when they score 60 points or more. When ISU scores less than 60, the Redbirds' record falls to 6-39 (.133).
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, the Redbirds have had players score 20 or more points in a game six times. Boo Richardson and Anthony Slack have each done it twice, while both Dilligard and Dom Johnson have accomplished it once.
THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
Through the first 12 games the Redbirds have field two starting line-ups and both have one thing in common - they feature 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.
THAT 70's SHOW
Under Porter Moser, ISU has limited its foes to 70 points or fewer in 69 of its 99 games (69.7 percent). There is also some significance when the `Birds reach 70 points. When ISU scores 70 or more, the `Birds are 25-4 (.862) 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 27-13 (.675) record in non-league games.
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 39-10 (.796) over the last four seasons. When the Redbirds shoot worse, ISU is 5-44 (.102).
INSTANT IMPACT
Through 12 games, the six Redbird newcomers have made immediate impacts. The newest Redbirds have accounted for 61.4 percent of ISU's scoring, 45.8 percent of the rebounding and 63.8 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. To date this season, Rubin is averaging 20.3 points per contest through the first six games, while Armstrong owns a 5-1 record.
