Feb. 3, 2006
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About The Game:
Illinois State enters tonight's game coming off its second-worst defeat in the Porter Moser era, a 29-point loss at I-74 rival Bradley. The `Birds have lost eight of their last 10 games and all eight road contests this season. Evansville has also struggled as of late, dropping 12 of its last 13 games, including eight straight. This game is critical to both teams in hopes of climbing to sixth-place in the conference race and staying out of Thursday's play-in games. An Evansville loss tonight, secures the Aces a spot in Thursday's bracket.
Series History:
Tonight's game marks the 31st meeting in the series. The Redbirds carry a 20-10 advantage in the series, but Evansville has won four of the last seven meetings, including three straight on its home floor.
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 broadcasts, including Porter Moser's weekly call-in show can be heard via the Internet at GoRedbirds.com.
Television:
None.
The Coaches
Porter Moser (Creighton '90) owns an 89-78 (.533) career mark in his third season at Illinois State, including a 34-44 (.436) 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.
Steve Merfeld (UW-LaCrosse `84) is in his fourth season at Evansville. He owns a 35-70 (.333) record with the Purple Aces and carries a 125-127 (.496) record in his nine seasons as a head coach. He is assisted by Keith Noftz, Kareem Richardson and Jason Zimmerman.
About the Evansville Purple Aces
Evansville, located in Evansville, Ind., was founded in 1854 and has an enrollment of 2,400.
The Purple Aces return eight letterwinners, including three starters, from a team that finished 11-17 overall and finished tied for ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 5-13 mark.
Evansville's leading scorer and rebounder, Matt Webster, did not play against Illinois State at Redbird Arena earlier this season. Webster, who averages 15.1 points and 6.4 boards per game, missed the game due to an ankle sprain.
Nine of Evansville's players battled a stomach virus that swept through the team in Wednesday's loss at Wichita State.
Getting Back on the Horse
Sometimes in the world of sports, and in life, it's possible to get thrown from your horse. Illinois State had that happen Wednesday when the Redbirds were handed a 29-point defeat, the second-worst loss in the Porter Moser era, at Bradley. It marked the third 28-plus-point defeat in Moser's time at Illinois State, but the other two -- a 31-point loss at Evansville and a 28-point defeat at Marquette, both in 2004, resulted in ensuing victories.
Dilly's Holding On
With four straight single-digit scoring games, Greg Dilligard's season scoring average has dipped to 10.1 points per game. The scoring average is almost four points more than he averaged last season, but Dilligard leads the Redbirds in scoring and ISU has never had its leading scorer average less than double figures for a season since becoming a Division I program in 1970-71.
ISU Defense Has It's Peaks and Valleys
After holding its non-conference foes to 35.6 percent shooting, Illinois State opened league play without the same defensive intensity. In the first six Valley games, Redbird opponents shot 46.7 percent from the field, but in the next four games the `Birds got back to the basics by limiting their opponents to 37.9 percent from the floor. However in back-to-back losses to Southern Illinois and Bradley, the teams combined to shoot 47.2 percent.
First Things First
ISU enters tonight's game in search of its first road victory of the season. To date, the `Birds are 0-8 on the road this season. Dating back to last year, ISU has dropped 10 straight road games, including 8 straight league games.
Dilligard Joins the 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 third season, Dilligard now ranks No. 4 in career blocked shots with 105, becoming only the fifth player to post 100 or more career blocks as a Redbird. He also has 43 blocks for the year, which ranks seventh.
Keeping a Holtz of the Ball
Even while the Redbirds have averaged 17.4 turnovers per Valley game, it's not because of Brandon Holtz. In his first season of collegiate basketball, Holtz has shown value in the possession by only surrendering five turnovers in 203 minutes of conference play or one turnover for every 40.6 minutes played.
192 Games With a Trey on the Board
ISU enters the game at Evansville with at least one made three in 192 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
Block Party
The Redbirds are averaging 4.6 blocked shots per game as a team, led by Greg Dilligard's 43 swats. With 91 blocked shots in 19 games, ISU leads the Missouri Valley Conference in blocked shots, while Dilligard ranks second with 2.3 blocks per game. At this pace, the Redbirds would post the second best blocking average in school history, trailing only the 1976-77 team which averaged 4.9 blocks per game.
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 easy to follow. Opponents score less than 60 points, the Redbirds are 8-2. ISU foes score 60 or more, the `Birds are 0-10. It's that simple.
Point-N-Shoot
It's not just points either, shooting percentage has been a deciding factor for the Redbirds in terms of wins and losses. When ISU shoots better than its opponent, the `Birds are 8-2. But, when they are outshot, the Redbirds are 0-10.
Walking the Plank
It isn't the sole reason for defeat, but the `Birds appear to go how senior Neil Plank goes. In ISU's eight wins this season, Plank is leading the team with 12.3 points per game, while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. In the 12 losses, Plank is averaging 5.4 points per game and shooting 28.2 percent from the floor.
This Ford's A Steal
Just by looking at the sticker price, senior Dana Ford has been a steal. He entered his senior campaign averaging just 11 minutes per game in his first three seasons, but now he's on the verge of setting the ISU single season steals record. After 20 games, Ford leads the `Birds in thefts with 43 and is on pace to finish the season with 65.
D-Fence, D-Fence
This season ISU opponents are averaging 59.5 points per contest. If the Redbirds can maintain this effort, it would mark the first time that foes have been held below 66 points per game for three straight seasons since the 1985-86, 1984-85 and 1983-84 campaigns. Also, the 59.5 points allowed ranks as the lowest in school history.
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 athletic department as a whole also netted a new standard with a 2.93 GPA, while having a record 201 student-athletes named to the AFNI athletic honor roll.
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.
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 3.93 grade point average as an undergraduate finance major and is currently pursuing his master's in business administration.
This Date in Redbird History
Feb. 4, 1995 -Illinois State's Maurice Trotter sank a three-pointer with 32 seconds left in the overtime period to give the Redbirds an 83-82 win at Wichita State. Chad Altadonna led the Redbirds with 21 points. Illinois State owns a 3-5 record on this date during the Division I era.
