The Bears lead the conference in scoring (78.4 ppg.), scoring margin (+14.4), field goal percentage (49.7) and assists (18.5).
BOO'S BACK
Heading into Saturday's game against Drake, Illinois State's Boo Richardson hadn't received a warm welcome from the Valley. Through the first five games, Richardson had scored 14 combined points en route to averaging 2.8 points per league game and shooting 4-for-43 (.093) from the field, including 1-for-18 (.056) on threes. That all changed against the Bulldogs, as Richardson poured in a career-best 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting and a 6-for-9 effort on treys.
DYERMAKER
Since entering the starting lineup six games ago, junior Levi Dyer has been making the most of his opportunities. During the six-game span, Dyer has posted double-figure scoring in each outing, including a career-best 20 points against Northern Iowa. He is also averaging 13 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
LETHAL WEAPON 3
After Boo Richardson fired in six three-pointers at Drake on Saturday, it gave the Redbirds three separate players who have made six or more three-pointers in a single game this season. Osiris Eldridge dumped in eight at Creighton, while Dom Johnson poured in seven against Florida State earlier in the season. In addition, Roberto Fortes did it twice last season with seven treys at Miami (Ohio) and six at Redbird Arena against Drake.
THE CENTURY CLUB
Head coach Porter Moser enters tonight's contest against Missouri State sitting on 99 career coaching wins for the second straight game. A Redbird victory tonight would give Moser 100 victories in his career against 93 losses. The seventh-year head coach has collected 45 wins at Illinois State and 54 at Arkansas-Little Rock.
COOLER IN THE VALLEY
Through five conference games, the shooting has definitely been cooler for the Redbirds in league play. After firing field goals through the net at a 45.5 percent clip during the non-conference season, the `Birds are being held to a league-low 38.3 percent in league games.
DILLY FOR THE BLOCK
With two more blocked shots, senior Greg Dilligard will become Illinois State's career leader in blocked shots. He enters tonight's game with 142 career swats and is only the fifth player in Redbird history to post 100 or more blocked shots in a career. He currently has 18 blocks on the season.
FRESHMAN PHENOM
Not only did freshman Osiris Eldridge tie the school record at Creighton for made three pointers with eight, but he also poured in a career-high 28 points in the process. His 28 tallies marked the third highest single-game point total by a Redbird freshman in school history. By doing so, he joined a pretty elite group of ISU scorers - Bubbles Hawkins (30 points at Jacksonville, 2-16-73), Roger Powell (30 points vs. Morehead State, 1-8-73), Billy Lewis (28 points at West Virginia, 3-1-75) and Tarise Bryson (28 points vs. Southern Mississippi, 11-28-98 and vs. Wisconsin, 12-5-98).
CHAIRMAN OF THE OFFENSIVE BOARDS
Offensive rebounds have only been an official stat for a little more than 15 years, but during that time no one at Illinois State has been better at hitting the offensive glass than Greg Dilligard. During his career, Dilligard has registered 225 offensive caroms and is only the fourth player at ISU to collect 200 or more offensive boards. Dilligard is joined by Rico Hill (211), Dan Muller (205) and LeRoy Watkins (205).
DYER FOR TWO?
Junior center Levi Dyer has been working hard on his post play and it shows. Entering this season, Dyer had made 14 two-point baskets in his Redbird career. Already this season, Dyer has made 29 baskets inside the arc. He has also continued to shoot from three and ranks fourth on the team with 19 made three-pointers.
MINUTES ARE UPHILL
Freshman Bobby Hill logged 26 combined minutes over the first 14 games of the season. However in the last three contests, Hill has proven to be a defensive spark and doubled his playing time with a total of 34 minutes. Hill has been instrumental in holding opponents to 39.7 percent shooting in the last two games, including 28.8 percent on threes.
THE MINUTEMEN
Both Boo Richardson and Dom Johnson enter tonight's game averaging right around 34 minutes per game and rank second and fourth, respectively, among the conference leaders in minutes played. Only Indiana State's Gabe Moore has played more minutes per game than this Redbird duo. Richardson has totaled 582 minutes on the year, while Johnson has played 577.
KEPT OFFLINE
The Redbirds have the fewest free throw attempts in the Valley this season. ISU has only attempted 273 free throws on the year and is averaging 16.1 charity tosses per game.
217 GAMES WITH A TREY
ISU enters tonight's game against Missouri State with at least one made three in 217 straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton on Dec. 12, 1999.
DYER JOINS DOUBLE-DOUBLE CLUB
With a career-high 13 rebounds and 14 points at Drake on Saturday, junior Levi Dyer netted his first career double-double. Dyer's performance marked the seventh double-double by the Redbirds this season. Greg Dilligard leads the way with three, Anthony Slack has recorded two and Boo Richardson posted one this season.
THREE-BALLIN'
Through 17 games, 42.1 percent of ISU's field goal attempts have come from beyond the 3-point arc. The `Birds are averaging 23.5 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 729 threes on the season, which would top the school record of 615 set in 1995-96. ISU is also on pace to finish the season with 246 made treys, which would claim the school standard and top the current mark of 220 set during the 1997-98 season.
DISHING THE ROCK
Junior point guard Boo Richardson enters tonight's game averaging 5.7 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 97 assists on the season and is on pace to finish the regular season with 177, which would be No. 9 all-time.
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.
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.
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 39-17 (.696) record when they score 60 points or more. When ISU scores less than 60, the Redbirds' record falls to 6-41 (.128).
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 eight times. Boo Richardson has scored 20-plus three times, Anthony Slack twice, while Dilligard, Dom Johnson, Osiris Eldridge and Levi Dyer have all accomplished it once.
THAT 70's SHOW
Under Porter Moser, ISU has limited its foes to 70 points or fewer in 72 of its 104 games (69.2 percent). There is also some significance when the `Birds reach 70 points. When ISU scores 70 or more, the `Birds are 25-5 (.833) under Moser.
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 40-12 (.769) over the last four seasons. When the Redbirds shoot worse, ISU is 5-46 (.098).
SLACK ATTACK
Junior Anthony Slack is attacking the glass for the Redbirds. In his first 17 games, Slack is averaging 6.5 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.
INSTANT IMPACT
Through 17 games, the six Redbird newcomers have made immediate impacts. The newest Redbirds have accounted for 62.3 percent of ISU's scoring, 46.6 percent of the rebounding and 69.3 percent of the assists this season.
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. So far this season, 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.
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.
SEAD ADDED
Sead Odzic (SEE-add ODD-zik) transferred to Illinois State from Southern California following the fall semester. Odzic, a 6-foot-3, 192-pound guard, is a native of Skokie, Ill., and played prep basketball at Niles West. He will have to serve a year of residency and will not be eligible to compete in a game for the Redbirds until the completion of the Fall 2007 semester. At USC last season, Odzic averaged 3.2 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Prior to USC, Ozdic averaged 20 points, five rebounds and four assists during his senior season at Niles West.
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. This season, Rubin is averaging 19.5 points per contest, while Armstrong owns an 9-3 record.
