The Flames opened their 2007-08 season with two wins over foes located in the state of Illinois, including a season-opening 84-75 win at home versus Missouri Valley Conference member Bradley.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Illinois-Chicago just ended a three-game losing skid with a 65-52 victory at Central Michigan Wednesday night. Junior 7-footer Scott VanderMeer is coming off his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds against the Chippewas. VanderMeer is averaging 11.7 points per game and a team-best 6.5 boards per contest. Josh Mayo leads the Flames in scoring with 16.5 points per game and he has scored in double figures in five of UIC's six games, including a career-high 34 points in the season-opener against Bradley. Tonight's game is the fifth contest of a five-game road swing for the Flames, their longest of the season. To date, UIC is 1-3 on the trip.
LAST TIME OUT: ISU USES 25-0 FIRST-HALF RUN TO STIFLE CHICAGO STATE
Chicago State led 10-8 in the early going of Tuesday night's game on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. But Illinois State countered with a 25-0 run to build a 33-10 lead at the 5:53 mark. Chicago State was held scoreless for 10:21, while missing 14 field goals and committing five turnovers. Four Redbirds finished the game with double-figure totals, including Levi Dyer, who led the Redbirds with 16 points. He also added 10 rebounds for his second-career double-double.
NEXT UP: REDBIRDS TRAVEL TO EASTERN MICHIGAN
Illinois State will hit the road Tuesday for the second of four scheduled meetings against members of the Mid-American Conference. The Redbirds have already faced Kent State and dropped a 65-59 decision in the third-place game of the Chicago Invitational Challenge in Hoffman Estates, Ill. ISU has lost 27 of its last 31 games away from Redbird Arena, but owns a 22-9 advantage in the series against Eastern Michigan, including four-straight victories.
HELP A BROTHER OUT
The Illinois State Athletics Department will be accepting gift donations for the WJBC Brotherhood Tree prior to tonight's game against Illinois-Chicago. Gifts for the WJBC Brotherhood Tree should be wrapped and tagged with the age and gender of the intended recipient, as well as including the contents of the box. For each gift donated, one free ticket to the Redbirds' Jan. 8 home game against Northern Iowa will be given.
DYER'S DOUBLE TROUBLE
Leading Illinois State in scoring is nothing new for senior center Levi Dyer, but rebounding - that doesn't happen as much. However, against Chicago State, Dyer crashed the boards and posted the second double-digit rebounding game of his career. His 10 rebounds, paired with his team-best 16 points, also gave Dyer his second-career double-double.
SLACK DOUBLES OVER
Senior Anthony Slack has scored in double-figures every game this season, which is the longest double-digit scoring streak in his career (six games). Slack notched 14 points against Chicago State and is averaging 13.2 points per game on the season. As a Redbird, Slack has recorded 20 double-digit scoring efforts.
AN EFFICIENT COMBO
Senior guards Dom Johnson and Boo Richardson haven't given their opponents much room to capitalize on unforced errors this season. Johnson and Richardson have a combined 3.29 assist-to-turnover ratio this season. Richardson (4.40) and Johnson (2.67) rank among the league's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio, as Johnson leads the Redbirds with 24 assists and Richardson has dished out 22.
SPEAKING OF PROTECTING THE BALL ...
Illinois State has committed 15 or fewer turnovers in each of its last four games, including a season-low 11 turnovers in its last outing against Chicago State. The Redbirds are only averaging 14.8 turnovers per game.
A CENTURY OF TREYS
For Levi Dyer, "a century of treys" lasts about 73 games. That's how long it took for the Redbird center to sink the 100th three-point field goal of his career. By reaching the milestone, Dyer became the 13th Redbird to achieve the feat. He now has 102 triples in his career, which ranks No. 13 in school history, and needs 11 more makes to surpass former Redbird Kyle Cartmill (112).
REDBIRDS IN THE GIFT-GIVING MOOD
Well, it is the season, and the Redbirds were feeling extra generous against Chicago State Tuesday night. Illinois State made 28 field goals in the 81-49 non-conference victory, and 22 came way by of an assist. As a result, 79 percent of the Redbird shots made were the result of an extra pass.
237 GAMES WITH A TREY ON THE BOARD, 237 GAMES ...
Knock one down against Illinois-Chicago and Illinois State will extend its streak to 238-straight games with at least one made three-point field goal. The last time ISU failed to convert a three was in an 82-43 loss at Creighton Dec. 12, 1999.
OFFENSIVE ODIAKOSA
Sophomore forward Dinma Odiakosa is still a work in progress, but the signs of stardom are apparent. Odiakosa made another stride against Chicago State with a career-best 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting. He also pulled down seven rebounds and added a career-high three blocked shots.
SLACK ATTACK
Anthony Slack, the league leader in blocked shots, isn't cutting ISU's opponents any slack so far this season. Through six games, Slack has posted a team-best 17 blocked shots. He is on pace to finish the season with 85 swats, which would rank as the second-highest single-season total in school history.
100-in-7
Sophomore Osiris Eldridge needs just two points tonight to have 100 tallies for the season. It is rare to reach the 100-point plateau in less than seven games. The last Redbird to accomplish this feat was Tarise Bryson, who had 100 points after five games, to start the 2000-01 season.
HOME SWEET HOME
With a 4-0 start this season on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, Illinois State is adding to its winning record in its home facility. Since the building opened in 1989, the Redbirds own a 188-76 (.712) record at home, while boasting a 15-4 (.789) mark over the last two seasons.
O' NO!
That's the sentiment of opposing ball-handlers when being guarded by Illinois State's Osiris Eldridge. Through six games, Eldridge has already amassed 15 steals, or 2.5 per game. He is on pace to finish the year with 75 thefts, which would top the school record held by Todd Starks (1986-87) by 14 steals.
BOARDING CALL
Through six games, Anthony Slack is averaging a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game. If he can maintain his pace, Slack would become the first Redbird to average seven or more rebounds per game over a season since Baboucarr Bojang logged 7.6 boards per contest during the 2001-02 season. In addition to Bojang, only three others have averaged seven or more rebounds a game for the Redbirds over the last 20 years: Rico Hill (7.5 rpg. in 1997-98 and 8.2 rpg. in 1996-97), Reggie Wilson (7.0 rpg. in 1990-91) and Cliff Peterson (7.0 rpg. in 1987-88).
PICKIN' UP THE SLACK
Anthony Slack led the Redbirds last season in steals with 43, and he has already swiped seven this season. With 50 career steals, Slack became the 47th player in Illinois State history to post 50 or more steals in a career.
DISHIN' WITH BOO
Boo Richardson is coming off of his season-best effort for assists with seven against Chicago State. Through six games, Richardson has 22 assists and only five turnovers. Last season, after six games, Richardson had more assists (35), but also had an astounding 29 turnovers.
POINT N' SHOOT
It seems to be a recent trend in Redbird basketball - a higher field goal percentage equals wins. So far this season, the Redbirds have outshot their opponent in four games and all four resulted in ISU victories. The two games that the Redbirds had the lower field goal percentage ended up being defeats.
THIRTY SOMETHING
Against UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 18), sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge became the first Redbird to score 30 or more points in a game since current backcourt teammate Dom Johnson tossed in 32 points at Florida State last season. Before Johnson, the last Illinois State player to score 30 points was Trey Guidry, who scored 30 points at Creighton Jan. 22, 2005.
FULL-SERVICE SLACK
The accomplishments of Anthony Slack's start to his senior season have been well documented. But one area left untouched has been his accuracy from the field. Slack is shooting 71.1 percent from the field this season, converting 32 of his 45 field goal attempts. It's early, but the school record for single-season field goal percentage is 64.8 percent by Tony Holifield during the 1987-88 season.
DYER, ELDRIDGE NAB PRESEASON HONORABLE MENTION PLAUDITS
In the 2007-08 MVC Preseason Poll, senior center Levi Dyer (12.1 ppg) and sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge (9.5 ppg) were each named honorable mention All-Valley selections. The league appointed five preseason all-MVC players, and recognized five honorable mention players. Dyer was voted captain of the Valley's "Most Improved Team" last season, and Eldridge earned the league's Freshman of the Year honor.
JANKOVICH NOT ALONE
Tim Jankovich is part of a Missouri Valley Conference single-season upheaval that has five new head coaches, the most since five new MVC head coaches took over for the 1978-79 season. Jankovich is joined by first-year head coaches Keno Davis (Drake), Marty Simmons (Evansville) Kevin McKenna (Indiana State) and Gregg Marshall (Wichita State).
AT HOME, ISU IS A QUARTERHORSE
Through four home games, Illinois State has had its way with opponents during the 2007-08 season. The Redbirds are posting an average margin of victory of 25 points, while averaging 82.5 points per game. At home, ISU is shooting 49.2 percent and is holding opponents to 36.9 percent shooting.
WINGING IT
At all Illinois State home games this season, the basketball team has a promotion sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings. If the Redbirds score 75 or more points in a game, all fans in attendance receive a coupon for six free wings to be redeemed the following day. To date, the Redbirds are 3-for-4 on the promotion, scoring 75 points or more in their last three home games.
THREE-BALLING
After six games, the Redbirds are anything but shy about shooting from beyond the arc. Illinois State has nearly doubled its opponents' three-point field goal attempts with 135 tries, compared to 81. The Redbirds are also averaging 9.2 made treys per game, which is exactly five more than their opponents.
A TRIO OF SCORERS
At this point, Illinois State has three players averaging double-digit points per game. Osiris Eldridge is pouring in 16.3 points per contest, Anthony Slack is averaging 13.2 points per game and Levi Dyer is tossing in 10.3 tallies per game. The last time Illinois State had three players averaging double-figures was during the 2002-03 season with Gregg Alexander (11.1 ppg.), Vince Greene (12.3 ppg.) and Trey Guidry (11.1 ppg.).
ODZIC ON DECK
USC transfer Sead Odzic will be ready to make his Illinois State debut Dec. 29. It just so happens that will be when Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich will make his Missouri Valley Conference debut, as the Redbirds travel to Creighton. Odzic joined the team last season, but has been forced to sit out to meet NCAA resident requirements.
I GOT NEXT ...
Two Division I transfers joined the Redbird basketball program during the offseason, as 6-foot-5 Oregon guard Chamberlain Oguchi and 6-foot Austin Peay State guard Landon Shipley both transferred to ISU. Each will be forced to sit out the 2007-08 season, and begin their eligibility at Illinois State in the 2008-09 campaign. Both Oguchi and Shipley are currently practicing with the Redbirds.
ROBINSON, SMITH AND HILL SIGN
After verbally committing to Illinois State and first-year head coach Tim Jankovich over the summer, former Redbird guard and current Lincoln College star Bobby Hill, Decatur Eisenhower forward Jeremy Robinson and Chicago Simeon point guard Kenyon Smith made it official during the early signing period by signing their respective National Letters of Intent to continue their education and basketball careers at ISU. All three players will begin their eligibility in the 2008-09 campaign.
VANDELLO NAMED SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Junior Mike Vandello was the recipient of the Doug Collins Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award at the State Farm Student-Athlete Academic Excellence banquet in Redbird Arena Oct. 21. Vandello was a member of the AFNI Honor Roll and the Dean's List both semesters last year with identical 4.0 grade-point averages (GPA). He appeared in 27 games during his sophomore season and recorded career-highs of eight points and eight rebounds against Sacramento State. The junior from Bettendorf, Iowa, has a 4.0 cumulative GPA in biological sciences.
THE NEW STAFF
Jankovich hired three assistant coaches that boast a combined 40 years of college coaching experience. He hired 18-year state of Illinois coaching veteran Rob Judson, who had spent the past six years as the head coach at Northern Illinois. Prior to his stint with the Huskies, Judson spent the previous 12 years as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois (1989-91), Bradley (1991-96) and his alma mater, Illinois (1996-2001). Anthony Beane, who was an assistant coach under former Redbird head coach Tom Richardson (2000-02) was also hired after a four-year stint at Saint Louis. Jankovich bolstered his Chicago recruiting ties with the hiring of Paris Parham, a well-respected high school coach in Chicago's Public League. Parham, who was ISU sophomore Osiris Eldridge's high school coach at Morgan Park, also boasts 10 years of college coaching experience.
