Dec. 13, 2007
Illinois State-Bowling Green Game Notes in PDF Format 
ABOUT THE FALCONS
► Bowling Green State University is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and has a total enrollment of 21,132. The Falcons are a member of NCAA Division I and the Mid-American Conference East Division.
► The Falcons are off to a 4-4 start this season. BGSU has posted wins over Belmont (Nov. 10), Cincinnati (Nov. 11), Morehead State (Nov. 17) and Furman (Nov. 27). The Falcons are 1-1 at home this season.
► The Falcons are in their first-year under the leadership of head coach Louis Orr. He did not coach last season, but spent the previous five campaigns as the mentor at Seton Hall. Orr led the Pirates to three postseason appearances, including NCAA Tournament berths in the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons. Orr is assisted by LaMonta Stone, George Jackson and Andy Moore.
► BGSU returns nine lettermen from last year's roster, including three starters. The Falcons currently have three players averaging double-digits in scoring, led by Chris Knight's team-leading 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS
Bowling Green will be playing just its third home game of the season when the Redbirds and Falcons square off at Anderson Arena Sunday. After dropping their first contest of the season against Western Carolina (Nov. 9), the Falcons rolled off three-consecutive wins, including the final two games of the Peggy Cronin Classic (Cincinnati, Ohio). BGSU has since dropped three of its last four games. In their last contest (Nov. 6), the Falcons dropped a 64-60, overtime decision at Northern Colorado. The Bears battled back from an eight-point second-half deficit to force the extra period, and Bowling Green committed 24 turnovers in the game. The Falcons had a better shooting percentage for the night, and BGSU hit a season-high 10 three-point field goals. Senior Ryne Hamblet led Bowling Green with a game-high 23 points, while freshman Joe Jakubowski had 11 points. Junior Nate Miller scored 10 points to round out the Falcons' trio of double-digit scorers.
LAST TIME OUT: REDBIRDS OUTLAST CINCINNATI, 62-52
For the third time this season, Illinois State senior forward Anthony Slack posted a perfect shooting effort from the field, as the Redbirds rolled past BIG EAST foe Cincinnati, 62-52, Saturday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. A crowd of 6,529, ISU's largest home attendance of the season, witnessed the Redbirds pick up their 11th victory all-time against a current BIG EAST member. Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge led all scorers with 20 points, including two three pointers, and a 10-for-12 effort from the charity stripe.
NEXT UP: REDBIRDS CONTINUE MAC SWING AT BALL STATE
Illinois State will play its fourth game against a Mid-American Conference opponent this season when the Redbirds travel to Muncie, Ind., for a non-conference contest against host Ball State. The Cardinals are winless on the season, having lost their first eight games by an average of more than 10 points per game. BSU is 0-4 at home, dropping decisions to Butler (Nov. 9), Milwaukee (Nov. 14), No. 5 Georgetown (Nov. 21) and Evansville (Nov. 24).
ROAD WEARY
In order to compete for the Missouri Valley Conference championship, Illinois State will need to win some games away from Redbird Arena - something the Redbirds haven't done very often in recent campaigns. After back-to-back losses to No. 8 Indiana and Kent State in the Chicago Invitational Challenge and the Dec. 4 setback at Eastern Michigan, ISU has dropped 29 of its last 32 games away from Redbird Arena. The Redbirds were 3-10 on the road last season, and broke their previous 16-game road losing streak with a 78-65 win at St. John's on Nov. 25, 2006.
A MAC ATTACK
ISU continues its attack on the Mid-American Conference tonight against Bowling Green. Playing a league member of the MAC is nothing new for Illinois State, especially since the `Birds have faced at least one MAC team during the last nine seasons. The `Birds have had their share of success against the MAC with a 148-107 record (.580). The only current member of the 12-team conference that the Redbirds have never faced is Toledo. ISU will play a total of four MAC teams this season.
JUD'S HISTORY AGAINST THE FALCONS
ISU assistant coach and former Northern Illinois mentor Rob Judson will undoubtedly be an asset to the Redbirds when preparing for their four MAC foes this season. Judson was 4-5 against Bowling Green in his six seasons at the helm of the Huskies, including last season's convincing 73-51 win, at NIU's Convocation Center.
CHARITABLE EVENING
Free-throw shooting certainly hasn't been ISU's forte' this season, as the Redbirds rank last in the Missouri Valley Conference in free throw percentage (.646). But ISU set season-highs in free throws made (20), attempted (27) and percentage (.741) in Saturday's 62-52 win over visiting Cincinnati. Boo Richardson (2-for-2), Dom Johnson (2-of-2) and Mike Vandello (2-for-2) each had perfect shooting marks from the charity stripe.
OSIRIS CONVERTS FREEBIES
Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge went 10-for-12 from the free throw line against the Bearcats Saturday, becoming the first ISU player to convert 10 or more free throws in a single-game since Lorenzo Gordon accomplished the feat against BIG EAST foe St. John's during the 2004-05 campaign (Dec. 4, 2004).
FOUL REVERSAL
After Illinois State was whistled for 32 fouls against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 4 (the most in seven years), the Redbirds were called for a season-low 15 personal fouls in Saturday's 62-52 win over Cincinnati.
STEALIN' THE SHOW
Senior guard Dom Johnson entered Saturday's game against Cincinnati with just one steal on the season. He posted a career-high five steals against the Bearcats to push his season total to six. Johnson was also a catalyst in holding Deonta Vaughn, UC's leading scorer, to just eight points; he entered the game averaging 16.0 points per game.
RUNS GALORE AGAINST CINCINNATI
With Cincinnati leading 9-5 at the 14:27 mark in the first half, Illinois State went on its first big run of the game. The Redbirds rattled off 10-straight points, including six by Levi Dyer on a pair of three-point field goals. Following a Bearcat basket at the 10:45 mark of the first half, ISU went on a 12-0 spurt, that included four points apiece from Osiris Eldridge and Anthony Slack, to take a 27-11 lead with 3:38 remaining in the opening stanza. During the run, Cincinnati was 0-for-12 from the field and had three turnovers over a seven-minute, 14-second span.
DOUBLE-DIGITS BECOMING A FAMILIARITY
Against Cincinnati, sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game and for the seventh time this season. He finished with a game-high 20 points and now has 19 double-digit scoring games in his career. It was Eldridge's third 20-point game this season and the fourth of his career.
SLACK FLAWLESS ... AGAIN
For the third game this season, senior forward Anthony Slack was perfect from the field Saturday night against Cincinnati at Redbird Arena. Slack was 5-for-5 against the Bearcats; tallied a 7-for-7 shooting effort versus Southeast Missouri State (Nov. 14) and was 5-for-5 from the field against Chicago State (Nov. 27). All three games were ISU wins, and were all played inside Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Slack ranks second the Valley with a 71.7 field goal percentage. Slack has fouled out of the past two games.
BOO'S IMPRESSIVE RATIO
Boo Richardson enters this week's slate of non-conference games ranked second in the nation with a 6.17 assist/turnover ratio through nine games this season. Richardson has 15 assists to just one turnover in the past three games. He trails only UNLV's Marcus Lawrence, who has compiled a 9.33 assist/turnover ratio with 28 assists and just three turnovers.
DISHIN' WITH BOO
Through nine games, senior point guard Boo Richardson has 37 assists and only six turnovers. Last season, after nine games, Richardson had more assists (48), but also had 44 turnovers. Richardson has not committed a turnover in the past two games, and has four zero-turnover games this season.
ELDRIDGE ATTACKS THE DEFENSIVE GLASS
It was difficult to ignore Osiris Eldridge's offensive performance Saturday night, but perhaps even more impressive was his activity on the defensive glass. Eldridge pulled down a game-high nine defensive rebounds. He leads with 40 defensive boards on the year.
A TRIO OF SCORERS
At this point, Illinois State has three players averaging double-digit points per game. Osiris Eldridge is pouring in 16.6 points per contest, Anthony Slack is averaging 11.3 points per game and Levi Dyer is tossing in 10.8 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.).
A SECOND-HALF TEAM TO SAY THE LEAST
Illinois State has consistently showed its ability to finish strong this season, registering three second-half comebacks to post wins. The Redbirds trailed heading to the locker room against Southeast Missouri State (Nov. 14) and UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 18), and were tied with UIC at halftime. In those three contests, the Redbirds outscored the Red Hawks, Seahawks and Flames by a combined score of 143-75 in the second half. ISU has outscored seven of its nine opponents in the second half this season.
SPEAKING OF PROTECTING THE BALL ...
Illinois State has committed 15 or fewer turnovers in six of its last seven games, including a season-low 11 turnovers against Chicago State. The Redbirds are only averaging 15.0 turnovers per game.
GETTIN' IT DONE
While the Redbird starting five has accounted for nearly two-thirds (74 percent) of ISU's scoring output this season, the bench has also proven its value early this season. ISU's bench players have outscored their opponents' reserves, 235-151.
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.
240 GAMES WITH A TREY
Knock one down against Bowling Green and Illinois State will extend its streak to 241-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.
SLACK ATTACK
Anthony Slack, the league leader in blocked shots, isn't cutting ISU's opponents any slack so far this season. Through nine games, Slack has posted a team-best 22 blocked shots. He is averaging 2.4 blocks per game, which would rank as the second-highest blocked shots average in a single-season at ISU.
TAYLOR MADE TO PUSH IT?
Illinois State has tallied more fastbreak points than six of its nine opponents this season (and tied with Kent State on Nov. 24). When the Redbirds have been successful running in transition, it has translated to substantial runs and large margins of victory. In ISU's three wins in which it has scored 20 or more fastbreak points, the Redbirds have defeated those foes (Missouri-St. Louis, Southeast Missouri State and Illinois-Chicago) by nearly 25 (24.3) points per contest.
TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE
Of course, starting the fastbreak usually happens when a turnover is forced on the other end of the court. The Redbirds have forced 164 turnovers this season, and have scored 186 points off those mishaps (20.7 ppg). In the past four games, Illinois State has scored a combined 74 points off turnovers (18.5 ppg).
THREE-BALLING
After nine games, the Redbirds are anything but shy about shooting from beyond the arc. Illinois State has shot significantly more threes than its opponents (196 tries, compared to 132). The Redbirds are also averaging 8.6 made treys per game, which is 4.5 more than their opponents (4.1).
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 six games and all six resulted in ISU victories. The three games that the Redbirds had the lower field goal percentage ended up being defeats.
ELDRIDGE DOUBLES OVER
Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge had his first-career double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds in the 72-63 setback at Eastern Michigan. Eldridge, the Valley Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 18, went 6-for-14 from the field, including 3-of-8 from three-point range, and pulled down 11 defensive caroms. He also added three steals. Eldridge joined Anthony Slack and Levi Dyer as the only ISU players to compile a double-double this season.
"ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS"
Senior center Levi Dyer said following ISU's 73-47 win over Illinois-Chicago that he was coming off "one of those nights," in which his shot just kept falling. Dyer's season-high 25 points (his second-straight double-figure outing and the fourth this season) came on 9-of-11 shooting, including a 7-for-8 effort from beyond the three-point arc, the best shooting percentage by an ISU player in Redbird Arena history. Dyer now has seven 20-point games in his career. His seven made three-pointers tied him for fifth-place all-time in ISU history for a single-game.
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.
MODUPE COMPLETES 2008-09 RECRUITING CLASS
Illinois State head men's basketball coach Tim Jankovich added a fourth and final piece to his 2008-09 recruiting class on Dec. 5, bolstering his frontcourt depth with the signing of 6-foot-7, 205-pound forward Ty Modupe. Modupe, a native of Topeka, Kan., attends Highland Park High School, where he helped lead the Scots to an undefeated (25-0) Kansas Class 5A State Championship campaign as a junior. He will enroll at ISU in the fall, and begin his eligibility next season. Modupe joins 2008-09 recruits Bobby Hill, Jeremy Robinson and Kenyon Smith.
