Dec. 28, 2007
Illinois State-Creighton Game Notes in PDF Format 
Illinois State Redbirds (8-3) at Creighton Bluejays (9-1)
Omaha, Neb. • Qwest Center Omaha
Radio: Redbird Radio Network
Dick Luedke (Play-by-play), Mike Matthews (Color)
Flagship WJBC 1230 AM
TV: MVC Television Network (Jeff Friedman, Mac McCausland)
STORYLINES
► Saturday's game is the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both Illinois State and Creighton. The Redbirds and Bluejays will be meeting in the opening game of the league slate for the fifth time, and all four of those contests have been played in Omaha, Neb.
► The Redbirds have dropped eight of their last 10 decisions in Omaha and have claimed just one win at the Qwest Center Omaha (2004-05).
► Illinois State is in the middle of a four-game road swing. The Redbirds defeated Bowling Green (Dec. 16) and Ball State (Dec. 22) in the first two contests of the stretch.
► The Redbirds enter the Missouri Valley Conference season with eight non-conference wins for the second time in the past four years, and the fifth time since joining the league in the 1981-82 season.
► ISU's 2007 MVC Freshman of the Year Osiris Eldridge averaged 23.0 points per game on a 66.7 three-point percentage in two games against Creighton last season. He tied a school record with eight three-pointers at the Qwest Center Omaha (Jan. 1, 2007).
ABOUT THE BLUEJAYS
► Creighton University is located in Omaha, Neb., and has a total enrollment of 6,981, including 4,075 undergraduate students. The Bluejays, a member of the Valley, are one of nine programs to post 20 or more wins in each of the past nine seasons.
► The Bluejays are off to a 9-1 start this season. Among Creighton's victories to date are wins over Nebraska, DePaul, Drexel, Saint Joseph's and Arkansas-Little Rock. Senior forward Dane Watts, the only returning starter from last year's 22-11 NCAA Tournament qualifier, leads Creighton with 14.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The Bluejays are a perfect 8-0 at home this season.
► Creighton is outscoring its opposition by an 18.7 point margin (80.8-62.1) and are outrebounding teams by 6.8 caroms per contest.
► Dating back to the 1997-98 campaign, Creighton has won eight of its last 10 Missouri Valley Conference opening games. The Bluejays last defeated the Redbirds in a league opening contest in 1999-2000.
SCOUTING CREIGHTON
Creighton will be playing its ninth home game, including the fifth-straight, when the Redbirds and Bluejays square off Saturday. The Bluejays have won all eight of those contests by an average of 22.0 points per game. Since edging St. Joseph's in overtime on Dec. 9, Creighton has tallied three-straight victories inside the Qwest Center Omaha by an average of 30 points per contest. All five of the Jays' top-five scorers are averaging at least seven points per game, and 10 players have contributed four or more points per outing. Creighton leads the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring offense (80.8 ppg), field goal percentage (.478) and rebounding defense (29.6 rpg).
LAST TIME OUT: ISU Tops Ball State for Second-Straight Road Win
Redshirt sophomore Dinma Odiakosa tallied his first-career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and senior guard Boo Richardson had 16 points (7-of-8 shooting) and six assists against zero turnovers to lead Illinois State's men's basketball team (8-3) to a 65-49 win at Ball State (0-11) Saturday at John E. Worthen Arena. The win was ISU's second-consecutive on the road. Osiris Eldridge (15 points) joined Odiakosa and Richardson in double-figures. Ball State was led by Rashaun McLemore's 17 points on a 7-of-11 shooting effort. ISU held a 38-26 rebounding advantage, out-shot the Cardinals 48.1 percent to 38.9 percent and scored 26 points in the paint.
NEXT UP: REDBIRDS WRAP UP ROAD SWING AT WICHITA STATE JAN. 1
Illinois State will wrap up its four-game road swing, and play its second Missouri Valley Conference contest, when the Redbirds travel to Wichita, Kan., for a New Years Day game against host Wichita State. The Shockers (7-4) finished the non-conference portion of their season with back-to-back home wins over LSU (Dec. 19) and UAB (Dec. 22). Tip-off from Charles Koch Arena is set for 7:05 p.m.
FOR VALLEY OPENERS
Opening the conference season has been a rough proposition for the Redbirds as of late. ISU has lost eight straight Missouri Valley Conference starts with the last win coming on Dec. 12, 1998 with a 68-61 victory over Wichita State.
OPENING THE VALLEY ON THE ROAD
Since joining the Valley prior to the 1981-82 season, Illinois State has opened conference play on the road 15 times, compiling a 6-9 record. The Redbirds have started the Valley slate in Omaha, Neb., four times, and have captured three victories. ISU and Creighton last met in a MVC opener in Omaha on Dec. 12, 1999, with the Bluejays claiming a convincing 82-43 win. The Redbirds have opened Valley play on the road in four-consecutive seasons.
LAST SEASON'S VALLEY OPENER
For the eighth straight season, Illinois State failed to win its Missouri Valley Conference opener as the Redbirds fell 69-41, at Evansville on Dec. 9, 2006 at Roberts Stadium. Evansville opened the second half with a 19-2 run, which included an Illinois State seven-minute scoring drought. The Redbirds were outscored 41-14 in the second half. Dom Johnson was the only Redbird in double figure scoring with 11 points.
LAST SEASON AGAINST THE BLUEJAYS
For the third-consecutive year, Illinois State and Creighton split the regular season series during the 2006-07 campaign. The Bluejays captured a 79-71 win at the Qwest Center Omaha on Jan. 1, 2007 behind Anthony Tolliver's 23-point output on a flawless 11-of-11 effort from the field. In Normal, Ill., (Feb. 20, 2007), the Redbirds overcame a 10-point (35-25) halftime deficit, and outscored the Bluejays, 40-20, in the second stanza, to record a 65-55 win inside Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Osiris Eldridge led a threesome in double figures with 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
ISU-CREIGHTON COACHING CONNECTIONS
Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich, assistant coach Anthony Beane and Creighton mentor Dana Altman all have very similar connections, having played or coached at Kansas State. Jankovich, a 1981 K-State graduate, led the Wildcats to a 1981 Elite Eight appearance and a 1982 Sweet 16 berth in his three years under legendary coach Jack Hartman. A three-time Academic All-American and honorable mention All-Big Eight player, Jankovich left Kansas State with nine Top 10 season and career marks. Beane played for current Creighton coach Dana Altman at K-State. With the Wildcats, he made an immediate impact. Beane was named the 1992 Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year and was twice named to the all-conference team. Altman spent four years at Kansas State before taking over at Creighton prior to the 1994-95 campaign.
O's BREAKOUT AT THE QWEST CENTER
Osiris Eldridge, the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, had a coming out party of sorts last season at the Qwest Center Omaha. Eldridge led all scorers with a then-career high 28 points on a school-record tying eight three-pointers. He was 4-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc in the first half, and 12 of his 16 second-half points were from three-point range. Eldridge eclipsed his career-high with 30 points against UNC-Wilmington earlier this season.
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. ISU has dropped 29 of its last 34 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. ISU is 2-1 on the road this season.
ODZIC PREMIERE?
USC transfer Sead Odzic is eligible to make his Illinois State debut Saturday against Creighton. Odzic joined the team last season, but has been forced to sit out to meet NCAA resident requirements.
ODIAKOSA DOUBLES OVER
Redshirt sophomore Dinma Odiakosa tallied his first-career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, including five offensive caroms, against Ball State Saturday. Odiakosa joined Levi Dyer, Osiris Eldridge and Anthony Slack as the only Redbirds to record a double-double this season. His seven defensive rebounds marked a career-high. Odiakosa's five offensive rebounds were the second-most of his career. He pulled down a career-high six offensive caroms against Indiana on Nov. 23. Odiakosa played a season-high 29 minutes in the game.
BOO BREAKS OUT IN SCORING COLUMN
Boo Richardson scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting (.875) and dished out six assists against zero turnovers in Illinois State's 65-49 win at Ball State Saturday (Dec. 22). He also tallied a team-best two steals in the game. Richardson was 4-of-5 from the field in the first half, including a 10-footer from the left corner at the buzzer to give the Redbirds a 27-17 halftime lead. Richardson was a perfect 3-of-3 in the second stanza, and added four assists, as ISU built as large as a 16-point lead. Richardson's 16 points were the most since tossing in 16 points against Drake on Jan. 21, 2007. He played a season-high 34 minutes in the game.
DISHIN' WITH BOO
Through 11 games, senior point guard Boo Richardson has 45 assists and only nine turnovers. Last season, after 11 games, Richardson had more assists (65), but also had 47 turnovers. His six assists against Ball State were the most since he dished out eight assists against UIC on Dec. 1. Richardson passed Billy Lewis (1974-78) on ISU's career assists list and now has 196 assists, ranking 24th all-time in ISU history. He has four zero-turnover games this season.
DOUBLE-DIGITS BECOMING A FAMILIARITY
Against Ball State, sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge scored in double figures for the seventh-straight game and for the ninth time this season. He scored 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Eldridge now has 21 double-digit scoring games in his career.
RUBIN FILLIN' IN
Freshman guard Alex Rubin played 11 minutes against Ball State last Saturday, and responded with a season-high tying six points on two three-point field goals. Rubin hit a trey with 9:05 remaining in the first half that extended ISU's lead to 14-10, and added a three-pointer with 11:55 remaining in the second stanza to push the Redbirds' advantage to 40-29, breaking a 6-0 Ball State run. Rubin has seen action in eight games this season, but had not played more than nine minutes since Nov. 27 against Chicago State.
A TRIO OF SCORERS
At this point, Illinois State has three players averaging double-digit points per game. Osiris Eldridge is pouring in 15.9 points per contest, Anthony Slack is averaging 10.4 points per game and Levi Dyer is tossing in 10.6 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).
REBOUNDING TRIO
Anthony Slack (6.3 rpg), Dinma Odiakosa (6.3) and Osiris Eldridge (5.6) are all averaging more than five rebounds per game through 10 non-conference contests this season. The last time Illinois State had three players average at least five rebounds per game in a single season was during the 1998-99 campaign, when L. Dee Murdock (6.1 rpg), Sean Riley (5.3) and LeRoy Watkins (5.5) all grabbed more than five caroms per outing.
PROTECTING THE ROCK
Illinois State committed just 12 turnovers against Ball Saturday, after turning the ball over just 10 times against Bowling Green on Dec. 16. ISU has committed less than 15 turnovers in each of the past four contests.
POINT N' SHOOT
Illinois State outshot the Ball State Saturday, 48.1 percent to 38.9 percent. The Redbirds have out-shot their opposition in all nine of their wins this season. The three games that the Redbirds had a lower field goal percentage this season ended up being defeats.
A SECOND-HALF TEAM TO SAY THE LEAST
Illinois State has consistently showed its ability to finish strong this season, as it registered 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 eight of its 11 opponents in the second half this season.
242 GAMES WITH A TREY
Knock one down against the Bluejays and Illinois State will extend its streak to 243-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.
THREE-BALLING
After 11 games, the Redbirds are anything but shy about shooting from beyond the arc. Illinois State has shot significantly more threes than its opponents (238 tries, compared to 161). The Redbirds are also averaging 8.4 made treys per game, which is 4.1 more than their opponents (4.3).
THREE-POINT SUCCESS TRANSLATES TO WINS
Illinois State was 7-of-20 (35.0 percent) from three-point range in Saturday's win over Ball State, marking the eighth time this season that the Redbirds have tallied at least a 35-percent three-point shooting effort. ISU is 7-1 in those games. The `Birds shot less than 35 percent from beyond the three-point arc against Kent State (29.2), Eastern Michigan (28.6) and Cincinnati (27.3).
SLACK ATTACK
Anthony Slack, the league leader in blocked shots, isn't cutting ISU's opponents any slack so far this season. Through 11 games, Slack has posted a team-best 25 blocked shots. He is averaging 2.3 blocks per game, which would rank as the second-highest blocked shots average in a single season at ISU. Slack has tallied three or more blocks five times this season, including four swats apiece against UNC-Wilmington and Indiana.
WINNING IN CONVINCING FASHION
All eight of Illinois State's wins during the non-conference season have been double-digit victories. The Redbirds have defeated Missouri-St. Louis, Southeast Missouri State, UNC-Wilmington, Chicago State, Illinois-Chicago, Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Ball State by an average of 20.4 points per game.
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).
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.
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.
