Missouri State was tabbed to finish last in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, as compiled by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
AND THEN, THERE WERE 10
Illinois State is one of just 10 NCAA Division I basketball programs that are still undefeated. The Redbirds are joined by Clemson (12-0), Connecticut (10-0), Minnesota (10-0), North Carolina (11-0), Ohio State (8-0), Oklahoma (11-0), Pittsburgh (12-0), Stanford (7-0) and Wake Forest (10-0).
FOR VALLEY OPENERS
Until last season, opening the conference season had been a rough proposition for the Redbirds. Prior to last season's 80-67 victory at Creighton, Illinois State had lost eight-straight conference openers. Since joining the Valley in 1981-82, the Redbirds are 12-15 in league openers.
IN-SEASON MEDIA CONFERENCES
ISU Athletics Media Relations will host seven in-season media conferences during the 2008-09 season. Each conference will feature head coach Tim Jankovich and a member of the ISU basketball team. The media conferences will start at 1 p.m., and be held in the Redbird Arena Media Room, which is just off the southwest loading dock. The scheduled dates are: Jan. 5, Jan. 23, Jan. 29, Feb. 23 and March 3.
VALLEY TELECONFERENCES
Teleconferences with The Valley head coaches will be conducted each Tuesday throughout the season. The first teleconference is slated for Dec. 16, followed by every Tuesday from Jan. 6 to March 3. The conferences begin at 10 a.m. CT. To participate in the conference calls, call 913.981.5517. Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich will participate at 10:30 a.m.
JOINING THE CLUB
With his 18 points at Central Michigan, Illinois State junior Osiris Eldridge became the 39th member of the Redbirds' 1,000-point club. Eldridge, who is the first addition to the 1,000-point club since 2005, currently has 1,016 career points.
'BIRDS AGAINST THE BEARS
In five games against Missouri State, Osiris Eldridge is averaging 14.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He has shot 41.3 percent (26-for-63) from the field versus the Bears and 36.4 percent on threes (12-for-33). Emmanuel Holloway is averaging 4.3 points per game in his three games against MSU and has only shot 28.6 percent from the floor. Brandon Sampay is the second-leading scorer against the Bears with 6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Dinma Odiakosa is averaging 1.4 points per game versus MSU.
SUNDAY IS A FUN DAY
At least for Champ Oguchi. In ISU's three Sunday games this season, Oguchi is averaging 23.7 points per game, including his 25 points against Morehead State this past Sunday, while shooting 15-for-23 (.652) on threes. In addition to today, the Redbirds will have three more regular-season games on Sunday this year, including Jan. 18 vs. Missouri State; Feb. 8 vs. Indiana State; and Feb. 15 at Drake. And, of course, the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship is also played on a Sunday.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Redbirds have had their share of luck away from Redbird Arena in the Tim Jankovich-era. ISU has posted a 14-8 (.636) mark away from home during that span, including a 4-3 record in games played on neutral floors. Illinois State already has wins at Wright State (Nov. 15), SMU (Nov. 23) and Central Michigan (Dec. 17) this season.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Through 11 games, both Champ Oguchi (16.2 ppg.) and Osiris Eldridge (15.2 ppg.) are averaging more than 15 points per game for the Redbirds. The last time Illinois State had two players average 15 or more points in a season was in 1988-89, when Jarod Coleman (16.0 ppg.) and Rickey Jackson (15.8 ppg.) equaled the feat.
UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY
With Illinois State entering tonight's game at Missouri State with an 11-0 record, it will be a first for the Redbirds. ISU has never opened Missouri Valley Conference play, since joining the league in 1981-82, with an undefeated record.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS
After Champ Oguchi and Osiris Eldridge led the Redbirds in rebounding during the early part of the season, junior Dinma Odiakosa has taken over control of the gavel. In the last four games, Odiakosa has posted 38 rebounds, or 9.5 boards per game, including a career-best 13 rebounds in the last game against UIC. On the season, Odiakosa is averaging 6.9 rebounds per game.
SUPER-SUB SAMPAY
Senior Brandon Sampay has come off the bench in 10-of-11 games this season and is the only Redbird reserve to score in every game this season. Sampay is averaging 7.5 points per game this year and has scored double-figures off the bench three times this season. He is also averaging 4.5 rebounds per game.
AN ALL-AROUND GAME
Not only has Osiris Eldridge scored his 1,000th-career point this season, but he also grabbed his 400th-career rebound in the same game. The Redbird junior also boasts 98 career steals heading into today's game. With two more steals, Eldridge would become the seventh Redbird all-time to own 1,000 career points, 400 career rebounds and 100 career steals. He would join Tony Holifield, Rickie Johnson, Rick Lamb, Dan Muller, Mike VandeGarde and LeRoy Watkins.
ONE MORE TO TIE
Even though Illinois State enters today's game with an 11-0 record, the Redbirds need to win two-straight games to set the school record for the most victories to start a season. The last time ISU won its first 11 games of the season was in 1977-78, when the Redbirds won their first 12 games to open the campaign. A Redbird victory at Missouri State would tie the school record for victories to open a season.
START ME UP
Illinois State's starters are accounting for 81.4 percent of the offensive output so far this season. In the first 11 games, the Redbird starters have had 40 double-digit scoring efforts out of a possible 55. ISU's starting five each posted double-digit points in the wins against Wright State, Houston Baptist and SMU.
PHILLIN' IT UP IN THE SECOND HALF
Junior Lloyd Phillips has been coming up big in the game's final 20 minutes for the Redbirds this season. In fact, he is second on the team in second-half points with 7.6 per game. Phillips is shooting 52.0 percent (26-for-50) in the second half, including 44.4 percent on threes (8-of-18).
JUST IMAGINE ...
If the three-point line was not moved back a foot. Through 11 games, the Redbirds are averaging 9.5 made three-pointers per game, which is over two more threes per contest than last season. Also, ISU is shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc this season, after shooting 37.2 percent last year. In 11 games this season, the Redbirds have already made double-digit three-pointers in five games, equalling the output of the entire season last year.
RARE COMPANY
After being named the Valley's Preseason Player of the Year, junior Osiris Eldridge appears to have an inside track to join a select group. Eldridge won the conference's freshman of the year award in 2007. If he ends his Illinois State career with the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year Award, which he finished runner-up for last season, Eldridge would become only the second player in league history to win both the freshman of the year and player of the year award, joining Southern Illinois' Ashraf Amaya.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
Despite starting a four-guard lineup in 10 of the first 11 games, Illinois State has won the rebounding battle in 10 games this season. On the year, the Redbirds own a +6.5 rebounding margin.
277 GAMES WITH A TREY
After sinking seven three-pointers in the victory vs. UIC, ISU enters today's game at Missouri State with at least one made three in 277-straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton Dec. 12, 1999.
BACK ON TRACK
With the 25-10 overall record in 2007-08, the Redbirds ended a string of two-straight losing seasons. Non-winning seasons are not common around Illinois State basketball. In the 37 years of being an NCAA Division I program, the Redbirds have had just seven losing seasons.
JANKOVICH'S ENCORE
Head coach Tim Jankovich's first season at Illinois State was a memorable one, not only for him, but for the program. With a 25-10 record, Jankovich guided the Redbirds to a school-record-tying 25 wins and he posted the most single-season wins for a first-year coach in program history. Currently he holds a 78.3 percent winning percentage (36-10) at Illinois State, which ranks third on the all-time coaching ledger in ISU's 111-year history.
O, SHALL HE STEAL
It has been an unofficial commandment of Illinois State basketball since his arrival, and Osiris Eldridge is back at it again this year. Eldridge tied his career-best with six steals against Houston Baptist and leads the Redbirds with 19 steals on the season. He now has 98 in his ISU career, which ranks No. 19 in the Redbird record books.
CREATING THE SECOND CHANCE
Junior Dinma Odiakosa is all about giving his teammates a second chance, and as a result, is leading the team with 36 offensive rebounds. Through 11 games, the Redbirds already have five players with double-digit offensive rebounds. Trailing Odiakosa are Osiris Eldridge (19), Brandon Sampay (17), Champ Oguchi (16) and Emmanuel Holloway (11).
SIXTH CENTURY
In the history of the world, the sixth century was deemed as the start of the dark ages. However in Redbird basketball, players who score their 100th point of the season through the first six games has been anything but dark. ISU's Champ Oguchi scored 104 points through the first six games for the Redbirds. The last player at ISU to surpass the 100-point plateau through six games was Lorenzo Gordon in the 2004-05 season. The 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year had 107 points after six games.
