Illinois State Game Notes in PDF Format 
Feb. 26, 2008
STORYLINES
► Wednesday's game marks the 2007-08 regular season home finale for Illinois State. The Redbirds have compiled a 14-1 record on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena this season.
► Illinois State's five seniors will be honored prior to Wednesday's game as part of Senior Day festivities. Levi Dyer, Dom Johnson, Julius Moor, Boo Richardson and Anthony Slack will each be recognized.
► The Redbirds defeated Creighton, 80-67, in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams on Dec. 29, 2007, winning their conference opener for the first time since the 1998-99 season.
► Illinois State has recorded 20 wins for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Redbirds' 11 wins in Missouri Valley Conference play are also the most since the same campaign.
► In last season's home finale (Feb. 20, 2007), the Redbirds tallied a 65-55 win over visiting Creighton. Including tonight's game, the Redbirds and Bluejays have met in ISU's regular season home finale in three of the past four seasons.
ABOUT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
► Creighton University is located in Omaha, Neb., and has a total enrollment of 6,981, including 4,075 undergraduate students. The Bluejays are members of the NCAA Division I and the Missouri Valley Conference.
► The Bluejays finished the 2006-07 campaign with a 22-11 record overall
and a 12-6 record in The Valley. CU finished in second place in the league standings, and won the State Farm MVC Tournament. The Bluejays were selected for the NCAA Tournament, where they dropped a 77-71 overtime decision to Nevada in the first round.
► Head coach Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico, `80) is in his 14th year at the helm of the CU program. Prior to CU, Atlman was a head coach at Kansas State, Marshall, Moberly (Mo.) Junior College and Southeast (Neb.) Junior College. Altman is assisted by Darian DeVries, Brian Fish and Mike Maker.
► Dane Watts is the lone returning starter from last year's team.
SCOUTING THE BLUEJAYS
Creighton enters Wednesday's game with a 19-8 record, including a 9-7 mark in the Valley -- the Bluejays are currently tied for fourth in the league standings. Freshman guard P'Allen Stinnett, who scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting against Illinois State on Dec. 29, leads Creighton with 12.3 points per game, including 13 points per game in conference games only. Dane Watts is the team's leading rebounder with 6.6 caroms per game. He also leads the Bluejays with 25 blocked shots. Creighton is 5-6 on the road this season, including a 3-5 mark in Valley road games. The Bluejays have dropped four-straight MVC road contests, but strengthened their postseason resume with a win over host Oral Roberts in the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters series Saturday.
SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS
Illinois State is coming off Sunday's 54-46 win over visiting Wright State in the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters series, moving its overall record to 20-8 with an 11-5 record in Missouri Valley Conference play. Osiris Eldridge leads the Redbirds, and is second in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring at 16.0 points per game. He has led ISU in scoring 13 times overall this season. Anthony Slack, the league leader in field goal percentage (.693), leads ISU in rebounding with 6.5 caroms per game. Boo Richardson paces the Redbirds with 106 assists. ISU leads the league in field goal percentage (.465) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.330).
NEXT UP: ISU TRAVELS TO SIU IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE SATURDAY
Illinois State will wrap up its regular season slate against host Southern Illinois (16-12, 10-6 MVC) Saturday (March 1) at SIU Arena beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Redbirds upended the Salukis on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, 56-47, behind a dominating defensive first half performance on Jan. 5. The Salukis have three players averaging double-digits in scoring, led by Randal Falker's 12.6 points and team-leading 6.9 rebounds per game. SIU is 12-2 at home this season, including an 8-0 mark in Missouri Valley Conference home games.
CHASING A SECOND-PLACE FINISH
Illinois State's 49-47 win over host Evansville last Wednesday allowed the Redbirds to hold onto a one-game lead over third-place Southern Illinois (16-12, 10-6 MVC). The `Birds were eliminated from regular season Valley championship contention after nationally-ranked Drake clinched the outright title with a 65-55 win at UNI Feb. 16. The last time ISU finished second in the MVC standings was during the 2000-01 season, when the Redbirds went 12-6 in Valley play, and finished second behind Creighton (14-4).
INJURY UPDATE: JOHNSON OUT INDEFINITELY AFTER TONSILLECTOMY
Illinois State senior guard Dom Johnson, who has sat out the past three games due to persistent throat and neck infections, is out indefinitely, and underwent surgery to have his tonsils removed at BroMenn Regional Medical Center Feb. 21. Johnson underwent a surgical procedure Feb. 19 to treat ongoing inflammation in his throat and neck. He did not travel with the team to Evansville, and a tonsillectomy was scheduled due to the continuing discomfort. Johnson has started all 25 games he has played in this season. The team leader in minutes (31.2 mpg), Johnson is averaging 9.2 points and 3.4 assists per game. The Bell City, Mo., native is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, including a 36.8 percent mark from three-point range. Johnson is also the Redbirds' second-best free-throw shooter, at 81.1 percent.
REVISITING DEC. 29 IN OMAHA
Illinois State led from wire-to-wire en route to an 80-67 win at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., on Dec. 29 in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams. The Redbirds built as large as a 19-point lead (38-19) in the first half, behind Levi Dyer's four three-pointers and 16 first half points. The Redbirds finished with five players (Dyer, Osiris Eldridge, Dinma Odiakosa, Boo Richardson and Anthony Slack) in double figures, and outscored the Bluejays, 36-28, in the paint. Creighton's bench outscored Illinois State's reserves, 42-29.
SWEEP OVER THE JAYS? NOT SO NORMAL ...
Illinois State will be looking to sweep the regular season series against Creighton Wednesday in the Redbirds' home finale. The `Birds haven't recorded a season sweep over the Bluejays since the 1997-98 NCAA Tournament season, when ISU tallied a 71-62 win in Omaha, and captured an 80-67 win at Redbird Arena.
OSIRIS AGAINST THE JAYS
In his two years at Illinois State, Osiris Eldridge has had more success against Creighton than any other Missouri Valley Conference team. Dating back to last season, in three games against the Bluejays, Eldridge has averaged 20.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on a 58 percent (.583) mark from the field and 11 three-point field goals. Eldridge tied the ISU single-game record for three-pointers at the Qwest Center last season (Jan. 1, 2007), converting eight treys in the Redbirds' 79-71 loss.
HONORING THE 2008 SENIOR CLASS
Illinois State will bid farewell to five seniors prior to Wednesday's home finale against Creighton. Levi Dyer, Dom Johnson, Julius Moor, Boo Richardson and Anthony Slack will all be honored. Dyer has played in 95 career games; Johnson has played in 55 games with 51 starts the past two seasons; Moore has appeared in 23 career games; Richardson has started all 59 of his career games, and Slack has played in 57 games the past two seasons. Notably, senior basketball manager Tom Prokopij will also be recognized for his service to the men's basketball program over the past two seasons.
JANKOVICH IN ELITE COMPANY
With one more win, Illinois State would clinch its 21st win of the season. If head coach Tim Jankovich reaches 21 wins this season, he would set the most single-season wins for a first-year coach in program history. Gene Smithson (1975-76) and Bob Donewald (1978-79) each won 20 games in their respective first seasons at the helm of the Redbirds, and Jankovich joined them after the Redbirds picked up their 20th win of the season Sunday against Wright State.
MORE ON 20-WIN CAMPAIGNS AT ISU
Illinois State picked up its 20th win of the season in Sunday's 54-46 victory over Wright State in the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters game. The Redbirds' last 20-win campaign came in the 2000-01 season, when ISU went 21-9 (12-6 MVC) and advanced to the NIT. Dating back to the 1979-80 season, the Redbirds have tallied 20 or more wins nine times, and reached the postseason in each season. Those campaigns have included five trips to the NCAA Tournament, and four NIT appearances.
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. He left Kansas State with nine top-10 season and career marks. Beane played for Dana Altman at K-State. With the Wildcats, 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.
MVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR? O-MY!
While he was not even picked to the preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference team, as end of the Valley season approaches, it is becoming evident that sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge deserves a good, hard look as a MVC Player of the Year candidate. Eldridge ranks second the Valley in scoring with 16.0 points per game, and is the league's 14th-leading rebounder, at 5.5 rebounds per contest. He is also shooting 47.6 percent from the field, the eighth-best mark in the MVC this season. Eldridge's 1.29 steals per game rank 14th overall. In conference play, his 2.75 made three-point field goals per game rank second in the league. Eldridge has 24 double-digit scoring efforts this season, including 21 in the last 24 games. An updated single-season and career bio, along with a game-by-game breakdown of Eldridge's season is available on the front page of GoRedbirds.com.
HOLLER FOR HOLLOWAY
Junior guard Emmanuel Holloway made the transition from bench player to full-time starter last week, tallying starting assignments against both Evansville and Wright State. He responded by leading the Redbirds in scoring in both contests. Against the Purple Aces, Holloway scored a game-high tying 10 points, and tallied two steals in a season-high 25 minutes. He was one of two Redbirds in double figures. In Sunday's win over Wright State, Holloway set career-highs in points (16), rebounds (5) and assists (4) in a team-high 34 minutes. The only Redbird in double figures, he was 6-of-9 from the field with two made three-point field goals. Most importantly, he played an average of 30.0 minutes per game, nearly 16 minutes (15.5) above his season average heading into last Wednesday's game.
HISTORIC SEASON AT REDBIRD ARENA
Illinois State is 14-1 on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena this season, marking the most single-season wins for the Redbirds at the facility since its opening in 1989. ISU has completed a one-loss home campaign three times in the history of Redbird Arena (2001-02, 1997-98 and 1993-94), but went 11-1 in each of those seasons. The Redbirds' 16 regular season home games this season is the most since the 1998-99 team played 16 contests at Redbird Arena. ISU has completed three recorded undefeated home slates in its history (1977-78, 1974-75 and 1970-71), but all occured at Horton Field House.
PACKING THE ARENA
Illinois State, which has averaged 6,369 fans per home game in Redbird Arena this season, needs a crowd of just 4,470 Wednesday to eclipse 100,000 for total attendance in 2007-08. The Redbirds haven't drawn more than 100,000 fans since the 2000-01 season, when 105,702 people came through the turnstiles.
AT HOME, ISU IS A QUARTERHORSE
Through 15 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 nearly 14 points (13.5), while averaging 69.9 points per game. At home, ISU is shooting 49.2 percent and is holding opponents to 38.5 percent shooting.
"PRESSURE BUSTS PIPES"
So goes the phrase coined by Illinois State junior guard Emmanuel Holloway and his teammates. The Redbirds' defensive pressure, which was especially evident early in the Missouri Valley Conference season, has made a strong return in the past two games. Wright State was held to 40 percent shooting, while the Purple Aces shot just 42 percent (.419) from the field. ISU is 14-1 this season when holding its opponent to a 42 percent or lower field goal percentage.
MOVIN' ON UP IN SCORING DEFENSE
Illinois State had held its last two opponents under 50 points, with Wright State scoring 46 Sunday at Redbird Arena, and host Evansville scoring just 47 points at Roberts Stadium last Wednesday. It is the second time ISU has held back-to-back opponents under 50 points. The shutdown efforts moved the Redbirds from fourth into a tie for first in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring defense, at 60.1 points per game. The Redbirds are 13-0 when holding the opposition to less than 60 points.
IT KEEPS YOU RUNNIN'
Illinois State's second half success has been documented this season, but a recent trend that has been instrumental in the Redbirds' last three wins is their ability to finish the first half strong, and carry that momentum over to the early stages of the second half. Sunday against Wright State, ISU went on an 18-1 run between the 4:37 mark of the first half, and the 12:36 mark of the second half, when the Raiders converted their first field goal of the frame. At Evansville, the Redbirds trailed by 12 points (27-15) with 3:42 remaining in the first half, but tied the score at 29-29 with 17:23 remaining in the second stanza, a 14-2 spurt. Feb. 13 against visiting Missouri State, ISU led 32-26 with 2:18 remaining in the first half, and opened up a 43-27 lead (an 11-1 run) with 17:57 left in the second half. The run turned into an 18-6 spurt with 14:37 left when ISU went up by 18 (50-32).
PERCENT AND PROBABILITY
So far this season, when Anthony Slack attempts a field goal there is a high probability it is going in. In fact it is so high, that if he stays on this pace it would be the highest single-season field goal percentage in Illinois State history. Slack is making 69.3 percent of his field goals this season, which leads the Missouri Valley Conference.
MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Levi Dyer, Osiris Eldridge, Dinma Odiakosa and Brandon Sampay enter Wednesday's game within reach of significant single-season and career milestones. Dyer is 11 points away from equaling 200 for the season; Eldridge has 294 career rebounds and is six caroms away from securing his 300th career rebound; Odiakosa's 191 points this season put him just nine away from becoming the fourth player this season to reach 200, and his 94 defensive rebounds this season are just six away from 100. Sampay has 96 points on the season, just four away from 100.
A NEW FEBRUARY?
Illinois State had a combined 11 wins in the months of December and January. But it is a new month, and in recent history, February hasn't been friendly to the Redbirds. Dating back to the 2002-03 season, ISU has a combined 18-29 record in the month of February. The Redbirds' 54-46 win over Wright State gave ISU five wins in February for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign.
DOUBLE-DIGIT VALLEY WINS: IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Illinois State has an 11-5 record in Missouri Valley Conference action. The last time ISU had at least 10 MVC wins was in the 2000-01 season, when the Redbirds went 12-6 in Valley play. That team went 21-9 overall, advanced to the State Farm MVC Tournament semifinals, and played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
REBOUNDING TRIO
Anthony Slack (6.5 rpg), Osiris Eldridge (5.5) and Dinma Odiakosa (5.3) are all averaging more than five rebounds per game through 28 games 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.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO WIN?
Illinois State has proven that it can win in many ways through its 20 victories this season. The Redbirds have captured wins when scoring in the 40s (at Wichita State and at Evansville), 50s (Southern Illinois and Wright State) 60s (Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Ball State, Indiana State and twice against Missouri State), 70s (Missouri-St. Louis, Illinois-Chicago, Evansville, vs. Wichita State and Bradley), 80s (UNC-Wilmington, Chicago State and Creighton) and 90s (Southeast Missouri State).
