Illinois State's State Farm MVC Tournament Quarterfinal Notes in PDF Format 
March 5, 2008
DON'T MISS THIS!
Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge was named an All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team performer Tuesday, becoming ISU's first player to earn first-team All-MVC accolades since Lorenzo Gordon accomplished the feat in the 2004-05 season. Prior to Gordon, the last Redbird to collect first-team plaudits was Tarise Bryson, who collected the honors in both the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 campaigns.
STORYLINES
► For the first time since the 1995-96 season, Illinois State has earned the No. 2 seed for the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The Redbirds, picked fifth in the league's preseason poll, finished the regular season 22-8 (13-5 MVC), two games ahead of third-seed Southern Illinois (17-13, 11-7 MVC).
► The Redbirds have a 16-15 all-time Valley Tournament record in St. Louis, including the 1997 and 1998 tournament titles. ISU hasn't won a MVC Tournament game since 2004.
► Illinois State is 3-1 all-time in the MVC Tournament against Missouri State, and is 1-1 all-time versus Evansville in postseason meetings. The Redbirds have faced both teams in the quarterfinals one time, defeating MSU in the 1995 quarterfinals, and topping Evansville in 2001.
► Illinois State's 22 overall wins and 13 MVC victories are the most since the 1997-98 season (25-6, 16-2 MVC), when the Redbirds won both the Valley's regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
STATE FARM MVC TOURNAMENT FAST FACTS
► The No. 2 seed in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament has captured the tournament title 13 times in the event's history, more than any other seed. The top seed has only 10 titles in the league's 31-year tournament history.
► Illinois State has four State Farm MVC Tournament titles since 1982, the third-most among current Valley members. Creighton (10) and Southern Illinois (5), who have a combined eight apperances in the championship game the past six seasons, both lead ISU in team tournament titles.
BRACKET RACKET
Here are some facts regarding Illinois State and the State Farm MVC Tournament:
Of the schools currently holding membership in the league, Illinois State holds the third-best winning percentage in conference tournament play (.577, 30-22), trailing only Creighton (.680) and Missouri State (.579) ... Illinois State won conference tournament tiles in 1983, 1990, 1997 and 1998 ... the Redbirds are 16-15 (.516) in tournament games played in St. Louis and 13-10 (.591) in tournament games played at the Scottrade Center ... Illinois State's all-time record in the city of St. Louis is 33-26 (.559) ... the `Birds are 3-4 in play-in games, 16-6 in quarterfinal contests, 7-9 in the semifinals and 4-3 in the championship.
SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS
Illinois State, under the leadership of first-year head coach Tim Jankovich, recorded a historic 57-49 win over host Southern Illinois at SIU Arena Saturday night to improve to 22-8 with a 13-5 Missouri Valley Conference mark -- ISU's most successful season since the 1997-98 NCAA Tournament campaign. The Redbirds garnered the No. 2 seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament, finishing just two games behind regular-season champion and No. 20/21 Drake. Illinois State returns nine letterwinners, including four starters, from a 2006-07 team that went 15-16 overall (6-12 MVC) and tied for seventh in the league standings. Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge shares the Valley's lead in scoring average, contributing 16.3 points per game, including a league-leading 17.1 points per conference contest. Anthony Slack is the only other Redbird averaging double-figures in scoring, chipping in 10.1 points to go along with 7.1 rebounds per game. Boo Richardson has 115 assists, an average of 3.83 assists per game.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Missouri State garnered the seventh-seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament after winning four of its final five regular-season games, including back-to-back wins over top-seeded Drake (Feb. 26) and Indiana State (March 2) in the final two tilts of the Valley slate. Dale Lamberth (14.7 ppg) and Deven Mitchell (14.2) are one of the Valley's most lethal scoring combinations. Both are averaging more than five rebounds per game, as well. Lamberth scored a MVC-high 37 points on 14-of-17 shooting against the host Sycamores Saturday. Spencer Laurie's 99 assists lead the Bears. In the Redbirds' 64-63 win at Hammons Student Center (Feb. 2), Lamberth (20 points) and Mitchell (13) combined for 33 points.
SCOUTING THE ACES
Evansville earned the 10th seed in the MVC Tournament after dropping its final four league games, including a 49-47 decision against visiting Illinois State Feb. 20. Shy Ely is the Purple Aces' leading scorer, averaging 14.6 points per game to go along with a team-high 5.2 rebounds per game. Jason Holsinger, who has played the last three games after sitting out the previous three while nursing a fractured non-shooting hand, is averaging 12.6 points per game, and has dished out 117 assists (4.0 apg). UE's three Valley wins were at home, and came against Missouri State (Jan. 26), Wichita State (Feb. 6) and Creighton (Feb. 13). Ely had 28 points against the Redbirds in Normal, Ill.
LAST GAME RECAP
Sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge poured in 27 points on 9-of-20 shooting to lead a defensive-minded Illinois State men's basketball team to a 57-49 win over host Southern Illinois in front of 9,345 fans at SIU Arena March 1. The Redbirds handed the Salukis just their second loss against a visiting Missouri Valley Conference foe since 2001, and swept their fifth Valley opponent this season. ISU finished the MVC regular season with 13 wins, its largest league victory output since the 1997-98 NCAA Tournament season.
The Redbirds held the six-time MVC champion Salukis to just a 31.6 field goal percentage (18-of-57), and overcame a four-rebound halftime deficit (20-16) to even the final rebounding total at 36-36. Eldridge's 27 points led all scorers, while Boo Richardson (seven points), Emmanuel Holloway (six) and Anthony Slack (six) aided in a total of seven Redbirds getting into the scoring column. Dinma Odiakosa's nine rebounds led ISU. SIU was led by Randal Falker's 18 points and 14 rebounds in his final regular-season game at SIU Arena.
60 THE BAROMETER?
For the fourth-consecutive game, Illinois State held an opponent under 60 points, allowing just 49 points against host Southern Illinois Saturday night. The Redbirds have held their opponent to less than 60 points 15 times this season, and are 15-0 in those contests, capturing wins by 14 points per game.
THREE REDBIRDS GARNER ALL-MVC PLAUDITS
One year after being tabbed the league's Freshman of the Year, sophomore guard Osiris Eldridge chalked up another honor Tuesday, as he was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First-Team by the league coaches, media and sports information directors. Eldridge, who led the second-seeded Redbirds to their best finish in the Valley standings since the 1997-98 season, received 61 Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year votes, 26 tallies behind Drake's Adam Emmenecker, who earned the league's top individual honor. In addition to Eldridge earning first-team plaudits, senior forward Anthony Slack was named to the honorable mention and all-defensive teams. Senior classmate and former junior college teammate Boo Richardson was also named to the all-defensive squad.
ELDRIDGE NAMED NABC DISTRICT 11 SECOND-TEAM
Osiris Eldridge's breakout sophomore season continues to be recognized as the end of the college basketball season nears. One day after being named to the Missouri Valley Conference's first team, Eldridge was selected as a District 11 second-team member by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the organization announced Wednesday. Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC, 150 student-athletes, from 15 districts, were honored. The all-district selections are now eligible for the State Farm Division I All-American teams, which will be announced Saturday, April 5, at the 2008 NABC Convention in San Antonio.
HOLLOWAY NAMED TO VALLEY'S ALL-BENCH TEAM
One day after three of his teammates garnered All-Missouri Valley Conference recognition, junior guard Emmanuel Holloway secured another individual honor for the Illinois State men's basketball team, as he was named to the league's "All-Bench Team," as announced by the conference office Wednesday. The team was voted on by the league's newspaper beat writers. The Cartersville, Ga., native has started each of the past five games in place of Dom Johnson. In those five games, Holloway is averaging 8.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting nearly 41 percent (.406) from the field.
AGAINST MSU IN THE MVC TOURNEY
Illinois State and Missouri State have faced off four times in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ... in the 1992 semifinals, the second-seeded Redbirds shot just 38.3 percent and fell in overtime, 61-58 ... in 1995, the No. 2 `Birds tallied a 75-63 win over the seventh-seeded Bears in the semifinal round -- ISU scored 45 points in the first half, the most for the Redbirds in a MVC Tournament tilt ... in the 1997 championship game, the top-seeded Redbirds walked away with the title in a 75-72 decision against No. 3 Missouri State -- Rico Hill scored 31 points in the game, and Skipp Schaefbauer made five three-point field goals ... in the 1998 championship game rematch, No. 1 Illinois State outlasted the third-seeded Bears (84-74) for its second-consecutive NCAA Tournament automatic bid.
AGAINST EVANSVILLE IN THE MVC TOURNEY
The Redbirds and Aces have played just two postseason games in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ... in the 2001 quarterfinals, ISU outlasted the sixth-seeded Purple Aces, 81-77 ... in the 2006 first round, No. 7 Evansville tallied a 52-45 win, ISU's fewest points in a Valley Tournament game ... the Redbirds also recorded their lowest field goal percentage of 32.1, made only five free throws and shot a Valley Tournament low 17.4 percent from three-point range.
RPI TIDBITS
Illinois State, the 35th-ranked Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) team according to CollegeRPI.com, enters the State Farm MVC Tournament quarterfinals with four wins against the current top-50 RPI teams, and has seven total wins versus the top-100. The Redbirds' 80th-ranked schedule included eight games against teams in the top-50, and 12 tilts versus the top-100 RPI teams. ISU also has five wins against teams that were in the 2007 NCAA Tournament field.
AN IMPRESSIVE TURNAROUND
Illinois State's 22 wins are seven more than it tallied in the entire 2006-07 season (15), and the Redbirds' 13 wins in Valley play eclipses their league victory total from last season by seven (6). The plus-seven improvement in each category is the 26th-best turnaround in the nation this season, and the best by a Missouri Valley Conference team. ISU equaled both its 15th win of the season, and its seventh Valley victory Jan. 27 against Indiana State. Illinois State's final three games in the non-conference slate, and the first six games in Valley play, was also an impressive stretch, when the Redbirds rolled off nine-consecutive wins, their longest winning streak since the 1982-83 season.
FINISHING STRONG
A strong element that can sway the NCAA men's basketball committee to make a possible "bubble" team an at-large candidate has historically been its performance down the stretch of the season. Illinois State may be playing its best basketball of the season as it enters the State Farm MVC Tournament this week. The Redbirds have won eight of their last 11 games, and won six games in the month of February for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
JANKOVICH IN ELITE COMPANY
Illinois State secured its 22nd win of the season Saturday at Southern Illinois, sweeping the season series against the Salukis. Tim Jankovich's 22 wins this season marks 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.
SIMMONS AND JANKOVICH IN SAME BOAT
Tim Jankovich and Evansville head coach Marty Simmons are each 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 and Simmons are joined by first-year head coaches Kevin McKenna (Indiana State), Keno Davis (Drake) and Greg Marshall (Wichita State).
20-WIN CAMPAIGNS AT ISU
Illinois State picked up its 20th win of the season against Wright State (54-46) in the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters game Feb. 21. 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.
BRING OUT THE BROOMS
For the first time since the 2000-01 campaign, Illinois State tallied regular-season sweeps over five Missouri Valley Conference opponents this season, recording two wins over Creighton, Wichita State, Southern Illinois, Evansville and Missouri State. The 2000-01 Redbirds, who advanced to the postseason NIT, swept MSU, SIU, Evansville, WSU and Northern Iowa.
ROAD WARRIORS
Illinois State went 7-5 on the road this season, including a 5-4 record in Valley road contests, its best record away from home since the 2000-01 campaign, when the Redbirds also went 7-5 on the road. Prior to this season, ISU had just eight combined road wins in the past three campaigns, including an 0-12 road record in the 2005-06 season.
HOME SWEET HOME
Illinois State was 15-1 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 (1993-94, 1997-98 and 2001-02), but went 11-1 in each of those seasons. The Redbirds' 16 regular season home games was the most since the 1998-99 team played 16 contests at Redbird Arena. ISU has completed three recorded undefeated home slates in its history (1970-71, 1974-75 and 1977-78), but all occured at Horton Field House.
WEATHERING THE STORM
Heading into the State Farm MVC Tournament, Illinois State has been forced to play nearly eight conference games without two of its senior starters. Forward Anthony Slack, the Valley's leader in field goal percentage (.698), suffered a bruised shoulder mid-way through the first half at Bradley Jan. 23, and was forced to miss the remainder of the game, and the ensuing two contests versus Indiana State (Jan. 27) and at Northern Iowa (Jan. 30). Guard Dom Johnson, the team leader in minutes per game (31.2), underwent a tonsillectomy Feb. 21, and did not play in the final four MVC contests, or in the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters game against Wright State Feb. 24. Despite those key losses, ISU has a combined 6-3 record in those games, and the Bradley loss was by just one point (76-75).
TRENDS IN CURRENT FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK
Illinois State has won four-consecutive games, its longest winning streak since rolling off nine-consecutive wins between Dec. 8, 2007 and Jan. 16, 2008. The Redbirds have held their last four opponents to an average of just 49.0 points per game, and out-rebounded those foes, 150-109. Anthony Slack has stepped up his scoring and rebounding in the stretch, averaging 9.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, nearly five rebounds (4.9) above his season average.
LEADING THE PACK
Illinois State enters the 2008 State Farm MVC Tournament leading the league in three individual categories. The Redbirds top the league in scoring defense (59.5), three-point field goal percentage defense (.320) and field goal percentage (.461). Notably, ISU also ranks second in scoring margin (+7.5), field goal percentage defense (.402), assists per game (15.10) and assist/turnover ratio (1.14).
HOW DO YOU WANT TO WIN?
Illinois State has proven that it can win in many ways through its 22 victories this season. The Redbirds have captured wins when scoring in the 40s (at Wichita State and at Evansville), 50s (twice against Southern Illinois and Wright State), 60s (Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Ball State, Indiana State, twice against Missouri State and versus Creighton), 70s (Missouri-St. Louis, Illinois-Chicago, Evansville, versus Wichita State and Bradley), 80s (UNC-Wilmington, Chicago State and at Creighton) and 90s (Southeast Missouri State).
