Creighton was projected to win the league in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, as compiled by league coaches, media and sports information directors. Sophomore guard P'Allen Stinnett was named to the preseason all-conference team.
TO THE SPOILER GOES THE VICTORY?
Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference prior to the 1981-82 season, today's game marks the fourth time the Redbirds have had the opportunity to spoil an opponent from claiming the league crown. Illinois State is 2-1 in the previous three meetings, which were all played in Normal, Ill. The Redbirds lost to league-leader Southern Illinois, 78-62, March 3, 2003. ISU was victorious over Creighton, 83-77, Feb. 26, 1990, and prevented a shared title between the Bluejays and SIU. On March 3, 1984, Illinois State defeated Tulsa, 91-81, which put the Redbirds and the Golden Hurricane in a first-place tie.
MUTUAL IN QWEST CENTER OMAHA
Well, almost. Today is the sixth meeting in Omaha, Neb., between Illinois State and Creighton since the Qwest Center Omaha opened prior to the 2003-04 season. In the previous meetings, the Bluejays lead, 3-2, despite ISU's 80-67 win last season. Illinois State is 14-14 all-time against Creighton in Omaha, but has not won back-to-back games on Creighton's court since the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.
IN-SEASON MEDIA CONFERENCES
ISU Athletics Media Relations is hosting in-season media conferences during the 2008-09 season. The conference, featuring head coach Tim Jankovich and a student-athlete, will start at 1 p.m., and be held in the Redbird Arena Media Room. The remaining scheduled date is 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.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE-DOUBLE
With his second-straight double-double, senior Brandon Sampay became the first Redbird to accomplish the feat since Greg Dilligard posted back-to-back double-doubles in November of the 2006-07 season. Sampay, in his final regular-season game on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, had a career night against Northern Iowa. He finished with a career-best 19 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The game before, at Niagara, Sampay tallied 10 points and a then-career-best 11 boards.
NEEDING EXTRA TIME
Illinois State's 69-67 double-overtime loss against Northern Iowa marked the fifth overtime game for the Redbirds this season, and the first double-overtime game since the 2000-01 season. Illinois State has not played five overtime games in the same season since the 1984-85 campaign, when the Redbirds played six overtime games, including four-straight.
CHAMP OF THE CENTURY
Illinois State's Champ Oguchi tossed in 13 points in the double-overtime loss to Northern Iowa, which gave the Redbird senior 1,000-career points in his collegiate career. Oguchi poured in 571 points in his three seasons at Oregon, and has scored 429 points at Illinois State through 29 games. By scoring 1,000-career points, Oguchi became the second Redbird, along with Osiris Eldridge, to join the century club this season.
A DUBIOUS DISTINCTION
In the history of the conference, 17 teams have started a season 13-0 or better, including ISU's 14-0 start this season, and 14 of those teams went on to win the Valley championship. However after Tuesday's loss to Northern Iowa, Illinois State joins Bradley (1951) and Indiana State (1978) as the three teams that did not win the championship after starting the season with 13-plus wins.
BOUNCING BACK FROM A LOSS
For the seventh time this season, Illinois State has the opportunity to bounce back after a loss. In the Tim Jankovich-era, the Redbirds boast a 12-4 record in games that follow a defeat.
AVOIDING THREE-STRAIGHT
Not only would a loss today against Creighton mark a three-game losing streak for the Redbirds, but it would be the longest losing skid in the Tim Jankovich-era at Illinois State. The last time the Redbirds lost three-straight games was in February 2007.
O'S WOES
The last five games have been a tough stretch for the Valley's Preseason Player of the Year Osiris Eldridge. The Redbird junior is averaging 11.6 points per game during the five-game span, but is shooting 33.3 percent (33-for-66) from the field and 21.7 percent (5-for-23) on threes.
SUPER-SUB SAMPAY
Illinois State's Brandon Sampay has been a force down low for the Redbirds as of late. On the heels of back-to-back double-doubles, Sampay is averaging 10.6 points and a team-best 9.4 rebounds per contest over the Redbirds' last five games. He is also shooting 57.5 percent from the field during that span.
A SEASON OF HALVES
Illinois State started out the gate strong with a 14-0 mark, including a 22-point win over today's opponent, Creighton. However since that victory over the Bluejays, the Redbirds have gone 8-7 in their last 15 games. To open the season, ISU had six players shooting 38 percent or better from three-point land. In the last 15 games, the Redbirds have one - Landon Shipley at 40 percent (8-for-20).
AN ALL-AROUND GAME
With six rebounds against Wichita State Feb. 18, Osiris Eldridge eclipsed a trio of milestones with 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 100 career steals. In doing so, Eldridge became the sixth Redbird all-time to accomplish the feat, joining Tony Holifield, Rick Lamb, Dan Muller, Mike VandeGarde and LeRoy Watkins.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
Despite starting a four-guard lineup in 28-of-29 games, Illinois State has won the rebounding battle in 22 games this season and tied in one. On the year, the Redbirds own a +4.8 rebounding margin.
A BAKER'S DOZEN DOZEN
With a win today, Illinois State would notch its 12th Valley victory this season. Since joining the conference prior to the 1981-82 season, the Redbirds have won 12 or more league games in a season 12 times.
FRANKLY, LLOYD LOOKED RIGHT
In his first heavy dose of game action since his personal leave of absence, junior Lloyd Phillips logged 40 minutes of action in the Redbirds' double-overtime loss to Northern Iowa. Phillips dished out a game-high five assists and only turned the ball over once. He also added 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting.
THREECOLA!
The Redbirds only need to make 12 more three-pointers this season to post the most made three-pointers in a single season. Illinois State currently has 244 made threes on the year, while the school record, set last season, is 255.
LATELY, IT's BEEN HOLLOWAY OR THE HIGHWAY
With Osiris Eldridge and Champ Oguchi covering the perimeter, senior Emmanuel Holloway is typically the forgotten man. Lately, that hasn't been the case, as Holloway leads the threesome in three-point accuracy over the Redbirds' last five games. During that span, Holloway is shooting 38.9 percent (7-for-18) from beyond the arch.
CINCO DE MAKO
Illinois State has made five or more three-point field goals in 27 of the 29 games this season, including the first 22 games of the season. The streak was broken at Southern Illinois Feb. 4, when the Redbirds made only three treys in Carbondale, Ill., and ISU only made four triples at Niagara Feb. 20, in the ESPNU BracketBusters game.
A 20-GAUGE
By recording 20 victories on the season with a 70-68 win at Evansville, Illinois State posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. It also marked the 15th season in the NCAA Division I-era (1970-present), in which ISU won 20 games in a single season.
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 leads the Redbirds with 47 steals this season and now has 126 in his ISU career, which ranks No. 10 in the Redbird record books.
LORDY, LORDY LOOKS WHO'S GOT 40
With the win over Drake earlier in the season, Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich captured his 40th victory with the Redbirds. As a result, Jankovich became the fastest ISU men's basketball coach to win 40 games for the Redbirds. Jankovich won his 40th game in 52 contests, while former head coach Gene Smithson won his 40th game at ISU in his 53rd try. Jankovich now boasts a 47-17 record at ISU.
TWENTYSOMETHING
For the first time since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 1982, Illinois State posted back-to-back 20-plus-point wins over league foes. ISU downed Evansville, 80-50, before topping Creighton, 86-64. The Redbirds posted another 20-point win at Drake, Feb. 15, with a 67-45 victory, which gave the Redbirds their third 20-point win over a Valley opponent in the same season, for the first time since 1997-98.
STEPPING UP FOR CHARITY
Illinois State set a school standard at Southern Illinois. The five Redbird starters combined to shoot 19-for-19 from the free throw line, accounting for the entire team's attempts. As a result, ISU shot 1.000 percent from the line and broke the old mark of 16-for-16 at Utah State March 16, 1995, in a first-round National Invitation Tournament game.
A CLOSER LOOK
Sure, Illinois State has seven defeats, but only one loss was by double-digits. Of the seven losses, five have occurred on the road and three were in overtime. In the combined losses, the Redbirds have been defeated by a total of 37 points.
THE TRADITION CONTINUES
Illinois State secured itself another winning season in men's basketball. In the 38 years of being an NCAA Division I program, the Redbirds have had 31 winning seasons.
BOARDED UP
Against Northern Iowa, Illinois State grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. It marked the 19th game this season where the Redbirds have pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds. On the season, ISU is averaging 11.2 offensive rebounds per game. Junior Dinma Odiakosa leads the team with 85 offensive boards.
295-STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A TREY
After sinking eight treys against Northern Iowa, Illinois State enters today's game at Creighton with at least one made three in 295-straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton Dec. 12, 1999.
LET THE RECORD SHOW
Illinois State began the season with a 14-0 record, the best start in school history. The previous mark was set in 1977-78, when the Redbirds won their first 12 games to open the campaign. Prior to ISU's first loss, the Redbirds were one of only four teams in all of NCAA Division I basketball to be unbeaten.
CREATING THE SECOND CHANCE
Junior Dinma Odiakosa is all about giving his teammates a second chance, and with 85 offensive boards, he is the top offensive rebounder in the Valley. Odiakosa has accumulated 176 offensive rebounds in his three seasons at Illinois State and his offensive boards have accounted for 40.1 percent of his total rebounds. This year, Odiakosa leads the Redbirds in total rebounding with 7.2 boards per game.
JOINING THE CLUB
With his 18 points at Central Michigan, Osiris Eldridge became the 39th member of ISU's 1,000-point club. Eldridge, who is the first addition to the 1,000-point club since 2005, currently has 1,240 career points.
STATUE OF ASPIRATIONS
During halftime of Illinois State's game against Southern Illinois (Jan. 24), the Redbird Athletics Department unveiled plans to have a statue erected to honor the nation's first African-American NCAA Division I head basketball coach, Will Robinson, and his most famous player, Doug Collins, a three-time All-American at Illinois State. The piece, which will be installed at the north entrance of Redbird Arena sometime in the summer 2009, is being sculpted by Lou Cella, a 1985 graduate of ISU. Robinson was named the Redbirds' head coach Feb. 27, 1970, and posted a 78-51 seasons in five seasons. He passed away at the age of 96, April 28, 2008.
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 73.4 percent winning percentage (47-17) at Illinois State, which ranks fourth on the all-time coaching ledger in ISU's 111-year history.
WHAT'S A UTE?
Illinois State will find out first hand next season, when the Redbirds travel to Utah for the first-ever meeting between the two schools, Dec. 19, 2009, as part of the inaugural Missouri Valley-Mountain West Challenge Series. The game between ISU and Utah will be one of nine matchups between the two leagues.
FOUR SIGN FOR 2009 CLASS
Illinois State head coach Tim Jankovich announced the signing of four incoming freshmen during the early signing period. The Redbirds added Justin Clark (guard, 6-4, 176) and Jon Ekey (forward, 6-7, 190), teammates from Chrisman High School in Independence, Mo. ISU also added a pair of Chicago natives with Terrance Johnson (guard, 6-0, 170) from North Lawndale College Prep and Zeke Upshaw (guard, 6-6, 195) of University High School.
