On Nov. 4, 2010, South Dakota accepted an invitation to join the Missouri Valley Football Conference beginning with the 2012-13 academic year. Illinois State is a member of the Valley Football Conference. Even though the Coyotes won't begin league membership until 2012, the Redbirds will host South Dakota at Hancock Stadium on Oct. 15, 2011.
THE HOST WITH THE MOST
For the fifth time in school history since becoming an NCAA Division I program in 1970, Illinois State has hosted an in-season tournament. In 1978 and 1979, ISU hosted the Illinois State Holiday Festival and in the last two seasons Redbird Arena has been the site for the 2009 Basketball Travelers Classic and the 2008 World Vision Invitational. In each of the previous four tournaments, the Redbirds walked away with the title and a perfect 10-0 record.
NON-CON SUCCESS
Head coach Tim Jankovich owns a 33-10 record (.767) against non-conference opponents during his time with the Redbirds.
THESE 'BIRDS ARE YOUNG
As the most inexperienced team in the Valley entering the season, the Illinois State roster had combined to play a total of 3,257 minutes for the Redbirds. Opening the season, the Redbirds had combined to play 10 Division I seasons, which ranked ISU No. 23, as one of the most inexperienced teams in the nation.
TRUE BLUE
Transferring to Illinois State from Fordham, Trey Blue was labled as a scorer. In two of his first three games with the Redbirds, he has done just that. With 14-point efforts against SIU Edwardsville and at UALR, Blue is second on the team in scoring with 11 points per game despite only playing 15.7 minutes per game. Blue also leads the Redbirds in true shooting percentage, which takes into account field goals, three-point field goals and free throws. Blue owns a 66.1 true shooting percentage.
MAGNUM RPI
According to the RPI Report, Illinois State has the best three-year RPI rating in the Missouri Valley Conference. Over the last three seasons, the Redbirds are averaging an RPI rating of 56.7, while Northern Iowa and Creighton are tied for second with an average of 67.3.
THE BENCH MARK
The Illinois State bench has definitely left its mark on the early 2010-11 season, in fact, it has accounted for 52.1 percent of the Redbirds' scoring. In each of Illinois State's three games this season, the Redbird starters have been outscored by the opponent counterparts. However, in each game, the ISU bench carried the weight and has combined to score 114 points in the three games, or 38.0 points per contest.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY
Illinois State's 63-54 loss at Arkansas-Little Rock was the earliest loss of the season by the Redbirds in the Tim Jankovich-era. Prior to Sunday's defeat, the earliest the Redbirds had lost under Jankovich was the fourth-game of the season, or Nov. 23, against Indiana in 2007-08. ISU's first loss the following season (2008-09) didn't come until Jan. 6, while last season the Redbirds suffered their first defeat on Dec. 13.
HANDLING ADVERSITY
The Redbirds haven't had to face much adversity in the Tim Jankovich-era, but when coming off a rare loss Illinois State has responded well. Illinois State is doing just that, after losing at Arkansas-Little Rock Sunday. The Redbirds are 22-9 (.710) in the 31 previous games when coming off a loss under the guidance of Jankovich.
THE PERFECT BALANCE
In each of the first three Redbird games this season, Illinois State has had at least eight players crack into the scoring column - in the first half. In total, 10 players have scored for the Redbirds this season, so with at least eight individuals scoring in each of the last three first halves, it shows the unselfishness of the Illinois State squad.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
This season, after only three games, sophomore Justin Clark has sank six three-pointers on 17 attempts. Last season, over 31 games, Clark made eight treys on 43 tries. After converting a career-best six threes against Tennessee State, he could realistically eclipse last season's three-point total in just four games.
HAVING SEEN THAT IN A WHILE
In the victory over Tennessee State, the Redbirds combined to make 11 three-pointers in the contest. The double-digit threes was something Illinois State didn't accomplish during the entire 2009-10 season. Which is odd, considering that the Tennessee State game marked the 19th double-digit made three-point shooting effort by the Redbirds in the Tim Jankovich-era.
WALKING THE LINE
In his first three seasons at Illinois State, Tim Jankovich's Redbirds have shot a combined 67.6 percent from the free throw line and only once did his team shoot 70 percent from the line (2009-10). Through three games, it looks like free throws could be more of a benefit than a detriment for the Redbirds this season. Illinois State is making free throws at an 80.8 percent clip, shooting 42-for-52.
THAT 70's SHOW
ISU's success during the Tim Jankovich-era has been pretty much based on 70 points. When the Redbirds score 70 or more points, Illinois State owns a 43-9 record (.827) in his four seasons. When ISU opponent's score less than 70 points, the Redbirds are 64-14 (.821) during that span.
NOW BOARDING
Senior Tony Lewis might have taken the flight attendant's orders literally, as the Redbirds took their first flight of the season to Arkansas-Little Rock. He was asked to board and did, by equalling his career-high with 13 rebounds against the Trojans. In three games, Lewis is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game, while collecting more offensive rebounds (13) than defensive rebounds (12). His offensive rebounding total also accounts for 35.1 percent of the team's entire offensive rebounds.
CARMICHAEL FOR THE BLOCK
Sophomore Jackie Carmichael ended his first season with the Redbirds, as the most-prolific freshman shot blocker in Illinois State history. Carmichael swatted away 46 shots during the 2009-10 season, crushing the old mark of 36 set by Mike VandeGarde during his freshman campaign in 1990-91. With his 49 career blocks, Carmichael's season total tied for sixth-best in ISU history. He also only needs 10 more to crack the top-10 for career blocked shots at Illinois State.
ERR, EKEY FOR THE BLOCK?
Jackie Carmichael's freshman shot block record might be short lived with freshman Jon Ekey swatting seven combined shots in the first three games. He posted four blocked shots in the season opener against SIU Edwardsville. Ekey currently leads the Valley in blocks per game and is on pace to finish with approximately 72.3 blocked shots on the season which would not only be the freshman record, but would rank second in a season in Illinois State history.
HOME SWEET HOME
Illinois State is in its 23rd season of basketball action on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Under head coach Tim Jankovich, the Redbirds are 46-6 (.885) when playing at home. ISU owns a 230-82 (.737) all-time record on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
FEAR THE BEARD
Sophomore Jackie Carmichael, a member of the 2010 Valley All-Freshman Team, will look to become only the second Redbird to earn first team all-league honors after being named to the all-freshman team. With Carmichael, the Redbirds have had seven players named to the Valley All-Freshman Team and only Osiris Eldridge went on to earn first-team all-league accolades (three times).
THREECOLA!
The Redbirds finished the 2008-09 season with 297 made three-pointers, which set the school standard for treys in a season. The made threes topped the old mark (255), which was set during the 2007-08 season, and Illinois State sank 193 treys during the 2009-10 campaign. Under head coach Tim Jankovich, the Redbirds have made 764 three-pointers in 105 games, or 7.3 per contest.
THREE-YEAR TURNAROUND
Entering his fourth year at the helm, Tim Jankovich has turned Illinois State from a probable Valley Tournament play-in team into a part of the championship conversation. Jankovich and his staff have returned ISU basketball to its glory with a record of 72-32 (.692), including a 35-19 (.648) mark in Valley regular-season games. In the three years prior to this staff's arrival, ISU was 41-48 (.461) overall and 18-36 (.333) in league play.
TWENTY, TWENTY, TWENTY, THEY'VE DONE IT AGAIN
With the BracketBusters win over Morehead State last season, ISU posted its third-straight 20-win campaign, which hadn't happened in Normal, Ill., since the 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. It also became the 16th 20-win season for the Redbirds since the program became an NCAA Division I program prior to the 1970-71 season.
336-STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A TREY
Illinois State enters today's game against South Dakota with at least one made three in 336-straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton, Dec. 12, 1999.
A RETURN TO POSTSEASON
Illinois State, which became an NCAA Division I program prior to the 1970-71 season, enjoyed postseason play for the 17th time last season. The Redbirds have qualified for the NCAA Tournament six times (1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1997 and 1998) and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times (1977, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2009 and 2010).
