The Sycamores return two starters from a team which finished 17-15 last season and lost in the first round of the CBI Tournament with a 63-54 loss at Saint Louis.
A SPARK OF HOPE
It is said where there is smoke, there is fire. That's good news for the Redbird offense considering the nets at JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo., were smoking Saturday night, especially in the first half. Illinois State, which hadn't scored 66 points or more in eight-straight games, erupted for 71 points in Saturday's 82-71 loss. Even though it was in defeat, the Redbirds shot a season-best 68.2 percent (15-for-22) in the first half and might be putting an end to their offensive woes.
20-20 AT A LOSS
Typically when a team has two players score 20 points in the same game they would represent the winning team. However, at Missouri State, Illinois State's Anthony Cousin (23) and Jackie Carmichael (22) each tossed in 20-point games and the Redbirds suffered an 82-71 loss. Coincidently, the last time the Redbirds had two players score 20-points in the same game, ISU also lost. Osiris Eldridge and Anthony Slack each scored 21 points in a 79-73 loss at Drake on Jan. 19, 2009. Even odder, in both games, the Redbirds shot 28-for-51 (54.9 percent) from the floor, and still lost.
KISSING COUSIN
Through two league games, one noticeable change has occurred with the Illinois State offense. Sophomore Anthony Cousin's dribble penetration and kissing it off the glass. He has also added some torrid shooting (4-for-5) from beyond the arch. In the two Valley games, Cousin averaged 17.5 points per contest, while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 80.0 percent on threes. In addition, he is averaging 5.5 free throw attempts per game.
TWENTY SOMETHING
With Anthony Cousin's 23-point effort at Missouri State, the Redbirds now have five players on their roster who have scored at least 20 points in an NCAA Division I game, including four this season. Jackie Carmichael has three 20-point efforts in his career and two this season, while Cousin, Justin Clark and Jon Ekey have each posted one 20-point game this season. Trey Blue had a 20-point effort with Fordham.
FREEDOM OF CHOICES
So far this season, Illinois State has had 10 different players post a double-digit scoring game. The Redbirds have had 33 double-figure performances to date on the campaign achieved by: Jackie Carmichael (8), Austin Hill (6), Blake Mishler (4), Anthony Cousin (3), John Wilkins (3), Tony Lewis (3), Trey Blue (2), Justin Clark (2), Jon Ekey (1) and Alex Rubin (1).
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
With 10 different players posting at least one double-digit scoring game this season, options aren't the issue for Illinois State. It's consistency. Of the 10 individuals who have combined to post 33 double-digit scoring games this season, only six double-digit efforts have been by the same player in successive games. Austin Hill three times has had successive double-digit scoring games, while Jackie Carmichael has posted two and Anthony Cousin has added one.
PEAKING IN THE VALLEY
In the first two Valley games, Illinois State's Anthony Cousin (17.5 ppg.), Jackie Carmichael (15.0 ppg.) and John Wilkins (10.5 ppg.) have raised their games. All three are averaging double-digits in league play, while for the overall season, Carmichael (11.2 ppg.) is the only Redbird averaging double-figures.
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 44-10 record (.815) in his four seasons. When ISU opponent's score less than 70 points, the Redbirds are 70-16 (.814) during that span.
THE POWER OF THREES
The most obvious explanation for Illinois State's inconsistent start this season can be found with the team's shooting percentage. On the season, ISU is shooting 29.9 percent from three-point range, which would rank as the lowest single-season effort in school history, undercutting the 30.4 percentage during the 1990-91 campaign.
ARCH MADNESS
After the first two games of the season, Illinois State appeared to have a strong perimeter team with a combined 14-for-33 (.424) effort on threes. However, in the last 11 games, shooting from beyond the arch has dried up for the Redbirds. Illinois State has shot 52-for-188 (.277) and only John Wilkins (38.2 percent) is shooting over 37.5 percent during that span.
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 Missouri State Saturday. The Redbirds are 25-10 (.714) in the 35 previous games when coming off a loss under the guidance of Jankovich.
FINDING THE RIGHT COMBO
Already this season, the Redbirds have had more players earn a spot in the starting lineup than the team did all of last season. The Redbirds have had nine different players start for six different starting five combinations.
BLOCK PARTY
Illinois State's Jon Ekey (21) and Jackie Carmichael (17) are among the top-three shot blockers in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. With two of the top-three shot blockers in the conference, it is no surprise that the Redbirds rank among the league leaders in second-place with 4.4 blocks per game. At this pace, the Redbirds would have the third-best blocks per game average in school history.
OUI OUI
Is French-born Illinois State sophomore John Wilkins starting to find his three-point shooting groove? Yes! In his first two games, Wilkins combined to score a total of six points, but in his last six contests Wilkins is averaging 10.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while shooting a combined 12-for-27 (.444) from three.
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.
NOW BOARDING
Senior Tony Lewis has taken the lead rebounding role for the Redbirds this season. He is averaging 7.3 boards per game, which ranks third in the Valley. He is also the league-leader in offensive caroms with 2.8 per game. Lewis has had six games this season with eight or more 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 63 career blocks, Carmichael ranks 10th for career blocked shots at ISU and he needs seven more to surpass Dinma Odiakosa (69) for ninth place.
ERR, EKEY FOR THE BLOCK?
Jackie Carmichael's ISU freshman shot block record might be short lived, as freshman Jon Ekey has collected 21 blocked shots this season. The Valley leader in blocks per game (1.6) is on pace to finish with approximately 50 blocked shots on the season, which would not only be the freshman record, but would mark the third-best, single-season blocked shot total in Illinois State history.
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).
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 79-36 (.687), including a 35-21 (.625) 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.
346-STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A TREY
Illinois State enters the game at Indiana State with at least one made three in 346-straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton, Dec. 12, 1999.
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.
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).
