MSU's Jermaine Mallett is tied for the conference's lead in three-point field goal percentage. He is sinking treys at a 45.9 percent clip this season, and averages 1.4 made three per game. As a team, the Bears are first in the Valley for three-point percentage shooting (38.0 percent).
THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS
For the Illinois State, the good news is that the Redbirds rank fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference for all games in scoring defense. ISU is only allowing 63.4 points per game this season. However, the bad news is that the Redbirds are last in the Valley in scoring offense for the season with 61.5 points per contest.
E-KEY BLOCK
For architects, the key block is the keystone, or center block, of a stone arch. For the Illinois State defense, Jon Ekey's shot-blocking ability has been front and center. Ekey has 45 blocked shots this season, which ranks No. 9 for a single season in Redbird history. He is also only two rejections away from claiming the school's freshman record for blocked shots and dethroning teammate Jackie Carmichael, who set the standard last season with 46 blocks.
TRUE BLUE
Sophomore Trey Blue appears to be showing his offensive colors again. Blue has fired in double-digit scoring efforts in four of the last six games. During the span, Blue is averaging 8.8 points per game, which is nearly double than what he was averaging prior to the recent offensive output (4.5 ppg.). Over the last four games, Blue has been the top scorer on the team with 10.3 points per game.
GETTING READY FOR ST. LEWIS
Illinois State senior Tony Lewis appears to be gearing up his game for the stretch run and tournament time. Lewis fired in a season-best 16 points at Wichita State and followed up with a team-high 11 points against Indiana State, his first back-to-back double-digit scoring games of the season. Over the last four games, Lewis is averaging 9.0 points per contest, while shooting 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from the field.
THREE'S COMPANY, AND USUALLY A WIN
Good things have happened to Illinois State this season when three Redbirds score in double-figures. Unfortunately, it hasn't happed as much as Illinois State would like. When three or more players score double-digits, the Redbirds are 8-3 this season, as opposed to 10-11 when two Redbirds reach double-digits.
THAT'S STRANGE
Illinois State's Tony Lewis has led the team in scoring the last two games. Normally that's not a big deal, but for the Redbirds it is. The last player to lead the team in scoring was Anthony Cousin back in the first two Valley games of the season. During the campaign, Illinois State has had 13 different players see court time and 10 of them have led the team in scoring for at least one game this season. Prior to Lewis' back-to-back scoring, ISU had a streak of seven-straight games with seven different leading scorers.
RELIVING HISTORY?
Illinois State opened up the Valley season with four-straight double-digit losses to Creighton (64-53), Missouri State (82-71), Indiana State (72-57) and Wichita State (65-51). Over the next eight games, the Redbirds posted a 3-5 record and all five defeats were by eight points or less. Now, ISU has suffered back-to-back double-digit league losses to Wichita State (74-57) and Indiana State (56-46), while facing Missouri State and Creighton in its next two games.
SCORING SLUMP
The Redbirds have had problems scoring pretty much all season, but that is especially the case over the last three games. Illinois State is averaging 51.3 points per game during the last three contests with its highest scoring output of 57 points. The Redbirds have scored less than 60 points 14 times this season.
OUR ALASKAN COUSIN
Sophomore Anthony Cousin, who is in his first season at Illinois State, has really elevated his game in Valley play. Cousin is averaging 9.3 points per game during league contests, which is second on the team. He also leads the Redbirds with 32 assists during conference play and playing time during league games with a total of 359 minutes.
ARC MADNESS
The most obvious explanation for Illinois State's uncharacteristic record this season can be found with the team's shooting percentage. On the season, ISU is shooting 30.0 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.
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 53-13 (.803) when playing at home. ISU owns a 237-89 (.727) all-time record on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
NIP AND TUCK
Illinois State has played in nine games this season decided by four points or less, including the two-point defeat at Northern Iowa. The Redbirds are 5-4 this season in games decided by four points or less.
FREEDOM OF CHOICES
So far this season, Illinois State has had 10 different players post a double-digit scoring game. The Redbirds have had 60 double-figure performances to date on the campaign achieved by: Jackie Carmichael (13), Austin Hill (11), Anthony Cousin (7), John Wilkins (7), Blake Mishler (6), Trey Blue (6), Tony Lewis (6), Justin Clark (2), Jon Ekey (1) and Alex Rubin (1).
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 46-10 record (.821) in his four seasons. When ISU opponent's score less than 70 points, the Redbirds are 71-22 (.763) during that span.
358-STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A TREY
Illinois State enters the game against Missouri State with at least one made three in 358-straight games. The last time ISU didn't sink a trey was an 82-43 loss at Creighton, Dec. 12, 1999.
TOEING THE LINE
Of sophomore Jackie Carmichael's career-high 24 points he scored at Bradley, 12 were scored at the free throw line. Carmichael attempted 20 free throws against the Braves, marking the second-most by a Redbird in school history. His 20 tosses from the charity stripe were only short to Ron deVries' 21 free throw attempts against Southern Illinois on March 4, 1972. Over the last five games, Carmichael has been to the free throw line a total of 38 times, while converting 24 of the attempts (.632).
FINDING THE RIGHT COMBO
Illinois State has had more players earn a spot in the starting lineup than the team did all of last season. The Redbirds have had 10 different players start for nine different starting five combinations. ISU has had the same lineup in three of the last four games, with Anthony Cousin, John Wilkins, Jon Ekey, Austin Hill and Blake Mishler.
BLOCK PARTY
Illinois State's Jon Ekey (45) and Jackie Carmichael (33) are the top two shot blockers in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. With the two top shot blockers in the conference, it is no surprise that the Redbirds rank second in the conference with 4.2 blocks per game. At this pace, the Redbirds would have the third-best blocks per game average in school history.
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.
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 79 career blocks, Carmichael is tied for seventh in career blocked shots at ISU with Anthony Slack and needs 10 more to surpass Bill Braksick (88) for sixth place.
A GO-GO GOPHER
Both the Illinois State men's basketball and football programs were benefactors by the transfer of Bryant Allen from Minnesota. Allen, who is an ISU football scholarship student-athlete, will be eligible immediately for the Redbirds on the gridiron, but won't be able to play until the completion of the 2011 fall semester due to NCAA residency rules. With the Gophers, Allen, a six-foot, 170-pound guard, played in nine games during the 2009-10 season, all as a reserve. He scored seven points over 22 minutes played.
THREE GUARDS INK WITH ISU FOR 2011-12
Illinois State head basketball coach Tim Jankovich solidified the Redbird backcourt for years to come as guards Johnny Hill (Glenbard East), Nic Moore (Warsaw, Ind.) and Nick Zeisloft (Lyons Township) each signed National Letters of Intent (NLIs) to continue their education and basketball careers at Illinois State, during the early signing period on Nov. 10.