Head coach Dan Muller owned a 5-3 record against Bradley as a player from 1994-98.
WHERE TO WATCH: ISU VS. BRADLEY
WTVP (PBS): Comcast Ch. 13, DirecTV Ch. 47, Dish (with local channels) Ch. 7756
RedbirdHD.tv (PPV online stream): http://www.goredbirds.com/allaccess/?media=346735
LAST MEETING: REDBIRDS FALL TO BRADLEY, 83-77
PEORIA, Ill. (Jan. 29) - After leading by as many as 16 points in the first half, eight at halftime and seven in the second half, the Illinois State men's basketball team (12-10, 3-7 MVC) fell to in-state rival Bradley (13-9, 5-5 MVC) for the first time in the last eight meetings, 83-77, on Jan. 29, at Carver Arena. The Redbirds surrendered points on 14 of Bradley's final 15 possessions and were held without a field goal for over five minutes down the stretch. Despite tying a season-high with 13-made three pointers, turnovers hindered the Redbirds throughout the contest. ISU committed a season-high 23 in the loss, with Bradley scoring 27 points off of the miscues. Jackie Carmichael and John Wilkins each scored 16 points to lead ISU, a season-high for Wilkins. Bradley's Walt Lemon Jr., scored a career-high 27 points to lead the way for the Braves.
STANDINGS SIGNIFICANCE
Illinois State and Bradley are both tied for sixth place in the Missouri Valley Conference with 6-7 league records. The winner could end the night tied for fourth in the league standings, while the loser
could be tied for seventh, two games behind the next closest team(s) in the Valley.
UPSET IN OMAHA
Senior guard Tyler Brown scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half to lead Illinois State to a 75-72 win at No. 16 Creighton Saturday night. The victory was ISU's first over a nationally ranked team on the road since topping No. 17 Tulsa in 1985. It was also ISU's first win in Omaha, Neb., since 2010.
HOTTEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE
Illinois State is 6-1 in its last seven games, making the Redbirds the winningest team in the league over the last seven contests. ISU has not won six out of seven conference games since the Redbirds went on a six-game league winning streak during the 2009-10 season, which resulted in an NIT berth.
HEADING THE RIGHT WAY
ISU started the conference season with an 0-6 mark, and the Redbirds have won six of their last seven. No team in league history has started league play at 0-6 and then rebounded to finish .500. A total of 53 teams in the league's 106-year history have started 0-6 or worse.
REDBIRDS ARE RED HOT
ISU has recorded its top four Valley shooting percentages over the last four games (45.8 percent at Bradley, 46.2 percent against Southern Illinois, 48.3 percent at Drake and 49.2 percent at No. 16 Creighton). ISU's blistering 54.2 percent (13-for-24) three-point effort at Bradley on Jan. 29, was also an overall season high, along with the Redbirds' 54-point second half at Drake on Feb. 6.
THE DIFFERENCE IS DEFENSE
Illinois State has won six out of its last seven Missouri Valley Conference games, thanks in large part to improved defense. During ISU's six Valley victories, the Redbirds have held the opposition to 63.5 points per game, compared to the 75.3 points per game averaged during ISU's Valley losses (a difference of 11.8 points). Illinois State has also limited the opposition to 39.4 percent shooting in league wins, contrasted with a 47.4 percent clip allowed in conference losses (an 8.0 percent difference).
THE COMEBACK KIDS
Illinois State overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to beat Drake by eight points, 94-86, on Feb. 6. The come-from-behind victory tied for the third-best comeback in Redbird history and the biggest since ISU also overcame a 17-point disadvantage at home against Drake on Mar. 1, 2004. Illinois State beat the Bulldogs, 73-68, with current ISU Associate Head Coach Dana Ford contributing two points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal off of the bench. ISU has now overcome four 17-point deficits, one 18-point deficit and one 21-point deficit (Nov. 27, 1989), which was the largest comeback in program history.
PASSING MULLER'S MILESTONE
Senior forward Jackie Carmichael moved into 10th place on the Illinois State career-scoring list during Saturday night's contest at No. 16 Creighton, surpassing head coach Dan Muller. Carmichael now has 1,456-career points, while Muller scored 1,445 in his four-year career. The Manhattan, Kan., native also made his 100th-career start in ISU's win over the Bluejays.
THIS WEEK'S CROWN GOES TO BROWN
For the first time in his career, Illinois State senior guard Tyler Brown is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week. It is the fourth Valley Player of the Week honor awarded to an Illinois State player this season, after Jackie Carmichael received the award three times, on Nov. 19, Dec. 27 and Jan. 28.
DOWNTOWN, AND DRIVING, BROWN
Tyler Brown averaged a team-best 26.0 points, 7.0 assists and 2.5 steals, plus 3.5 rebounds to lead Illinois State to two road wins at Drake (Feb. 6) and at No. 16 Creighton (Feb. 9). Brown was 17-for-36 (47.2 percent) from the field, 5-for-14 (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc and 13-for-15 (86.7 percent) at the free throw in the two victories. He was the scoring leader in both games. At No. 16 Creighton, Brown netted a game-high 27 points, including 23 in the second half. He shot 10-for-18 (55.6 percent) from the field and 4-for-5 (80.0 percent) from the free throw line. In the second half, with the Redbirds leading by two, Brown netted 13-consecutive ISU points to establish a five-point ISU advantage, 65-60, with 6:40 left. Brown scored a game-high 25 points, with a career-best nine assists, plus four steals and four rebounds at Drake.
STEALING VICTORIES
With 10 steals recorded during Illinois State's win at Drake on Feb. 6, the Redbirds improved to 7-0 this season when they record 10 or more steals in a game. It marked the second time that ISU has collected double-digit steals in a Missouri Valley Conference game this year.
90+
The Redbirds scored a scorching 94 points, including 54 in the second half, during the win at Drake on Feb. 6. It marked the first time since 2001 that ISU has netted more than 90 points against a Missouri Valley Conference foe. The last time that happened, ISU won at Evansville, 94-87, in double-overtime on Feb. 12, 2001. Illinois State has now scored 90 or more points three times this season, and 80 or more points nine times. ISU is 9-0 when netting 80 or more.
ACCEPTING CHARITY
Part of Illinois State's recent success can be attributed to success at the foul line. In Illinois State's six Valley victories, the Redbirds have averaged 19.2 free throws on 26.2 attempts. In contrast, ISU averaged 15.4 free throws (a difference of 3.8) on 21.1 attempts (a difference of 5.1) during the Redbirds' seven conference losses. Illinois State made a season-high 32 charity shots on 36 attempts, which was the most by ISU in a game since the Redbirds made 33 versus SIUE on Nov. 14, 2010. It also marked the first time during Illinois State's Valley era (1982-present) that three Redbirds have each netted nine or more free throws in the same game. ISU is now 11-1 this season when the Redbirds shoot more free throws than their opponent.
WILKINS KEYS SUCCESS
Senior guard/forward John Wilkins made his first start of the season in Illinois State's win at Southern Illinois on Jan. 20. He has started every game since, and is averaging 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds during the starting-stretch. He has also shot a team-best 57.9 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and 93.3 percent from the free throw line during the last seven contests. The Antibes, France, native recorded a season-high 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field in the win at Drake on Feb. 6.
THE 'BIRDS NEED BROWN
Senior guard Tyler Brown, who averaged 17.3 points per game through the non-conference season, cooled off at the beginning of Illinois State's Valley season. During the Redbirds' six-game losing streak, Brown was held to 10.4 points per game. However, the Owensboro, Ky., native has been instrumental in Illinois State's recent success. Since snapping the skid, Brown has averaged 19.3 points per game. He led ISU with 27 points in the win at No. 16 Creighton on Saturday night.
A SHINY QUARTER
In Missouri Valley Conference play, Jackie Carmichael has accounted for more than a quarter of Illinois State's total offense and rebounding. The senior forward is credited with 25.1 percent of the Redbirds' league points, and 28.9 percent of their conference rebounds. During non-conference play, Carmichael was responsible for 22.5 percent of Illinois State's offense and 22.2 percent of ISU's rebounding, representing a 2.6 percent increase in his offensive contribution and a 6.7 percent increase in rebounding.
MR. DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Redbird senior forward Jackie Carmichael earned his 31st-career double-double and 11th of the season during Illinois State's victory against Southern Illinois on Feb. 2. He is now tied for third on the career double-doubles list with Billy Lewis (31), and behind Jeff Wilkins (42) and Ron DeVries (50).
JACKIE'S BLOCK PARTY
Senior forward Jackie Carmichael had one block last Wednesday at Drake to give him 181 for his career - that ranks seventh-best all-time in the MVC. Only two Valley players since 1991 have had more (Grant Stout of UNI-222 from 2003-07; and Randal Falker of SIU-195 from 2004-08).
THIS IS SPORTSCENTER
ISU was featured again on ESPN's Top Plays. A dunk by Jackie Carmichael at Bradley earned the No. 4 spot during the Jan. 29 edition of SportsCenter. Earlier this season, two Tyler Brown dunks from ISU's win over Drexel made the list. No. 5 was an alley-oop dunk from Bryant Allen, and No. 4 was an alley-oop dunk from Kaza Keane. Carmichael made his second Top Plays appearance, after also earning a spot last season for a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Evansville on Jan. 7, 2012.
BROWN FINALIST FOR DUNK COMPETITION
Tyler Brown is one of 16 finalists nominated for the "State Farm Dark Horse Dunker" competition, Intersport announced Monday. The winner will participate in the Denny's Slam Dunk Competition at the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships in Atlanta at 6 p.m., April 4, on ESPN. Sixteen dunkers have been selected to compete in the "State Farm Dark Horse Dunker" Facebook bracket, which is a five-week knockout competition. Fans will determine the winner by voting during each round at the official Facebook page (facebook.com/CollegeSlam).
