NORMAL, Ill. – After finishing as runners-up at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, the Illinois State men's basketball team returns to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena to host Youngstown State Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Redbirds (2-2) aim to rebound following a four-point loss to Seton Hall in the tournament's title game. Playing in the team's second home contest of the season, ISU is also looking to build off of last year's home-court success in which the Redbirds went 14-3 at Redbird Arena. Reigning Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell will try to extend his double-digit scoring streak after reaching double-figures in all four of ISU's games this season.
Saturday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Illinois State and Youngstown State. Picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League, the Penguins are 4-3 after winning three-straight. They are led by sophomore guard Marcus Keene, who is averaging 16.4 points per game.
THE SERIES:
Saturday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Illinois State and Youngstown State.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
Illinois State is aiming to bounce back from Monday's, 84-80, loss to Seton Hall in the championship game of the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. The Redbirds are also trying to win for the first time this season on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena after falling in their season-opener to Utah State (Nov. 16). Youngstown State is looking to win its fourth-straight game, and the Penguins are trying to earn their first road victory of the year.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell in the title game of the eight-team U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam with an 84-80 loss to Seton Hall (Nov. 24) after earning wins over Old Dominion (Nov. 23) and Weber State (Nov. 21) ... junior DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds during the Redbirds' three tournament games ... Akoon-Purcell was also named the MVC Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 24) ... ISU went 18-16 and 9-9 to finish tied for fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference last season despite featuring the most inexperienced team in the nation ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC this year ... returning six letterwinners, including four of last year's five starters.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT A GLANCE:
Is 4-3 after winning three-straight games ... picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League this year ... went 15-17 overall and 6-10 in the Horizon League last season ... returning three out of five starters, including leading rebounder Bobby Hain (11.1 points, 7.7 rebounds last year) and Ryan Weber (12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds last year) ... head coach is Jerry Slocum, in his 10th season at Youngstown State and his 40th overall ... Youngstown State last qualified for the postseason with a 2012-13 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) bid ... even though in football Illinois State and Youngstown State both compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, this is the first-ever meeting between the two basketball programs.
RUNNERS-UP
After falling behind by as many as 21 points, Illinois State fought back to pull within four, but Seton Hall held on for an 84-80 victory in Monday night's U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam championship game. The Redbirds finished as the runners-up in the eight-team field, and junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds during the Redbirds' three tournament games. Seton Hall was led by Sterling Gibbs' 40 points on 10-for-14 shooting, marking the first time an opposing player has netted 40 against the Redbirds since Oral Roberts' Anthony Roberts scored 48 points Jan. 6, 1975.
ISLAND CONNECTION
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell seemed right at home in the UVI Sports and Fitness Center for the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. ISU's trip to the Caribbean was a homecoming of sorts for Akoon-Purcell whose father, Paul, grew up in St. Thomas before eventually moving to the U.S. Akoon-Purcell made his first-ever trip to his father's native country.
STAYING IN THE HUNT(ER)
Senior guard Bobby Hunter came off the bench in ISU's championship-game loss to Seton Hall to score a career-high 23 points while going 7-for-14 from the field, 4-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-6 at the free throw line. The Reno, Nevada native also dished out three assists and grabbed two rebounds. Hunter netted 10 of ISU's 27 first-half points, allowing the Redbirds to remain in the game despite Seton Hall shooting 48 percent in the first half compared to ISU's 30.8 percent.
AKOON-PURCELL NETS NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
After scoring double figures in each of his first three games as a Redbird, Illinois State junior forward DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, as announced by the league office Nov. 24. Akoon-Purcell averaged a team best 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals to lead ISU to a 2-0 record while making his first two career-starts in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. He went on to start and reach double-figures again in the Redbirds' loss to Seton Hall Monday night. ISU has now won one out of two 2014-15 MVC Newcomer of the Week honors.
CRASHING THE GLASS
In all four of Illinois State's games this season, the Redbirds have either outrebounded or matched their opponent on the boards. ISU and Seton Hall were even with 30 rebounds each, and ISU outrebounded Utah State, 44-40, Weber State, 34-27 and Old Dominion, 35-26. Rebounding will continue to be a point of emphasis for the Redbirds after an undersized ISU team was outrebounded in 20 out of 34 contests last season. Last year, ISU was 9-3 when outrebounding the opposition.
CONTROLLING THE SEMIFINALS
Four Redbirds recorded double-figures as Illinois State established an early lead which it never relinquished en route to a 64-45 semifinal win over Old Dominion at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam last Sunday night. The Redbirds shot a season-best 49 percent from the field compared to Old Dominion's 34 percent effort. ISU also outrebounded the Monarch's 35-to-26. DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Bobby Hunter each scored 12 points, while Deontae Hawkins and Reggie Lynch contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Illinois State's success against Old Dominion last Sunday night can be largely attributed to the Redbirds' defensive effort. ISU held a Monarch squad which had been averaging 69.7 points per game to just 45 points, marking the first time since Jan. 5, 2014, that the Redbirds held their opponent below 50. ISU forced seven steals, plus two blocks and 13 turnovers, as Illinois State limited Old Dominion to 34 percent shooting from the field, 10-percentage points below average.
DUNK CITY
Through ISU's first three games, the Redbirds are averaging 2.0 dunks per game. Contrast that with last season's average of 0.8 dunks. Reggie Lynch has already tallied six dunks (1.5 dunks per game) compared to 13 last season (0.4). DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell has two dunks so far this year.
MR. CONSISTENT
Senior guard Daishon Knight consistently finds ways to score. Knight, who totalled a season-best 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting in the Redbirds' win over Weber State (Nov. 21), has reached double-figures in eight-out-of-the-last-10 games dating back to last season. He is also 12-for-14 at the free throw line this year. Last season, Knight made 30-consecutive free throws from Dec. 22, 2013 until Feb. 9, 2014.
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