NORMAL, Ill. – In a final tune-up before beginning Missouri Valley Conference play, the Illinois State men's basketball team hosts Quincy Monday at 6 p.m. on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
The Redbirds (7-4) and Hawks (6-5) return to action following a week's break for the holidays. In the midst of a season-long three-game homestand, Illinois State is aiming to win its third-straight on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena following a decisive, 68-43, victory over IPFW Dec. 22. ISU continues to be led by senior guard Daishon Knight who is averaging a team-best 15.1 points per game after reaching double-figures nine times this season.
Although the Redbirds have faced in-state NCAA Division II foe Quincy in exhibition games six times over the last seven seasons, Monday's game marks ISU's first regular-season matchup with Quincy since earning a Jan. 7, 1981, victory over the Hawks at Horton Field House in Normal, Illinois. Monday's contest will count toward Illinois State's regular-season record and statistics, just like last season's ISU victory over Division II Sonoma State. However, the game will not impact the Redbirds' RPI.
THE SERIES:
While Illinois State frequently faces Quincy in exhibition contests (six times over the last seven seasons), the Redbirds have not played the Hawks in a regular-season contest since Jan. 7, 1981, resulting in a 70-59 ISU home-court victory. Illinois State leads the all-time regular-season series versus Quincy, 8-6, with the first-ever meeting taking place Dec. 21, 1951. The two programs met at least once a season from 1951-52 until 1957-58.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
After establishing a dominant 14-3 record on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena last season, the Redbirds are striving to consistently defend their home court again in 2014-15. Illinois State is off to a 3-2 start at home, and the Redbirds have won two-straight on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Although Quincy is an NCAA Division II program, Monday's game will count toward ISU's regular-season record and statistics, just like last season's ISU versus Division II Sonoma State game. For Quincy, Monday's game is designated as an exhibition.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Improved to 7-4 after beating IPFW (Dec. 22) ... winners of four out-of-the-last five games, including two-straight at home ... three players have recorded double-doubles this season ... the team has only been outrebounded once this year ... ranks first in the Missouri Valley Conference with 4.5 blocks per game, second in the league with a +6.0 rebounding margin, and the offense ranks third in the MVC with 71.3 points per game ... earned two MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades this season ... finished as the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam runner-up (Nov. 21-24) ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC this year.
QUINCY AT A GLANCE:
Off to a 6-5 start after falling to Kentucky Wesleyan (Dec. 21) ... lost its first Division I exhibition, at Illinois, 91-62, (Nov. 7) ... led by sophomore guard Scottie Bruxcoort who is averaging 13.3 points per game ... picked to finish third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division ... returning three of five starters and nine letterwinners from a squad that posted a 10-18 overall record and a 5-13 mark in the (NCAA Division II) GLVC last season.
NON-CON FINALE
With Illinois State's Missouri Valley Conference season officially set to tip off Wednesday at home versus Indiana State, the Redbirds are hoping to wrap up pre-MVC non-conference play with one more victory compared to last year. The 2013-14 Redbirds went 7-5 during the pre-MVC non-conference season. A victory over Quincy would improve ISU's record to 8-4, which would be ISU's best non-conference record since finishing with a 9-3 mark in 2012-13.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 44 in the nation according to the Dec. 28 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's 44 NCSS ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 13). Illinois State's RPI is No. 70, which is fifth-best in the league.
DECISIVE WIN
There was no doubt about Illinois State's 68-43 win over Summit League-favorite IPFW Dec. 22 on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. ISU's 25-point win was the Redbirds' largest margin of victory since winning by 36 points against Missouri State on Feb. 27, 2013. ISU led by as many as 31 points versus IPFW, marking the Redbirds' largest lead in a game since the 2012-13 season. Additionally, ISU's 37-17 halftime lead was ISU's largest at the break all season, and it marked the fewest points allowed in the first half.
STRONG STARTS
The Redbirds have held the halftime advantage in all but one game so far this season. The only time ISU trailed at intermission was during the Redbirds' loss to Seton Hall (Nov. 24) at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. Illinois State is 7-3 when leading at halftime and 0-1 when trailing at the half.
CONTROLLING THE BOARDS
Illinois State has only been outrebounded once this season through the Redbirds' first 11 games. By outrebounding ISU, 35-30, Murray State (Dec. 20) snapped ISU's streak of five-straight games in which the Redbirds outrebounded the opposition. ISU had not outrebounded five-straight opponents since outrebounding six-straight in 2010-11. ISU has earned the rebounding edge in nine out of 11 games.
CRASHING THE GLASS
ISU ranks No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with a +6.0 rebounding margin after 11 games, while comparatively, last year's Redbirds had a -4.2 rebounding margin at the same point. As a team, Illinois State ranks second in the league with 13.9 offensive rebounds per game, and sophomore center Reggie Lynch is No. 2 in the MVC with 2.9 offensive rebounds per contest.
TENACIOUS TONY
Making his second-career start, sophomore guard Tony Wills earned career highs in points (14), field goals (five) and minutes (28) in Illinois State's loss at Murray State (Dec. 20). The Indianapolis, Indiana, native shot a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including 1-for-1 from beyond the arc and 3-for-3 at the foul line. He went on to start again in ISU's win over IPFW (Dec. 22), recording a career-high eight rebounds.
DAISHON DOES IT AGAIN
By leading ISU with 12 points in the win over IPFW (Dec. 22) after matching a career high with a game-best 26 points on eight field goals in ISU's loss at Murray State (Dec. 20), senior guard Daishon Knight has now recorded double figures in a team-best 14 out-of-the-last 17 games, dating back to last season, including nine of 11 this year. He has scored 20 or more points in a team-best seven games throughout his two-year ISU career.
PARIS ON POINT
Redbird sophomore point guard Paris Lee has started a team-best 44-consecutive games dating back to last season, including all 11 of ISU's contests this year. He currently leads ISU and ranks No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with 1.9 steals per game. Lee's assist-to-turnover ratio is No. 4 in the league, at 2.0, and he ranks No. 5 in the MVC with 3.5 assists per game. The Maywood, Illinois, native reached double-figures for the second time this season with 10 points at Murray State (Dec. 20).
JUSTIN' TIME
After averaging 0.8 points and 3.0 minutes through his first four games, junior transfer guard Justin McCloud has found his stride, averaging 5.4 points and 17.8 minutes through his last five contests. The Bottineau, North Dakota, native netted a career-high 11 points in a career-best 22 minutes during Illinois State's win over UT Martin (Dec. 17).
LYNCH'S BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore center Reggie Lynch leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks No. 15 nationally with 3.0 blocks per game. Lynch recorded a career-high seven blocked shots in the Redbirds' win over Youngstown State (Nov. 29), followed by six blocks versus both VCU (Dec. 2) and at UAB (Dec. 7). He now ranks No. 6 on the ISU career-blocks list, with 129, behind Joe Galvin's 132 blocks. As a team, Illinois State leads the MVC with 4.5 blocks per game.
McINTOSH GETS HOT
After scoring no more then five points in a game through his first six contests, freshman forward MiKyle McIntosh has averaged 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during Illinois State's last five matchups.
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