Illinois State continues to excel defensively, as sophomore center Reggie Lynch leads the league and ranks No. 15 nationally with 3.0 blocks per game, while sophomore point guard Paris Lee also leads the MVC and ranks No. 15 nationally with 2.5 steals per contest. As a team, the Redbirds top the MVC in both categories.
TELEVISION BROADCAST
Sunday's game will be televised live on ESPNU and ESPN3:
- Comcast XFINITY (Bloomington-Normal):Â 511, 961
- DirecTV:Â 208
- DISH:Â 141
- AT&T U-Verse: 605, 1605
- Comcast XFINITY (Chicago-area): 253, 405
- Mediacom: 178
- ESPN3.com
THE SERIES:
Illinois State visits Wichita State Sunday afternoon for the 76th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1937, which the Shockers lead, 38-37. Wichita State also holds a 23-11 advantage in games played against the Redbirds in Wichita, Kansas, with every game taking place at Charles Koch Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 0-4 versus Wichita State, with Illinois State's last victory over the Shockers taking place Mar. 3, 2012, at the MVC Tournament.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
The Redbirds are aiming to bounce back after falling in their MVC opener to Indiana State Wednesday afternoon. ISU will try to win at Charles Kock Arena for the first time since earning a 49-46 victory Jan. 1, 2008. The Shockers have not lost at home since falling to Evansville Feb. 27, 2013. The Redbirds are 10-53 versus Top-25 foes.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 8-5 and 0-1 in the MVC after losing to Indiana State (Dec. 31) ... earned wins over Top-25 teams in each of the last three seasons ... winners of five out-of-the-last seven ... three players have recorded double-doubles this season ... lead the MVC in blocks and steals per game ... earned two MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades ... finished as the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam runner-up (Nov. 21-24) ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC.
WICHITA STATE AT A GLANCE:
Improved to 11-2 and 1-0 in the MVC after beating Drake (Dec. 31) ... picked to finish first in the MVC this year ... won the MVC regular-season and tournament championships, while posting a 35-1 overall record and an 18-0 league mark last season … advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Kentucky.
TAKING ON THE TOP-25
Illinois State's first MVC road game of the season at No. 16 Wichita State also marks the Redbirds' first contest versus a Top-25 opponent this year. When ISU hosted VCU Dec. 2, the Rams had just fallen from the Top-25, although they were still receiving votes. Illinois State is trying to beat a Top-25 team for the fourth time in as many seasons, after topping No. 25 Dayton at home (Dec. 7, 2013), winning at No. 16 Creighton (Feb. 9, 2013), and edging No. 15 Wichita State at the MVC Tournament (Mar. 3, 2012). Illinois State is 10-53 versus Top-25 opponents overall and 3-29 in true road games against the Top-25.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 41 in the nation according to the Jan. 2 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's 41 NCSS ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 9). Illinois State's RPI is No. 105, which is fifth-best in the league.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in both blocks (4.5) and steals (8.2) per game, which ranks No. 83 and No. 47 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging a league-best 3.0 blocks per game, which ranks No. 15 nationally, while sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is also No. 15 in the nation with 2.5 steals per contest.
CONTROLLING THE BOARDS
Illinois State has only been outrebounded twice this season (at Murray State, Dec. 20 and vs. Indiana State, Dec. 31). The Redbirds started the year by outrebounding its opponents in five-straight games, a feat Illinois State had not accomplished since outrebounding six-straight opponents in 2010-11. ISU has earned the rebounding edge in 10 out of 13 games, with one tie.
CRASHING THE GLASS
ISU ranks No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with a +5.2 rebounding margin after 13 games, while comparatively, last year's Redbirds had a -3.5 rebounding margin at the same point. As a team, Illinois State leads the league with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game, and sophomore center Reggie Lynch is No. 2 in the MVC with 2.8 offensive rebounds per contest.
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 8-4 when leading at halftime and 0-1 when trailing at the half.
MVC-OPENING SETBACK
Sophomore guard Tony Wills scored 11 of his 16 points late in the second half, as Illinois State attempted to erase Indiana State's double-digit lead, but a last-second pass attempt was stolen as the Redbirds fell to the Sycamores, 63-61, in the MVC opener for both teams Wednesday afternoon on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Illinois State gave up a 12-point lead for the third time this year. However, ISU has bounced back consistently, as the Redbirds are 4-0 when coming off of a loss this season.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
The Redbirds earned back-to-back decisive victories in their final non-conference contests of the season, combining for a 67-point winning margin versus Summit League-favorite IPFW (Dec. 22) and Quincy (Dec. 29). ISU tallied a 25-point win over the Mastodons and a 42-point victory against the Hawks. Illinois State set a Redbird Arena record with 59 first-half points versus Quincy en route to establishing ISU's widest winning margin since beating Chicago State by 44 points in 2011.
SHARING THE WEALTH
In Illinois State's final two non-conference victories over IPFW (Dec. 22) and Quincy (Dec. 29), ISU featured a balanced scoring attack in which every Redbird in the game scored. For the first time since February of 2014, five Redbirds reached double figures in Illinois State's win over Quincy. ISU also combined to shoot 60.9 percent from the field versus the Hawks, marking the Redbirds' highest percentage since shooting 62.1 percent versus UC Santa Barbara in 2012.
TONY TAKES OVER
Sophomore guard Tony Wills has made the most out of his opportunity to start ISU's last four games. Wills led Illinois State with a career-high 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting with five rebounds, three assists and one steal versus Indiana State (Dec. 31). Two games before that, he pulled down a career-high eight rebounds while scoring eight points in the win over IPFW (Dec. 22).
MiKYLE'S TIME
Freshman forward MiKyle McIntosh has started five-straight games, averaging 10.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 23.7 minutes during his last seven contests, after averaging just 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.8 minutes through his first six games. McIntosh was one of two Redbirds to reach double figures with 11 points versus Indiana State (Dec. 31). During his breakout game, McIntosh scored a career-high 18 points in 22 minutes on 7-for-10 (70 percent) shooting, in Illinois State's win at UAB (Dec. 7).
THE REJECTOR
After breaking the ISU and MVC freshman blocks record with 92 last season, sophomore center Reggie Lynch leads the MVC 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). His 132 career-blocks is now tied for No. 5 on ISU's career list with Joe Galvin (see the career-blocks list in the left column). With 36 blocks this season, he is also in pursuit of ISU's sophomore record of 48, held by Galvin. As a team, ISU leads the MVC with 4.5 blocks.
PARIS ON POINT
Sophomore Paris Lee continues to consistently lead the Redbirds at the point guard position. Having started in a team-best 46-straight games, Lee leads the MVC and ranks No. 15 nationally in steals (2.5 per game), while ranking third in the league with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Lee earned a career-high nine assists in ISU's win over Quincy (Dec. 29), marking the most by a Redbird since 2012.
MR. CONSISTENT
Senior guard Daishon Knight has recorded double figures in a team-best 15 out-of-the-last 19 games, dating back to last season, including 10-of-13 this year and seven-straight from Dec. 2 until Dec. 29. He has scored 20 or more points in a team-best seven games throughout his two-year ISU career, including matching a career-high with 26 points on eight field goals in ISU's loss at Murray State (Dec. 20).
DUNK CITY
Through ISU's first 13 games, the high-flying Redbirds are averaging 2.2 dunks per contest. Contrast that with last season's average of 0.8 dunks. Reggie Lynch has already tallied 11 dunks (0.9 dunks per game) compared to 13 total last season (0.4).
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