NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men's basketball team returns home to continue Missouri Valley Conference play by hosting Drake Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
 ISU (8-6, 0-2 MVC) and DU (3-11, 0-2) are both aiming for their first MVC victories of the season, and the Redbirds are trying to extend a three-game winning streak versus the Bulldogs, which after sweeping Drake last year, became ISU's longest current streak versus an MVC foe.
 Illinois State continues to lead the MVC in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds, while Drake ranks No. 3 in league-free throw shooting and 3-point field goal percentage.
THE SERIES:
Illinois State hosts Drake Wednesday night for the 81st meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1974, which the Redbirds lead, 51-29. ISU also holds a 30-8 advantage in games played against the Bulldogs in Normal, Illinois, including a 20-7 mark at Redbird Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 3-1 versus Drake.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
The Redbirds are looking for their first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the season after falling to Indiana State (Dec. 31) and at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4). Illinois State is aiming to extend its three-game winning streak versus Drake, which is ISU's longest current streak versus an MVC foe.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 8-6 and 0-2 in the MVC after losing at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4) ... ISU leads the MVC in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds per game ... senior guard Daishon Knight leads ISU with 15.1 points per game ... three players have recorded double-doubles this season ... 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.
DRAKE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 3-11 and 0-2 in the MVC after losing at Missouri State (Jan. 3) ... picked to finish ninth in the MVC this year ... went 15-16 overall and 6-12, tied for eighth, in the MVC last season … returning two of last year's five starters, including Gary Ricks, Jr., who leads Drake with 10.7 points per game … former Illinois State assistant coach Ray Giacoletti is in his second season as Drake's head coach ... ISU has won four out-of-the-last five over the Bulldogs.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 43 in the nation according to the Jan. 6 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's 43 NCSS ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 8). Illinois State's RPI is No. 93, which is fifth-best in the league.
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
Illinois State leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game. The Redbirds have established a +4.2 offensive rebounding margin while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 10 games, with one tie. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 65 more second chance points than its opponents (169-104). In the Redbirds' first two MVC games, ISU has earned the advantage in both offensive rebounds and second chance points.
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 11 out of 14 games, with one tie.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in both blocks (4.5) and steals (7.9) per game, which ranks No. 77 and No. 59 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging a league-best 3.0 blocks per game, which ranks No. 14 nationally, while sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is No. 17 in the nation with 2.4 steals per contest.
CRASHING THE GLASS
ISU leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game, and the Redbirds rank No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with a +5.2 rebounding margin after 14 games, while comparatively, last year's Redbirds had a -3.3 rebounding margin at the same point. 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 two games so far this season. The only times ISU trailed at intermission was during the Redbirds' losses to Seton Hall (Nov. 24) and No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4). Illinois State is 8-4 when leading at halftime and 0-2 when trailing at the half.
CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE
A 3-pointer by senior guard Daishon Knight at the 3:52 mark pulled Illinois State within two points, but No. 16 Wichita State outscored ISU, 13-7, over the final 3:25, and the Shockers held on for a 70-62 Missouri Valley Conference win Sunday evening at Charles Koch Arena. Knight led Illinois State with a game-high 24 points on a career-best 10 field goals. MiKyle McIntosh collected a game-best seven rebounds.
GOOD KNIGHT
Senior guard Daishon Knight netted a career-best 10 field goals – including three 3-pointers – for a game-best 24 points during Illinois State's contest at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4). Knight became the first Redbird to score 10 or more field goals in a game since Tyler Brown accomplished the same feat in March of 2013. Knight has recorded double figures in a team-best 16 out-of-the-last 20 games, dating back to last season, including 11-of-14 this year. He has scored 20 or more points in a team-best eight games throughout his two-year ISU career.
ELEVATING
With three more blocks in Illinois State's game at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4), sophomore center Reggie Lynch moved into sole possession of fourth place on the ISU career blocks list. Now with 135 blocks, Lynch is in pursuit of LeRoy Watkins (1996-99), whose 143 blocks ranks No. 3. With 39 blocks this season, he is also in pursuit of ISU's sophomore record of 48, held by Joe Galvin (1976-80). Lynch's 96 blocks last season set Illinois State's freshman blocks mark.
TONY TAKES OVER
Sophomore guard Tony 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). Over the last five games, Wills has ranked second on the team with 10.4 points per game.
MiKYLE'S TIME
Freshman forward MiKyle McIntosh has started six-straight games, averaging 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 25.1 minutes during his last eight 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. 14 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).
PARIS ON POINT
Sophomore Paris Lee continues to consistently lead the Redbirds at the point guard position. Having started in a team-best 47-straight games, Lee leads the MVC and ranks No. 17 nationally in steals (2.4 per game), while ranking fourth in MVC assists (3.6 per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9). Lee earned a career-high nine assists in ISU's win over Quincy (Dec. 29), marking the most by a Redbird since 2012.
DUNK CITY
Through ISU's first 14 games, the high-flying Redbirds are averaging 2.1 dunks per contest. Contrast that with last season's average of 0.8 dunks. Reggie Lynch has already tallied 11 dunks (0.8 dunks per game) compared to 13 total last season (0.4).
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