SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – After earning a 36-point win over Drake Wednesday night at home, the Illinois State men's basketball team returns to the road in search of another Missouri Valley Conference victory, as the Redbirds travel to Missouri State Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tipoff at JQH Arena.
ISU (9-6, 1-2 MVC) has played well away from Redbird Arena this season, earning a 2-2 record in true road games and a 2-1 mark in neutral-site contests. Missouri State (8-7, 2-1 MVC) is 5-1 at home this season.
As good as senior guard Daishon Knight (15.1 points per game) has been all season for the Redbirds, he has performed best on the road, averaging 22.3 points per game in ISU's four road contests. Missouri State is led by Marcus Marshall's 20.2 points per contest.
THE SERIES:
Illinois State travels to Missouri State Sunday afternoon for the 65th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1967, which the Redbirds lead, 36-28. ISU is 10-19 versus the Bears in Springfield, Missouri, with a 2-4 mark at JQH Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 2-3 versus Missouri State, and he has not yet won at JQH Arena.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
The Redbirds are aiming to string two-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference victories together and move back to .500 in MVC play. ISU is also trying to win its first MVC road contest since beating Drake in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 18, 2014. Missouri State will strive to bounce back after losing for the first time in MVC play Wednesday.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Improved to and 9-6 and 1-2 in the MVC after earning a 36-point victory over Drake (Jan. 7) ... ISU leads the MVC in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds per game ... senior guard Daishon Knight leads ISU with 15.1 points ... 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.
MISSOURI STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 8-7 and 2-1 in the MVC after losing at Indiana State (Jan. 11) ... posted a 20-13 overall record and a 9-9 MVC mark to finish tied for fourth last season … returning four starters, including junior guard Marcus Marshall who played in just 12 games last season due to injury, but ranks No. 2 in the MVC this season with 20.2 points per game ... former Southern Illinois player and current MSU head coach Paul Lusk is in his fourth season.
ROAD READY
Winning on the road has been a point of emphasis this year after last year's Illinois State team went 3-11 - with just one MVC victory - in true road games. This season's Redbirds are up for the challenge, already earning a 2-2 record on the road, including quality wins at UAB (Dec. 7) and at DePaul (Dec. 14). Illinois State has earned the rebounding edge in all four of its road games, and senior guard Daishon Knight has thrived, averaging 22.3 points per road game, compared to his overall average of 15.1 points per contest.
FIRST-HALF ATTACK
The Redbirds have held the halftime advantage in all but two games so far this season. The only times ISU trailed at intermission were during the Redbirds' losses to Seton Hall (Nov. 24) and No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4). Illinois State is 9-4 when leading at halftime and 0-2 when trailing at the half. ISU has also earned a cumulative +8.4 scoring margin in the first half, compared to a -0.7 scoring margin in the second half.
FINDING BALANCE
Along with ISU's impressive defensive statistics, the Redbirds rank No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with a +6.0 rebounding margin, and ISU is No. 4 in the MVC with a +8.5 scoring margin. Comparatively, last year's Redbirds had a -3.5 rebounding margin and a -1.3 scoring margin at the same point.
FILLING THE VOID
When junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell - who was ISU's leading scorer at the time - was sidelined after breaking his hand at DePaul (Dec. 14), Akoon-Purcell's teammates were forced to compensate for his absence. Freshman forward MiKyle McIntosh made his first-collegiate start in the following game versus UT Martin (Dec. 17), and since then, he has started seven-straight, averaging 10.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in 24.8 minutes during his last nine contests after averaging 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.8 minutes through his first six games. Sophomore guard Tony Wills has also stepped up, averaging 10.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 27.5 minutes during his last six contests after averaging 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 18.6 minutes through his first nine games. Wills dished out a career-best six assists versus Drake (Jan. 7).
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game. ISU has established a +4.3 offensive rebounding margin (203-138) while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 11 games, with one tie. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 75 more second-chance points than its opponents (181-106). In the Redbirds' first three 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 their 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 12 out-of-15 games, with one tie. Sophomore center Reggie Lynch is No. 2 in the MVC with 2.8 offensive rebounds per contest.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in both blocks (4.5) and steals (7.8) per game, which ranks No. 82 and No. 66 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging a league-best 3.0 blocks per game, which ranks No. 13 nationally, while sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is No. 17 in the nation with 2.4 steals per contest.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 35 in the nation according to the Jan. 9 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's 35 NCSS ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 11). Illinois State's RPI is No. 100, which is fifth-best in the league.
36-POINT MVC WIN
ISU's first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season was also the team's most decisive MVC victory since 2012-13, as the Redbirds beat Drake, 81-45, Wednesday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Daishon Knight led the Redbirds with a game-high 15 points, while Tony Wills and Paris Lee joined him in double figures, with 10 and 12 points, respectively.
CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE
A 3-pointer by 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 home victory (Jan. 4).
GOOD KNIGHT
Senior guard Daishon Knight has recorded double figures in a team-best 17 out-of-the-last 21 games, dating back to last season, including 12-of-15 this year. He has scored 20 or more points in a team-best eight games throughout his two-year ISU career. The Baltimore, Maryland, native 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.
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