ISU (15-10, 7-6 MVC) will try to split the regular-season series against the Shockers after falling, 70-62, at Wichita State (22-3, 12-1 MVC) Jan. 4. The Redbirds are also aiming to snap a two-game losing skid while attempting to beat a Top-25 team for the fourth-consecutive season.
Wichita State enters Saturday's game tied with No. 12 Northern Iowa for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference. Illinois State is tied with Evansville for fourth, one game out of third place, with five games left.
TELEVISION BROADCAST
Saturday's game will be televised live on ESPN2. Below are channel listings where the game can be found:
- Comcast XFINITY (Bloomington-Normal):Â 31, 509, 924
- DirecTV:Â 209
- DISH:Â 144, 5302, 9425
- AT&T U-Verse: 606, 1606
- Comcast XFINITY (Chicago-area): 24, 203
- Mediacom: 17, 731
- WatchESPN.com
THE SERIES:
Illinois State hosts Wichita State Saturday evening for the 77th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1937, which the Shockers lead, 39-37. The Redbirds hold a 22-12 advantage in games played against the Shockers in Normal, Illinois, with a 17-9 advantage in Redbird Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 0-6 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 snap a two-game losing streak, and ISU will try to beat Wichita State on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena for the first time since earning a 72-57 victory Dec. 29, 2009. Illinois State is also trying to beat a Top-25 team for the fourth time in as many seasons. Wichita State is striving for its fourth-straight victory.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 15-10 and 7-6 in the MVC after losing at No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11) ... tied for fourth in the MVC with Evansville ... earned wins over Top-25 teams in each of the last three seasons ... is 8-4 at home ... leads the MVC in blocked shots, steals and offensive rebounds per game ... three players have recorded double-doubles this season ... earned three MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC.
WICHITA STATE AT A GLANCE:
Improved to 22-3 and 12-1 in the MVC after beating Indiana State (Feb. 11) ... tied for first in the MVC with Northern Iowa ... leads the MVC in scoring margin and assist-to-turnover ratio ... 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.
EARLIER THIS SEASON VS. WICHITA STATE
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 win (Jan. 4) at Charles Koch Arena. Knight led Illinois State with a game-high 24 points on a career-best 10 field goals. Wichita State featured four players in double figures.
FULL STRENGTH
When Illinois State played at Wichita State earlier this season, the Redbirds were without junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and freshman forward Deontae Hawkins due to injuries. All 13 players on Illinois State's active roster were healthy in ISU's most recent game at No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11). In total, injuries have caused Redbird players to miss a combined 21 games: Akoon Purcell, seven, broken right hand; Hawkins, 10, stress reaction in left foot; Reggie Lynch, two, back pain; Paris Lee, one, knee injury; John Jones, one, plantar fasciitis in left foot. ISU has gone 3-1 in the MVC when the Redbirds are at full strength (Jan. 28 vs. Missouri State, Jan. 31 at Loyola, Feb. 3 at Evansville, Feb. 11 at Northern Iowa).
TAKING ON THE TOP 25
Illinois State is playing against a Top-25 foe for the forth time this season when the Redbirds face No. 13 Wichita State Saturday night. In ISU's other three Top-25 matchups, the Redbirds fell, 70-62, at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4); 54-53 versus No. 19 Northern Iowa (Jan. 25); and 83-64 at No. 12 Northern Iowa. When ISU hosted VCU Dec. 2, the Rams had fallen from the Top 25, although they were receiving votes.
SUCCESS AGAINST THE BEST
ISU is trying to beat a Top-25 team for the fourth time in as many seasons – a feat that has never been accomplished by the Redbirds – 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). Versus Top-25 opponents, ISU is 10-56 overall, 4-17 in Normal, Illinois and 1-10 in Redbird Arena. The Redbirds are 1-4 against WSU when the Shockers are nationally ranked, with Illinois State's victory occurring March 3, 2012 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals when the Shockers were No. 15.
AIMING FOR HISTORY
An Illinois State victory over No. 13 Wichita State would be historic for the following reasons:
- It would mark the first time in program history that ISU has beaten a Top-25 team in four-consecutive seasons.
- It would mark the first time in program history that an ISU head coach has beaten three Top-25 teams in his first three seasons.
- It would mark the first win over a ranked MVC foe in Normal, Illinois, since beating No. 9 Tulsa in 1984 at Horton Field House.
- It would mark the first-ever win over a ranked MVC foe at Redbird Arena and the second overall victory (with the last one occurring last season versus No. 25 Dayton).
BOUNCING BACK
Illinois State has had a short-term memory this season, earning a 7-2 record when coming off of a loss. The Redbirds have only lost two-straight games twice this year, and ISU is trying to avoid dropping three-straight for the first time this season.
STEALING A RECORD
In Illinois State's game at No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11), sophomore point guard Paris Lee set the ISU single-season steals record, earning his third steal of the game and 62nd of the season at the 12:41 mark, forcing Wyatt Lohaus to turn the ball over at midcourt. Lee passed the previous record of 61, established by Todd Starks in 1986-87. Lee leads the MVC and ranks No. 9 nationally with 2.6 steals per game. He is also on pace to set ISU's season-steals average mark, which is 2.0, set by Ron Jones in 1979-80.
SOPHOMORE SWATTER
By blocking Seth Tuttle's layup attempt at the 18:16 mark in the second half of Illinois State's game against No. 19 Northern Iowa (Jan. 25), sophomore center Reggie Lynch broke ISU's sophomore blocks record. Lynch has 65 blocks this season, surpassing the previous sophomore mark of 48 blocks established by Joe Galvin in 1977-78. Lynch leads the league and ranks No. 16 nationally with 2.8 blocks per game.
GAME KNIGHT
Senior guard Daishon Knight has recorded double figures in a team-best 23 out of the last 31 games, dating back to last season, including 18-of-25 this year. He has scored 20 or more points 11 times at ISU.
CONTROLLING THE BOARDS
Illinois State has only been outrebounded three times this season (at Murray State, Dec. 20, vs. Indiana State, Dec. 31 and vs. Bradley, Jan. 17). The Redbirds have outrebounded the opposition in seven-straight games, a feat ISU had not accomplished since outrebounding eight-straight in 2008-09. ISU has earned the rebounding edge in 21 out of 25 games, including 11 of the last 12.
FIRST-HALF ATTACK
Illinois State has held the halftime advantage in all but five games - with one tie - this season. The only times ISU trailed at intermission were during the Redbirds' losses to Seton Hall (Nov. 24), at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4), at Indiana State (Jan. 14), at Southern Illinois (Feb. 7) and at No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11). ISU has not yet faced a halftime deficit at Redbird Arena. ISU is 15-4 when leading at halftime, 0-1 when tied, and 0-5 when trailing at the half. ISU has also earned a cumulative +6.8 scoring margin in the first half, compared to a -0.4 second-half scoring margin.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in steals (7.8) per game and blocks (4.2), which is No. 42 and No. 89 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is No. 9 in the nation with 2.6 steals per contest, while sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging 2.9 blocks per game, which ranks No. 1 in the MVC and No. 16 nationally.
DECISIVE WINS
The Redbirds have earned 10 (out of 15) double-digit wins compared to just two double-digit losses (out of 10). Six of Illinois State's defeats have been by five points or less.
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.4 offensive rebounds per game. ISU has established a +4.2 offensive rebounding margin (336-229), while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 18 games, with one tie. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 130 more second-chance points than its opponents (301-171). In 12 of the Redbirds' 13 MVC games, ISU has earned the advantage in second-chance points.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 39 in the nation according to the Feb. 13 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's No. 39 NCSS ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 23). ISU's RPI is No. 95, which is third-best in the league.
BENCH BATTLES
Illinois State's bench has held the scoring advantage in 20 out of 25 games this season, with one tie. When the Redbirds outscore their opponent's bench, they are 14-5 this season. ISU is also 14-9 when the bench reaches double figures. Bench production has proven key in all seven of Illinois State's MVC victories, with the Redbird bench outscoring its opposition by a combined 186-120 margin in conference victories.
PROGRAM SETS TEAM GPA RECORD
By combining to earn a 2.99 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) during the fall of 2014 semester, the Illinois State men's basketball program established a team GPA record. Illinois State's 2.99 GPA broke the previous record by 0.13 points. ISU's former GPA mark was 2.86. Six of Illinois State's men's basketball student-athletes were named to the AFNI Honor Roll, after earning a 3.0 GPA or higher.
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