With just four conference games remaining, both teams are aiming to bounce back following weekend Missouri Valley Conference losses. Led by Daishon Knight's 13.9 points per game this season, ISU (15-11, 7-7 MVC) continues to lead the league in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds.
Bradley (8-19, 3-11 MVC) ranks No. 3 in MVC offensive rebounds and turnover margin. The Braves are led by Warren Jones' 13.4 points per game.
TELEVISION BROADCAST
Wednesday's game will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FOX Sports Midwest, ESPN Full Court and ESPN3. Below are channel listings where the game can be found:
- Comcast XFINITY (Bloomington-Normal):Â 56, 57, 519, 522, 533, 833, 922
- DirecTV:Â 665, 671, 725
- DISH:Â 418, 429, 5418
- AT&T U-Verse: 647, 741, 1741, 1748, 4506
- Comcast XFINITY (Chicago-area): 37, 200, 413, 833
- Mediacom: 33, 172, 733
- ESPN3.com
THE SERIES:
Illinois State visits Bradley Wednesday night for the 120th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1905, which the Braves lead, 63-56. Bradley holds a 41-17 advantage in games played against ISU in Peoria, Illinois, including a 23-10 advantage at Carver Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 3-2 versus BU and 0-2 at Bradley.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
Illinois State is trying to snap a season-long three-game losing streak. The Redbirds are also aiming to win at Carver Arena for the first time since Feb. 25, 2012, which was also the last time ISU swept the regular-season series versus BU. The Braves are striving to stop a two-game losing skid. BU is also trying to win its third-straight against ISU in Peoria. Illinois State has won 10 of the last 12 overall meetings with Bradley.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 15-11 and 7-7 in the MVC after losing to No. 13 Wichita State (Feb. 14) ... currently alone in fifth place in the MVC ... is 5-5 on the road ... 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.
BRADLEY AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 3-11 and 8-19 in the MVC after losing to Loyola (Feb. 15) ... tied for eighth in the MVC with Southern Illinois and Missouri State ... picked to finish eighth in the MVC this year after going 12-20 overall and 7-11 in the MVC for a seventh-place finish last season … head coach Geno Ford is in his fourth season.
EARLIER THIS SEASON VS. BRADLEY
A career-best five 3-pointers led to 20 points for Illinois State senior Daishon Knight, as he led the way for Illinois State in a wire-to-wire 82-72 win for the Redbirds over Bradley on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena in front of a raucous crowd of 9,627 fans (Jan. 17). The Redbirds shot 51 percent (26-of-51) from the field, with a season-best 13-for-25 effort from three-point range and featured four players in double figures, including Bobby Hunter (14 points), Tony Wills (12 points) and Paris Lee (12 points).
BOUNCING BACK
Illinois State has had a short-term memory this season, earning a 7-3 record when coming off of a loss. The Redbirds are currently on a season-long three-game losing skid.
FULL STRENGTH
When Illinois State played Bradley earlier this season, the Redbirds were without freshman forward Deontae Hawkins due to injuries. All 13 players on Illinois State's active roster were healthy in ISU's last two games. 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; John Jones, one, plantar fasciitis in left foot. ISU has gone 3-2 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, Feb. 14 vs. Wichita State).
ROAD READY
A year after going 3-11 on the road – with just one Missouri Valley Conference victory – ISU is aiming to win its fourth MVC road game of the year for the first time since going 4-5 in MVC road games during the 2008-09 season. Illinois State has earned the rebounding edge in nine of its 10 road matchups.
REBOUNDING REDBIRDS
By outrebounding No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11), Illinois State earned the rebounding advantage in seven-consecutive games for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Redbirds' streak was snapped versus No. 13 Wichita State Saturday; however, ISU has still earned the rebounding edge in 21 out of 26 games this season, including 11 of the last 13. ISU ranks second in the MVC with a +4.8 rebounding margin.
DEFENSIVE DUO
Illinois State is the only program in the nation to feature players in the top 20 for both steals per game and blocks per game. Redbird sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and ranks No. 10 nationally with 2.5 steals per game, while sophomore center Reggie Lynch leads the league and ranks No. 16 nationally with 2.8 blocks per game.
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's 2.5 steals per game 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 67 blocks this season, surpassing the previous sophomore mark of 48 blocks established by Joe Galvin in 1977-78.
ASSISTING THE TEAM
Senior guard Daishon Knight, who leads Illinois State in scoring (13.9 points per game), was held scoreless for the first time this season and just the second time in his career during ISU's loss to No. 13 Wichita State (Feb. 14). However, Knight found other ways to contribute, earning a career-high seven assists while collecting three rebounds in 30 minutes.
AKOON-PURCELL EXCELS
Junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell led Illinois State last week against two nationally-ranked teams, averaging 14.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game at No. 12 Northern Iowa (Feb. 11) and versus No. 13 Wichita State (Feb. 14). Akoon-Purcell shot 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) from the field, 5-for-10 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc and 7-for-10 (70.0 percent) from the free throw line, while also forcing one steal.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
It was announced during ISU's game against No. 13 Wichita State (Feb. 14) that Illinois State will participate in the 2015 Cancun Challenge, including two games in Normal, Illinois, and two games at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya near Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 24 and 25. The Redbirds join fellow host-schools Maryland (currently nationally ranked, from the Big Ten Conference), Rhode Island (Atlantic 10 Conference) and TCU (Big 12 Conference). ISU is playing in the Cancun challenge for the second time. In 2011, the Redbirds finished 3-1, with their lone loss coming to Illinois in the championship game.
FIRST-HALF ATTACK
Illinois State has held the halftime advantage in all but six games - with one tie - this season. ISU is 15-4 when leading at halftime, 0-1 when tied, and 0-6 when trailing at the half. ISU has also earned a cumulative +6.3 scoring margin in the first half, compared to a -0.3 second-half scoring margin.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in steals (7.7) per game and blocks (4.2), which is No. 45 and No. 86 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is No. 10 in the nation with 2.5 steals per contest, while sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging 2.8 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 11). Six of Illinois State's defeats have been by five points or less.
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.3 offensive rebounds per game. ISU has established a +3.9 offensive rebounding margin (345-245), while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 18 games, with one tie. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 120 more second-chance points than its opponents (306-186). In 12 of the Redbirds' 14 MVC games, ISU has earned the advantage in second-chance points.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule is ranked No. 43 in the nation according to the Feb. 17 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's No. 43 NCSS ranks third in the Missouri Valley Conference behind Wichita State (No. 27) and Drake (No. 40). 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 21 out of 26 games this season, with one tie. When the Redbirds outscore their opponent's bench, they are 14-6 this season. Bench production has proven key in all seven of Illinois State's MVC victories, with the Redbird bench outscoring its opposition by a combined 209-126 margin in conference victories.
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
