CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – After falling by just one point at home to nationally-ranked Northern Iowa last month, the Illinois State men's basketball team has another chance against the Panthers, as ISU travels to No. 12 UNI Wednesday at 7 p.m., in a Missouri Valley Conference game that can be seen live on ESPN3.
The Redbirds (15-9, 7-5 MVC) will try to bounce back following a 65-59 loss at Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon which snapped ISU's three-game winning streak, while Northern Iowa (22-2. 11-1 MVC) is aiming to extend its current 11-game winning streak after beating Drake, 69-53, Saturday. UNI is tied for first in the MVC, and Illinois State is in fourth place.
ISU continues to lead the MVC in blocks, steals and offensive rebounds, while Northern Iowa tops the league in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense.
THE SERIES:
Illinois State plays at Northern Iowa Wednesday night for the 69th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1899, which was ISU's first-ever basketball season. UNI was the first, current Missouri Valley Conference school that the Redbirds ever played, with ISU winning, 12-4, April 3, 1899 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Northern Iowa holds a 17-10 record versus ISU in Cedar Falls, including an 8-0 mark against the Redbirds at the McLeod Center. Head coach Dan Muller is 2-4 versus Northern Iowa, with UNI winning this year's first meeting, 54-53, in Normal, Illinois.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
Illinois State is striving to win its fourth MVC road game of the year, a feat ISU has not accomplished since going 4-5 in MVC road games during the 2008-09 season. ISU is also trying to beat a Top-25 team for the fourth time in as many seasons. Northern Iowa is aiming for its 12th-consecutive victory and its 16th-straight overall.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 15-9 and 7-5 in the MVC after snapping a three-game winning streak with a 65-59 loss at Southern Illinois (Feb. 7) ... is 5-4 on the road ... leads the MVC in blocked shots, steals and offensive rebounds per game ... earned three MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC.
NORTHERN IOWA AT A GLANCE:
Improved to 22-2 and 11-1 in the MVC after beating Drake (Feb. 7) ... picked to finish second in the MVC this year ... earned a 16-15 overall record and a 10-8 league-mark to finish third in the MVC last season … returning all five of last season's starters, including Seth Tuttle, who leads UNI in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks.
EARLIER THIS SEASON VS. NORTHERN IOWA
Illinois State guard Paris Lee scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, including a layup with less than 30 seconds left that gave his team a two-point lead, but a three-pointer with five seconds left lifted Northern Iowa to a 54-53 win and thwarted the Illinois State upset bid on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (Jan. 25). ISU led by as many as 12 points in the game, marking Northern Iowa's largest deficit this season.
TAKING ON THE TOP 25
Illinois State is playing against a Top-25 foe for the third time this season when the Redbirds face No. 12 Northern Iowa Wednesday night. In ISU's other two Top-25 matchups, the Redbirds fell, 70-62, at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4) and, 54-53, versus UNI (Jan. 25). When ISU hosted VCU Dec. 2, the Rams had just fallen from the Top 25, although they were still 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 10-55 overall and 4-29 in true road games. The Redbirds are 0-2 against UNI when the Panthers are nationally ranked.
ROAD READY
A year after going 3-11 – with just one MVC victory – in true road games, this season's team has excelled in hostile environments, earning a 5-4 record on the road, including a 3-3 MVC road-mark. 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 eight of its nine road matchups, and senior guard Daishon Knight has thrived, averaging 17.4 points per road game, compared to his average of 12.3 points per home contest.
BOUNCING BACK
Illinois State has had a short-term memory this season, earning a 7-1 record when coming off of a loss. The Redbirds have only lost two-straight games once this year.
ALMOST A COMEBACK
Illinois State surmounted an 18-point first-half deficit to briefly take a second-half lead; however, Southern Illinois held on for a 65-59 victory over the Redbirds (Feb. 7) at SIU Arena. Trailing, 32-14, at the 6:28 mark in the first half, ISU took a two-point advantage with 1:49 remaining. However, the Salukis outscored the Redbirds, 10-2, over the final 109 seconds to hold off ISU. Had Illinois State pulled off the comeback, it would have marked the Redbirds' third-best comeback in program history.
STEALING A RECORD
Sophomore point guard Paris Lee is on the verge of breaking Illinois State's single-season steals record. After forcing two steals at Southern Illinois (Feb. 7), Lee now has 59 steals this season, tied for No. 3 on ISU's single-season list. The current single-season steals record is 61 set by Todd Starks in 1986-87. Lee ranks No. 9 nationally with 2.6 steals per game, and he is also on pace to break ISU's single-season steals average, which is currently 2.0, set by Ron Jones in 1979-80.
REGGIE REACHES NEW HIGH
Sophomore center Reggie Lynch earned a career-high 18 points while matching a career-best with six field goals on 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) shooting from the field at SIU (Feb. 7). Lynch has recorded double-figures in five out of his last six games, including two straight. The Edina, Minnesota, native has led the Redbirds through their last six games, averaging 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks during the stretch. He also ranks No. 13 nationally with 2.9 blocks per game, and his 160 career blocks is tied for No. 2 on ISU's career list, behind Jackie Carmichael's (2009-13) record-setting 200 blocks.
10 AND 10
For just the second time in program history, Illinois State recorded double-digit blocks and steals in a single game, with 10 blocks and 10 steals, during the Redbirds' 77-51 victory over Evansville (Feb. 3). The only other time ISU accomplished the feat was in a 73-68 win against Evansville at Horton Field House, Jan. 17, 1979, when the Redbirds earned 10 blocks and 11 steals. In the Redbirds' Feb. 3 victory over the Purple Aces, ISU held UE nearly 22 points below their scoring average at the time. The Purple Aces' 51 points additionally marked their second-lowest scoring output of the season.
BLOCK PARTY
Led by sophomore center Reggie Lynch's five blocks in the Redbirds' win over Evansville (Feb. 3), Illinois State teamed up to match a program record for single-game blocks, with 10 total. It marked the fourth time that the Redbirds have recorded 10 blocks, with it last occurring Dec. 8, 2012, against Western Michigan.
DEFENSIVE DIFFERENCE
Illinois State's 48-45 win over Loyola (Jan. 31) marked the fourth time this season that the Redbirds have limited an opponent to 45 points or less. As proof that defense wins game, Illinois State is now 10-1 when holding the opposition below 60 points. ISU forced more turnovers against the Ramblers while earning the advantage in steals and blocks.
DOUBLE-THREAT
By collecting a career-high 12 rebounds and matching a career-best 20 points in ISU's win over Missouri State (Jan. 28), junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell registered his second double-double of the season. Akoon-Purcell not only became the first Redbird to earn two double-doubles this season, but also the first to record more than one since Jackie Carmichael earned 15 double-doubles in 2012-13.
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 now has 60 blocks this season, surpassing the previous sophomore mark of 48 blocks established by Joe Galvin during the 1977-78 season.
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 six-straight games, a feat ISU had not accomplished since outrebounding six-straight foes in 2010-11. ISU has earned the rebounding edge in 20 out of 24 games, including 10 of the last 11.
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