TELEVISION BROADCAST
Wednesday's game will be televised live on ESPNU. Below are channel listings where the game can be found:
- Comcast XFINITY (Bloomington-Normal):Â 511, 961
- DirecTV: 208
- DISH:Â 141
- AT&T U-Verse: 605, 1605
- Comcast XFINITY (Chicago-area): 253, 405
- Mediacom: 178
- WatchESPN.com
THE SERIES:
Illinois State plays Green Bay in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament Wednesday night for the 13th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1983, which the Redbirds lead, 9-3. ISU holds a 5-2 record against the Phoenix in Normal, Illinois, including a 2-2 mark versus UWGB at Redbird Arena. While head coach Dan Muller has never faced Green Bay as a coach, he played against the Phoenix three times as a Redbird player, earning a 2-1 record. Wednesday's game marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs in the NIT.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
The winner of Wednesday's game advances to the second round of the NIT to face the winner of Wednesday's top-seeded Old Dominion versus eighth-seeded Charleston Southern game. Illinois State is trying to advance to the NIT's second round for the eighth time in program history.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Won six of its last seven games ... fell in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game to No. 11 Northern Iowa after upsetting No. 8 Wichita State in the MVC Tournament semifinals ... tied for third place in the MVC standings (11-7) ... junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell is the MVC Newcomer of the Year.
GREEN BAY AT A GLANCE:
Won three of its last four games ... fell in the Horizon League Tournament championship game to Valparaiso ... finished second in the Horizon League standings (12-4), one game behind Valparaiso (13-3) ... senior guard Keifer Sykes is a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year.
LAST MEETING WITH GREEN BAY
Illinois State held off a late surge by Green Bay to claim its third straight win, 59-51, in front of 5,871 fans on Neal Cotts Day at Redbird Arena (Dec. 3, 2005). Green Bay jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the game, with freshman Ryan Tillema recording all five points on a three-pointer and a pair of free throws. But it was all Illinois State after that, as Greg Dilligard's jumper from the right side with 15:42 remaining in the half sparked an 18-2 run. The Phoenix pulled within 52-49 late, but Illinois State held on for the win.
UPWARD TRAJECTORY
After advancing to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) semifinals last season with wins over Morehead State and Texas A&M, ISU qualified for postseason play again, this time earning an NIT at-large bid.
A RETURN TO POSTSEASON
Illinois State, which became an NCAA Division I program prior to the 1970-71 season, is enjoying postseason play for the 20th time this season. The Redbirds have qualified for the NCAA Tournament six times (1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1997 and 1998), the NIT 13 times (1977, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015) and the CBI once (2014). ISU is 9-12 all-time in the NIT, with a 7-5 mark in NIT first-round matchups.
TOURNAMENT TIME
When ISU opens NIT play against Green Bay Wednesday night, it will mark the Redbirds' third tournament competition of the season. So far, ISU has gone 4-2 in tournament play, earning a 2-1 record in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam (Nov. 21-24) and at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament (Mar. 6-8). The Redbirds advanced to the championship game in both of their respective tournaments this season.
DEFENDING THE NEST
Wednesday's NIT-opener versus Green Bay marks Illinois State's seventh NIT home game in program history and ISU's fourth at Redbird Arena. The Redbirds are 4-2 in home NIT contests and 2-2 in NIT games at Redbird Arena. Illinois State's last NIT home game resulted in a second-round loss to Dayton (Mar. 24, 2008). ISU's last home-court NIT win occurred Mar. 19, 2008 versus Utah State.
SUCCESS AGAINST THE BEST
With the Redbirds' 65-62 win over No. 8 Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals (Mar. 7), ISU beat a Top-25 team for the fourth time in as many seasons – a feat that had never been accomplished by the Redbirds – after also 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).Â
MAKING HISTORY
Illinois State's victory over No. 8 Wichita State (Mar. 7) was historic for the following reasons:
- It marked the first time in program history that ISU has beaten a Top-25 team in four-consecutive seasons.
- It marked the first time in program history that an ISU head coach has beaten three Top-25 teams in his first three seasons.
- It marked a Redbird win over the highest ranked opponent since beating No. 4 Indiana State in 1978.
- It marked a win over ISU's highest ranked opponent ever at the MVC Tournament.
TOP-THREE
The Redbirds finished the regular season tied for third place in the Missouri Valley Conference with Indiana State, marking ISU's highest conference finish since also tying for third in 2011-12. Illinois State's 11 MVC victories were also the most since earning 11 wins in 2009-10.
DEFENSIVE DUO
ISU is the only program in the nation to feature players in the top 20 for both steals and blocks per game. Sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and ranks No. 8 nationally with 2.4 steals per game, while sophomore center Reggie Lynch leads the league and ranks No. 16 nationally with 2.7 blocks per game.
A KNIGHT'S TALE
After being held scoreless for just the second time in his career (Feb. 14 against No. 13 Wichita State), senior guard Daishon Knight bounced back to reach double figures in six of ISU's last seven games, leading the Redbirds to six-straight victories. In the last seven games, he has averaged a team-best 15.6 points while shooting 41-for-83 (49.4 percent) from the field and 17-for-18 at the free throw line. Knight has now recorded double-figures in 27 out of the last 36 games dating back to last season. He is the only Redbird to have started all 33 of ISU's games this season and has a team-best streak of 47-straight starts.
ROAD WARRIORS
A year after going 3-11 on the road – with just one Missouri Valley Conference victory in 2013-14 – ISU won its fifth MVC road game of the year by beating Evansville (Feb. 28), marking the first time that the Redbirds have earned five MVC road victories since going 5-4 in MVC road games during the 2007-08 season. ISU is 7-5 on the road this season, with a 4-2 mark in neutral site games. ISU is 10-5 at home.
STREAKING
Illinois State's league- and season-best six-game winning streak was snapped when the Redbirds fell to No. 11 Northern Iowa (Mar. 8) in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. ISU's six-straight victories marked ISU's longest streak since winning seven in a row during 2009-10.
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 now has 78 steals this season and 125 for his career. Lee's 2.4 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
Sophomore center Reggie Lynch has 85 blocks this season, establishing a school record for rejections by a sophomore player and ranking second among all-time MVC sophomores. Last year, Evansville's Egidijus Mockevicius had 65 blocks as a sophomore, and the league's record is 157.
MVC Single-Season Leaders (Sophomore Season)
157 - Benoit Benjamin, Creighton (1983-84)
85 - Reggie Lynch, Illinois State (2014-15)
75 - Grant Stout, UNI (2004-05)
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 streak was snapped versus No. 13 Wichita State (Feb. 14). However, ISU has now outrebounded the opposition in four of its last six.
FULL STRENGTH
Everyone on Illinois State's active roster has been healthy in ISU's last nine games. In total, injuries caused ISU players to miss a combined 21 games: DeVaughn Akoon Purcell, seven, broken right hand; Deontae 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 9-3 since returning to full strength.
FIRST-HALF ATTACK
Illinois State has held the halftime advantage in all but seven games - with two ties - this season. ISU is 18-5 when leading at halftime, 1-1 when tied, and 2-6 when trailing at the half. The Redbirds' MVC Tournament quarterfinal win over Evansville (Mar. 6) and the semifinal win against Wichita State (Mar. 7) marked the first two times this season that ISU has come back from a halftime deficit to win.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in steals (7.3) per game and blocks (4.3), which is No. 60 and No. 68 in the nation, respectively.
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
ISU leads the MVC with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks No. 32 nationally. Illinois State has established a +3.0 offensive rebounding margin (420-320), while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 20 games, with two ties. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 125 more second-chance points than its opponents (368-243). The Redbirds' 49 offensive rebounds in their win at Evansville (Feb. 28) marked a season high.
BENCH BATTLES
Illinois State's bench has held the scoring advantage in 23 out games this season, with one tie. When the Redbirds outscore their opponent's bench, they are 16-6 this season. Bench production was key in all 11 of Illinois State's MVC victories, with the Redbird bench outscoring its opposition by a combined 271-183 (+88) margin in conference victories.
BIG IMPROVEMENT
Illinois State ranks No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Conference and No. 45 nationally with a +4.5 rebounding margin. At the end of the 2013-14 season, the undersized Redbirds ranked last in the MVC, with a -2.6 rebounding margin. Illinois State held the rebounding advantage in 14 out of its 18 conference games this season, and ISU has only been outrebounded seven times this year.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Illinois State's non-conference strength of schedule leads the Missouri Valley Conference and is ranked No. 54 in the nation according to the Mar. 16 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report. ISU's RPI is No. 62, which is third-best in the league (behind Northern Iowa (14) and Wichita State (17)).
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
