CARBONDALE, Ill. – After seeing its season-best four-game winning streak snapped at Indiana State Saturday, the Illinois State men's basketball team aims to bounce back when the Redbirds (9-8, 3-1 MVC) face Southern Illinois (14-3, 3-1 MVC) Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. CT at SIU Arena. The Salukis are also coming off of their first MVC loss.
ILLINOIS STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS • TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 2016 • 7 P.M. CT
THE SERIES:
Tuesday's game marks the 148th meeting between Illinois State and Southern Illinois. The Salukis lead the all-time series, 77-70; however, the Redbirds have won five of the last seven matchups. Versus Southern Illinois, Illinois State is 48-18 in Carbondale, Illinois, and 13-27 at SIU Arena where the Salukis have won two-straight games, and five of the last six. Head coach Dan Muller is 4-2 versus the Salukis and 1-2 at SIU Arena, winning in 2013.
THE COACHES:
Illinois State: Dan Muller (Illinois State, 1998) is in his fourth season as the head coach at Illinois State (67-52). Muller is the first coach in ISU history to beat three Top-25 teams in his first three seasons.
Southern Illinois: Barry Hinson (Oklahoma State, 1983) is in his fourth season as the head coach at Southern Illinois (54-60). Hinson is the league's winningest active coach in the MVC with 259 overall victories.
ABOUT ILLINOIS STATE:
Picked to finish fourth (out of 10 teams) in the Missouri Valley Conference ... return three of five starters and six of 13 letterwinners from last year's team, which went 22-13 overall, advancing to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) ... tied for third place in the 2014-15 MVC standings (11-7) ... feature MVC preseason team selection DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell ... started the MVC season 3-0 for the first time since 2008-09.
ABOUT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS:
Picked to finish ninth (out of 10 teams) in the Missouri Valley Conference ... return three of five starters and six of 12 letterwinners from last year's team, which recorded a 12-21 overall record and an 4-14 MVC mark (ninth place) ... feature MVC preseason honorable mention selection Anthony Beane who is averaging a team-best 20.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game ... started the MVC season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2006-07.
LAST TIME OUT (L, 77-65 - JAN. 9, 2016 AT INDIANA STATE)
Despite building a 13-point lead late in the first half, the Illinois State men's basketball team gave up a six-point halftime advantage in a 77-65 loss to Indiana State in Missouri Valley Conference action at Hulman Center. The Redbirds (9-8, 3-1 MVC) suffered their first MVC loss of the year and saw their season-best four-game winning streak come to an end. The Sycamores (9-7, 3-1 MVC) outscored Illinois State, 49-31, in the second half to secure the victory. MiKyle McIntosh scored a career-high 20 points and Paris Lee mated a career best with 18 points to lead the Redbirds. Illinois State shot 38.1 percent from the field.
STRONG START
By beginning the 2015-16 Missouri Valley Conference season with a 3-0 record before suffering their first MVC loss at Indiana State (Jan. 9), the Redbirds recorded their best start to a conference season since also beginning 3-0 before suffering a loss during the 2008-09 season. Illinois State has now started conference play with a 3-0 record just seven times since joining the MVC in 1981. After starting 3-0, the Redbirds have gone on to finish no lower than third in the league.
Top Seven MVC Starts in Illinois State History (MVC Record/Finish/Postseason
| 1982-83: 9-0 (13-5, 2nd, NCAA) | 1997-98: 6-0 (16-2, 1st, NCAA) | 2015-16: 3-0 |
| 1983-84: 5-0 (13-3, 1st, NCAA) | 2007-08: 6-0 (13-5, 2nd, NIT) | |
| 1991-92: 5-0 (14-4, 1st) | 2008-09: 3-0 (11-7, 3rd, NIT) | |
LOST LEAD
After falling behind and being forced to overcome double-digit deficits in their first three Missouri Valley Conference games, the Redbirds jumped out to an 8-0 advantage at Indiana State (Jan. 9) and went on to lead by as many as 13 points late in the first half. However, the Sycamores outscored the Redbirds, 49-31, in the second half and finished the game on a 15-5 run to win, 77-65, marking Illinois State's largest lead in a loss this season and signifying just the second time that the Redbirds have lost after leading at halftime.
SPLITTING THE BOARDS
Illinois State has epitomized the term "team rebounding" this season, with four players ranking among the Missouri Valley Conference's top-20 rebounders and three players ranking among the MVC's top-10 offensive rebounders:
BIG GAME
Sophomore forward MiKyle McIntosh and junior guard Paris Lee both achieved one of the best games of their respective careers in Illinois State's loss at Indiana State (Jan. 9). McIntosh scored a career-best 20 points, while matching career highs in field goals (seven) and assists (four) in a season-best 33 minutes. Meanwhile, Lee matched a career high with 18 points on a career-best seven field goals, while achieving season highs in rebounds (six), steals (four) and minutes (37).
BATTLING BACK
In six of Illinois State's nine victories this season, the Redbirds have overcome deficits of eight points or more. In all three of the Redbirds' Missouri Valley Conference wins, ISU has overcome deficits of 12 or more points (down 13 vs. Missouri State, Dec. 30; down 12 at Drake, Jan. 3; down 13 vs. Loyola, Jan. 6). Illinois State's wins over Missouri State and Loyola marked the 25th and 26th times in program history, respectively, that ISU has overcome a deficit of 13 points or more to win.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
Statistically, Illinois State has proven to be more offensively effective in the second half this season. The Redbirds are averaging a -2.3 scoring margin in the first half compared to a +0.6 scoring margin in the second half, leading to nine halftime deficits and one tie. ISU is shooting 36.6 percent from the field in the first half and 44.8 percent in the second half, an 8.2 percent difference.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DeVAUGHN
Senior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell has reached double figures in all 17 of ISU's games this year, and dating back to last season, 19-straight and 24 of the last 25. He has recorded 20 or more points four times in 2015-16, and Akoon-Purcell is averaging 15.8 points (fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference) and 4.6 rebounds per contest (17th in the MVC). Akoon-Purcell has led ISU in scoring 10 times this season.
HAWKINS BAROMETER
When sophomore forward Deontae Hawkins plays well, so too do the Redbirds this season. ISU – now 9-8 overall – is 8-2 when Hawkins achieves double-digit scoring. The Redbirds are 9-3 when Hawkins nets eight or more points.
TRENDING
ISU is 9-0 when allowing less than 70 points; ISU is 4-0 when scoring 70 or more points; ISU is 6-0 when its starters outscore the opponent's starters and 3-8 when Illinois State's starters do not outscore the opponent's; ISU is 7-1 when outrebounding its opponent and 2-7 when ISU is outrebounded; The Redbirds are 8-0 when leading with five minutes to play and 0-8 when trailing at the five-minute mark.
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