NORMAL, Ill. – After playing two of its first three contests on the road, Illinois State opens up a three-game home stand versus Division II Ferris State Sunday on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. ISU is aiming to remain undefeated at home in 2016-17 following a home-opening victory over Summit League-favorite Fort Wayne Nov. 16. Sunday's game will count toward ISU's record and statistics; however, the game will not impact the Redbirds' RPI.
ILLINOIS STATE VS. FERRIS STATE • SUNDAY, NOV. 27, 2016 • 3 P.M.
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THE SERIES:
Sunday's game marks the fifth overall meeting between Illinois State and Ferris State and the first during ISU's Division I era, with the Redbirds holding a 3-1 advantage. The two teams last squared off February 3, 1968, with ISU winning, 112-76, in Normal, Illinois. FSU's lone victory occurred Feb. 9, 1965 in Big Rapids, Michigan.
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THE COACHES:
Illinois State: Dan Muller (Illinois State, 1998) is in his fifth season as the head coach at Illinois State (77-59). Muller is the first-ever ISU coach to beat four Top-25 teams in his first four years, leading ISU to the 2015 NIT.
Ferris State: Andy Bronkema (Cornerstone, 2007) is in his fourth season as the head coach at Ferris State (60-35). He has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back GLIAC Tournament Championships.
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ILLINOIS STATE:
Was picked to finish second (out of 10 teams) in the Missouri Valley Conference ... Was the only team to feature two players (out of five) on the Preseason All-MVC First Team (Paris Lee and MiKyle McIntosh) ... Returns four of five starters and seven of 11 letterwinners from last year's team, which tied for second place in the MVC with a 12-6 record, signifying ISU's highest league finish and most conference wins since the 2007-08 season.
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FERRIS STATE:
Was picked to finish second (out of eight teams) in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division ... Returns one starter (lone senior in guard Quentin Ruff) and seven letterwinners from last year's 24-10 (13-9 GLIAC) team which finished tied for third in the GLIAC North Division and went on to win the GLIAC Tournament for the second-straight year ... Advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship.
AGAINST NON-DIVISION I PROGRAMS
Illinois State is 3-0 versus non-NCAA Division I programs during the Dan Muller era:
-Nov. 27, 2015 vs. Quincy (in Normal, Illinois): W, 73-63
-Dec. 29, 2014 vs. Quincy (in Normal, Illinois): W, 99-57
-Nov. 29, 2013 vs. Sonoma State (at the USF Golden Gate Challenge in San Francisco): W, 75-58
Sunday's contest will count toward Illinois State's regular-season record and statistics; however, the game will not impact the Redbirds' RPI. It will serve as an exhibition game for Ferris State. Before Illinois State's Nov. 29, 2013 contest against Sonoma State, the Redbirds had not played a non-DI opponent during the regular season since opening the 2007-08 season with a 70-37 victory over Missouri-St. Louis (Nov. 7).
PREPARING FOR THE BULLDOGS
As Illinois State prepares for Ferris State, the Redbirds and Bulldogs can look to one common opponent this season: Quincy. ISU faced QU in the Redbirds' lone exhibition game of the season and won, 84-62 (Nov. 6). Meanwhile, Ferris State also beat Quincy, 97-81 (Nov. 12). Ferris State's game against Illinois State is the Bulldogs' third and final exhibition game of the season against a DI opponent:
-Nov. 5 at Xavier: L, 80-56
-Nov. 7 at Detroit: W, 85-79
-Nov. 27 at Illinois State
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
In all three of Illinois State's games this season, the Redbirds have scored first and have held a halftime advantage. ISU holds a +8.3 scoring margin in the first half of games this year contrasted with a -6.3 scoring margin in the second half. Illinois State also has a +2.0 turnover margin in the first half compared to a -3.3 second-half turnover margin. Additionally, opponents have shot 39.5 percent in the first half versus 45.8 percent in the second half. ISU has shot 43.7 percent in the first half and 46.3 percent in the second.
DJ IS A HIT
Junior transfer guard DJ Clayton has played well off the bench in his first three games as a Redbird. After scoring six points in the season opener at Murray State (Nov. 11), Clayton has reached double figures in back-to-back contests, netting 11 points with nine rebounds against Fort Wayne (Nov. 16) and an ISU career-best 13 points with five rebounds at TCU (Nov. 21). He was first off the bench all three times.
MiKYLE STYLE
Junior forward MiKyle McIntosh – a Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference selection – has picked up where he left off last season by recording season highs in points (20) and rebounds (nine) at TCU (Nov. 21). McIntosh is tied for third in the league in scoring (17.0 ppg) and is fifth in rebounding (7.7 rpg).
BASKETBALL ROYALTY
Illinois State men's basketball great Doug Collins was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony Nov. 18, at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in Kansas City, Missouri. A tape-delayed telecast of the ceremony will air Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. CT on ESPNU. In his three-year varsity career at ISU (1970-73), Collins averaged 29.1 points per game and totaled 2,240 career points while being named both an All-American and Academic All-American each season.
CAREER NIGHT
Senior forward Deontae Hawkins netted a career-high 24 points in Illinois State's home-opening victory over Fort Wayne (Nov. 16). Hawkins surpassed his previous high of 18 points versus Youngstown State (Nov. 29, 2014). The Dayton, Ohio, native, made a career-best nine field goals (on 15 attempts), topping his previous mark of seven-made field goals against Southern Illinois Feb. 24, 2016.
BALANCED ATTACK
In Illinois State's wire-to-wire home-opening victory over Fort Wayne (Nov. 16), the Redbirds featured five players who reached double-figure scoring for the first time since achieving the same feat Jan. 12, 2016 at Southern Illinois. Deontae Hawkins, MiKyle McIntosh and Paris Lee were three of the five both times.
HAWK SKIES FOR BOARDS
In Illinois State's season opener at Murray State (Nov. 11), senior forward Deontae Hawkins matched a career best with 15 rebounds. Hawkins recorded 15 boards for the third time in his career. And, with 14 points, Hawkins earned his third-career double-double.
IT'S A STEAL
Senior guard Paris Lee enters the 2016-17 season ranked No. 2 among active NCAA players for career steals. He needs nine to crack into the MVC all-time Top 10 for steals.
NCAA Active Leaders, Career Steals
1. Jalan West, Northwestern State 219 (out until at least late February with a knee injury)
2. Paris Lee, Illinois State 188
3. Monte Morris, Iowa State 178
RECORDS IN REACH
As the Missouri Valley Conference's active career leader in steals and assists, senior guard Paris Lee will undoubtedly leave his mark in the Illinois State record book. Lee ranks second in career steals (188) behind Ron Jones (222 from 1976-80). Lee also ranks 11th in career assists (336). Additionally, Lee began the 2016-17 season with 813 points, just 187 away from becoming the 42nd member of the 1,000-point club. Lee scored 355 points last season and has never scored fewer than 227.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Illinois State is picked to finish second in the league, according to the 2016-17 MVC Preseason Poll, as compiled from votes by MVC sports information directors, media and coaches. Illinois State's predicted second-place finish marks ISU's highest pick since also being tabbed second in the 2012-13 preseason poll. The Redbirds have now been selected to finish second or higher six times in program history (1993-94: first; 1996-97: first; 1997-98: first; 2001-02: first; 2012-13: second; 2016-17: second). ISU received 356 total points and four first-place votes. Wichita State is the favorite to win the MVC men's basketball title.
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