Redbird Men Host UT Martin Saturday for Star Wars Day

NORMAL, Ill. – After earning a perfect 4-0 record at home to start the season, the Illinois State men's basketball team (4-3) will try to remain undefeated on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena in 2016-17 when ISU hosts Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin Saturday at 2 p.m. for Star Wars Day. ISU (4-3) is coming off a 70-68 loss at Tulsa (Dec. 7), while the Skyhawks are 8-2 after most recently beating Boyce College, 108-64 (Dec. 4).

ILLINOIS STATE VS. UT MARTIN • SATURDAY, DEC. 10, 2016 • 2 P.M.

THE SERIES:
Saturday's game marks the fifth meeting between Illinois State and UT Martin, with the Redbirds holding a 4-0 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last squared off Dec. 17, 2014, with ISU winning, 64-54, in Normal, Illinois. Head coach Dan Muller is 1-0 versus UT Martin, and ISU is 3-0 versus the Skyhawks in Redbird Arena.

THE COACHES:
Illinois State: Dan Muller (Illinois State, 1998) is in his fifth season as the head coach at Illinois State. Muller is the first-ever ISU coach to beat four Top-25 teams in his first four years. He led ISU to the 2015 NIT.
UT Martin: Anthony Stewart (Mount Union, 1993) is in his first season as the head coach at UT Martin. Since Stewart joined the program as an associate head coach in 2014, the team has compiled four postseason wins.

ILLINOIS STATE:
Features the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week: Paris Lee (last week: 18 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 8.5 apg) ... 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 (MiKyle McIntosh and Lee) ... Returns four of five starters and seven of 11 letterwinners from last year's team, which tied for second place in the MVC (12-6).

UT MARTIN:
Was picked to finish fourth (out of six teams) in the Ohio Valley Conference West Division ... Returns one starter (Kedar Edwards who is averaging 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season) and seven letterwinners from last year's team which finished 20-15 overall and 10-6 in the OVC (first in the West, fifth overall) ... Earned a bid to the 2016 College Insider Tournament (CIT) and advanced to the second round by beating Central Michigan.

VERSUS THE OVC
Illinois State holds a 103-55 record against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference, and head coach Dan Muller is 7-2 versus the OVC and 1-0 against UT Martin. Muller led the Redbirds to a 64-54 victory over the Skyhawks Dec. 17, 2014. Current Redbirds Deontae Hawkins scored seven points with six rebounds, while MiKyle McIntosh collected nine rebounds. Saturday's UT Martin game is ISU's second and final contest against an OVC foe this season after opening the 2016-17 campaign with a 73-70 loss at OVC West preseason favorite Murray State (Nov. 11). Both of Illinois State's losses during the Muller era have been against the Racers. ISU had won 32-straight games against members of the OVC prior to the Dec. 20, 2014 loss at Murray State. Since then, the Redbirds have recorded a 3-1 record versus the OVC.

HOME COOKING
ISU enters Saturday's game with a perfect 4-0 record on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena this season, with two non-conference home games remaining. If the Redbirds win, they will secure their best home non-conference record since earning a 6-1 home non-conference mark in 2012-13. Illinois State has suffered two non-conference home losses in each of the past three seasons. The Redbirds are aiming for their first unblemished home non-conference record since going 6-0 to start the season at home in 2008-09.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES
Illinois State has held the halftime lead in six of its first seven games. ISU holds a +6.6 scoring margin in first halves this season compared to a -1.3 scoring margin in second halves. The Redbirds are shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 44.7 percent from beyond the arc in first halves versus 41.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3-point range in second halves. ISU is also averaging 6.4 turnovers (+2.7 turnover margin) in first halves versus 7.4 turnovers per game in second halves (-1.9 turnover margin).

HOLDING THE LEAD
The Redbirds have led by seven or more points in the second half of all three losses this season. In those same three games, Illinois State also held the halftime advantage. ISU led by 14 points at Tulsa (Dec. 7).

WHAT A WEEK!
For the first time in his four-year Redbird career, senior point guard Paris Lee is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week (announced Dec. 5). Lee averaged 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists – with just 2.0 turnovers – and 2.0 steals in 31.5 minutes per game in last week's wins over New Mexico (Dec. 3) and IUPUI (Nov. 30). He shot 12-for-20 (60.0 percent) from the field, 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc and 6-for-8 (75.0 percent) at the free throw line. Lee is the first Redbird to earn MVC Player of the Week accolades since Deontae Hawkins garnered player of the week recognition Feb. 8, 2016.

HELPING HAND
Senior guard Paris Lee leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks 16th nationally with 6.4 assists averaged per game. As a team, the Redbirds rank third in the league with 16.3 assists per contest.

LEE FOR THREE!
Senior guard Paris Lee is tied for first in the league and ranks 11th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (54.5 percent). Lee made a career-high five 3-pointers (on eight attempts) at Tulsa (Dec. 7).

LOCKING DOWN
Illinois State ranks second in the MVC and 23rd nationally by averaging 8.9 steals per game. The Redbirds have forced more steals than the opposition in four games, and in two games, steals were even.

MOVING ON UP
By earning a career-high 11 assists versus New Mexico (Dec. 3), senior guard Paris Lee moved into sole possession of 10th on the Illinois State career-assists list. He passed David Cason (357 from 1993-95). Lee, who now has 364 assists, is one of seven Redbirds to rank in the top 10 in both career steals (Lee is second with 198) and assists. Lee leads the league and ranks 16th nationally with 6.4 apg.

DEEP DISH
Senior guard Paris Lee dished a career-best 11 assists, with just two turnovers, in Illinois State's Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge victory over New Mexico (Dec. 3). Lee's 11 assists were the most by a Redbird since Boo Richardson earned 11 versus Lewis Dec. 19, 2006. Lee also matched a season high with 18 points to achieve his first-career double-double and the first ISU double-double consisting of points and assists since Nic Moore scored 24 points with 10 assists at Ole Miss March 14, 2012.

DEFENSE WINS GAMES
The Redbirds' defensive efforts have directly correlated with victories. ISU is 4-0 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition and 0-3 when committing more turnovers. Additionally, ISU has turned defense into offense by scoring 117 points off of opponent turnovers compared to 100 by opponents.

CAREER NIGHTS
Along with Paris Lee's career-best 11 assists, sophomore guard Keyshawn Evans, sophomore forward Phil Fayne and freshman guard Madison Williams each achieved career bests in Illinois State's win over New Mexico (Dec. 3). In his second year with ISU, Evans scored 12 points on 4-for-10 shooting from three-point range, surpassing his previous high of six points. Meanwhile, as first-year Redbirds, Fayne collected a career-high 10 rebounds and Williams scored a career-best seven points.

80 WINS
Fifth-year head coach Dan Muller earned his 80th win by beating New Mexico (Dec. 3). With a current record of 80-61, Muller is the eighth Redbird head coach (out of 19) to achieve 80 victories at Illinois State.

APPROACHING 200
By forcing two steals at Tulsa (Dec. 7), senior guard Paris Lee increased his career steals total to 198, putting him two steals away from becoming just the second Redbird ever to force 200 or more career steals. Lee is currently second on the career-steals list behind Ron Jones (222).

IT'S A STEAL
Senior guard Paris Lee ranks No. 2 among active NCAA players for career steals. He also now ranks in 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 198
3. Monte Morris, Iowa State 181

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