Redbirds Take 3-0 Valley Record To Indiana State

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Illinois State is aiming to start 4-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time since 2007-08 when the Redbirds (11-4, 3-0 MVC) visit Indiana State (6-9, 0-3 MVC) Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Following a 74-71 overtime victory against Missouri State (Jan. 4), Illinois State has won four-straight games and seven of the past eight. By falling, 80-74 (OT), at Southern Illinois (Jan. 4), the Sycamores have dropped three-straight, including two in overtime.

ILLINOIS STATE AT INDIANA STATE • SATURDAY, JAN. 7, 2017 • 1 P.M. CT

THE SERIES:
Saturday's game marks the 117th meeting between Illinois State and Indiana State. The Redbirds lead the all-time series, 61-55, with the Sycamores winning four of the past five. Versus Indiana State, Illinois State is 19-37 in Terre Haute, Indiana, and 17-26 at Hulman Center where the Sycamores have won nine-straight games.

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 Illinois State coach to beat four Top-25 teams in his first four years. He led ISU to the 2015 NIT.
Indiana State: Greg Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is in his seventh season as the head coach at Indiana State. Lansing led Indiana State to the postseason in each of his first four seasons at the helm, including the 2011 NCAA.

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.

INDIANA STATE:
Was picked to finish sixth (out of 10 teams) in the Missouri Valley Conference ... Returns three starters and seven letterwinners from last year's team which finished 15-17 overall and tied for sixth place in the MVC with an 8-10 record ... Junior guard Brenton Scott was a Preseason All-MVC First Team selection, and after being named to the 2016 All-MVC Second Team, he is the only returning member of last season's MVC First or Second Team.

UNDEFEATED
After winning their first three Missouri Valley Conference games of the season to tie for first place with Wichita State in the current league standings, the Redbirds are aiming to improve to 4-0 in the MVC for the first time since starting 6-0 before suffering a loss during the 2007-08 season. Illinois State has started conference play with a 4-0 record just five times since joining the MVC in 1981. After starting 4-0, the Redbirds have gone on to finish no lower than second in the league, advancing to three NCAA Tournaments and one National Invitation Tournament (NIT) following 4-0 MVC starts. ISU also brought a 3-0 league record to Terre Haute, Indiana, last season, but ultimately, lost to Indiana State to fall to 3-1.

FAST START
By beating Missouri State (Jan. 4) to improve to 11-4 overall, Illinois State achieved its best record through its first 15 games since also beginning the 2011-12 season with an 11-4 mark. The Redbirds are now aiming to improve to 12-4 for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

WINNING ON THE ROAD
After dropping their first three road games of the season by an average margin of -4.7 points, the Redbirds have bounced back to win two-straight true road games by an average margin of +24 points. Illinois State is aiming to continue its road winning streak, as three of the Redbirds' next four games are on the road.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE
The Redbirds are searching for their first victory in Terre Haute, Indiana, since Feb. 14, 2007. The Sycamores have won nine-straight games over Illinois State at the Hulman Center, marking Illinois State's second-longest active MVC road losing streak. The Redbirds have lost 12-straight at Northern Iowa, and eight-straight at Wichita State. Three of Illinois State's past nine losses at Indiana State were decided in overtime, and the Sycamores have won the past nine home games by an average margin of +7.3.

THE DEFENDERS
The Redbirds' field goal defense of 37.8 percent ranks 13th nationally. Opponents have averaged 32.3 percent against Illinois State over the past six games, with ISU holding five of its past six foes to season-low averages at the time, including in the Redbirds' most recent win against Missouri State (Jan. 4). ISU held MSU to a season-low 35.6 percent shooting after entering the game with a 46.9 percent season mark.

SHUTTING DOWN
In all three of Illinois State's MVC victories, the Redbirds have held their opponent's leading scorer below his respective scoring average entering the game, by an average of 7.5 points.
-Jaylon Brown, Evansville: Entered the game averaging 21.5 ppg / Scored 17 points (Dec. 29).
-Audre Jackson, Loyola (Chicago): Entered the game averaging 15.9 ppg / Scored 5 points (Jan. 1).
-Alize Johnson, Missouri State: Entered the game averaging 14.2 ppg / Scored 7 points (Jan. 4).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Illinois State leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks 47th nationally with 8.0 steals per game. The Redbirds also top the league and rank 68th nationally with 4.6 blocks per game. ISU recorded a season-high nine blocks against Evansville (Dec. 29). The program record for single-game blocks is 10.

SENIOR LEE-DER
Senior point guard Paris Lee ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in both steals (1.9 steals per game, 49th nationally) and assists (5.2 assists per game, 54th nationally).

TOP SIX
Senior forward Deontae Hawkins is one of two players in the Missouri Valley Conference to rank in the top seven in both scoring (14.8 ppg, 6th) and rebounding (6.7 rpg, 5th).

GETTING TO THE LINE
In Illinois State's win over Missouri State (Jan. 4), MiKyle McIntosh attempted a career-high 15 free throws, which marked the most attempts by a Redbird since Tyler Brown attempted 17 free throws versus Evansville Jan. 26, 2013. McIntosh's 15-made free throws also marked a career-best and the most by a Redbird this season. McIntosh recorded a game-high and season-best 21 points in the winning effort.

1,000-POINT CLUB
By netting a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the 13:37 mark in the first half of Illinois State's game at Loyola Chicago (Jan. 1), Paris Lee recorded his 1,000th point, thus becoming the 42nd member of ISU's 1,000-point club. Lee, who finished the game with seven points, enters Saturday's game with 1,015 career-points. He is just the second player in Redbird history to record more than 1,000 points, 300 assists and 200 steals. Ron Jones, who played from 1976-80, also achieved this feat.

TAKING CONTROL
Illinois State has held the halftime lead in 13 of its first 15 games. ISU holds a +8.0 scoring margin in first halves this season compared to a +0.5 scoring margin in second halves. The Redbirds are shooting 45.7 percent from the field in first halves versus 41.6 percent in second halves.

WHEN THERE'S A WILL(S), THERE'S A WAY
Senior guard Tony Wills underwent surgery in late September due to a sports hernia and subsequently missed almost all preseason practices plus Illinois State's exhibition game against Quincy (Nov. 6). Since then, Wills has played in all 15 games with 12 starts. Through his first four games, Wills averaged 3.5 points. However, in his past 11 games, Wills has averaged 7.0 points per contest.

IT'S A STEAL
Senior guard Paris Lee ranks No. 2 among active NCAA players for career steals. He also 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 212
3. Justin Robinson, Monmouth 190

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 (212) behind Ron Jones (222 from 1976-80). Lee also ranks seventh in career assists (397).

PROTECTING THE NEST
Dating back to last season, Illinois State has won 14-straight games on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, marking ISU's longest home-court winning streak since winning an arena-best 17-straight games between the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. ISU's has matched its second-longest Redbird Arena winning streak which was 14 games, stretched across the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. The Redbirds' last home-court loss occurred Jan. 15, 2016 to Evansville (L, 66-55).

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