Redbirds Host Golden Hurricane on Saturday Afternoon

NORMAL, Ill. - After a game in the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge, the Illinois State Redbirds play host to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane for the second time this season, following an 84-68 win in Conway, South Carolina, earlier in November.

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (3-4) vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-3)
When: Saturday, Dec. 2
Tip-Off: 3 p.m. 
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena
TV: NBC Sports Chicago + / ESPN3
    Kurt Pegler, play-by-play
    Bob Morris, analyst
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State StatBroadcast

SETTING THE TABLE

•    Tulsa is one of 28 NCAA Division I schools with a non-plural athletics nickname.
•    Keyshawn Evans and Phil Fayne combine to average 38.2 points per game this season, the highest combined total in the Missouri Valley Conference, as the second-highest is 35.5 (Drake).
•    In six of Illinois State's first nine games, the Redbirds will be facing off against a team for the first time in program history.
•    The Redbirds are 3-1 this season when leading at halftime.
•    Evans is one of six active players in NCAA Division I averaging at least 21.5 points and 4.3 assists per game.
•    Illinois State's 107-68 record over the last five-plus seasons (Dan Muller's tenure) is the most wins and highest winning percentage in the state of Illinois.
•    Evans stands second in NCAA Division I in three-point field goals per game, third in total three-point field goals, and 30th in three-point field goal percentage.
•    Illinois State has had seven runs of at least nine straight points this season, including a 20-0 run against Tulsa and a 17-0 run against Boise State.
•    Evans' 36.1 assist percentage is sixth-best in the country according to SportsReference.com.
•    Both Fayne and Evans have scored in double-figures in all seven games this season.
•    Evans' scoring average of 21.6 points per game ranks 32nd in NCAA Division I.
•    In each of the last four seasons, Illinois State's men's basketball program has exceed its preseason coaches poll expectation.
•    In Illinois State's first nine games of the 2017-18 season, it will face off against six schools that the program has never faced before on the basketball court.
•    Illinois State is 66-18 on its home floor over the last five-plus seasons.
•    Illinois State is 12-2 all-time on November 29.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN HURRICANE

After its loss to Illinois State, Tulsa has gone on a run of two straight wins, 92-72 over Central Arkansas and 100-96 against UTSA. The game is also Tulsa's first true road game of the season, with four home games and three games at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off at Myrtle Beach.

In the team's most recent game, a 100-96 victory over UTSA (Texas-San Antonio), Junior Etou scored 20 points, making 5-of-8 shots from the field and 8-of-11 from the free throw line. Sterling Taplin scored 18 points, Curran Scott 16, and Martins Igbanu 10. 

Igbanu pulled in nine rebounds, while DaQuan Jeffries grabbed eight, and the Golden Hurricane out-rebounded the Roadrunners 47-to-27. Corey Henderson Jr. dished out three assists, as Tulsa had 12 assists against eight turnovers.

This season Etou leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game, while three others, Taplin (14.6), Jeffries (12.1), and Scott (10.0) average double-figure points. Igbanu and Elijah Joiner are just off of the double-figure scoring pace at 6.9 and 6.4 points, each.

Etou and Jeffries average 6.1 and 6.0 rebounds per game to lead the team, while Taplin has dished out 27 assists to pace the squad. Jeffries also leads the team with 10 blocked shots and seven steals.

NON-PLURAL MASCOTS

Tulsa's mascot is the Golden Hurricane - and the only use is singular. There is no Golden Hurricanes. There is a list of 27 NCAA Division I mascots that are similar, that there is no plural for the mascot. Those 27 schools include Alabama Crimson Tide, Bucknell Bison, Cornell Big Red, Dartmouth Big Green, Elon Phoenix, Harvard Crimson, Hofstra Pride, Howard Bison, Illinois Illini, Marshall Thundering Herd, UMass Minutemen, Nevada Wolf Pack, N.C. State Wolfpack, North Dakota State Bison, North Texas Mean Green, Northern Kentucky Norse, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Presbyterian Blue Hose, St. Francis Red Flash, St. John's Red Storm, Stanford Cardinal, Syracuse Orange, Tulane Green Wave, Navy Midshipmen, William and Mary Tribe, Green Bay Phoenix

DYNAMIC SCORING DUO

The Illinois State junior pair of Keyshawn Evans and Phil Fayne combine to average 38.2 points per game. That scoring combination leads all duos in the Missouri Valley Conference this season (as of games played on 11/30). 

IN A GIVING SPIRIT

This season, Keyshawn Evans has an assist percentage of 36.1. Assist percentage is an estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while he was on the floor. Oklahoma's Trae Young leads the country with a 47.9 assist percentage. Below are the top eight assist percentages in the country. Big thanks to Sports Reference for the research.
assist percentage leaders

RARE AIR WITH SCORING AND PASSING

This season Illinois State junior Keyshawn Evans is averaging 21.6 points and 4.3 assists per game, which puts him in elite company. He is one of just six players to average such numbers in the NCAA this sesaon, and is on pace to become just the 77th player in the NCAA since 1992-93 to average such numbers. Among others that have averaged 23 points and 4.3 assists per game for an entire season include Steph Curry, Penny Hardaway, Damon Stoudamire, J.J. Barea, Kemba Walker, Allen Iverson, and Markelle Fultz.