CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – One victory away from clinching at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship for the first time since 1998, the Illinois State men's basketball team tries for its sixth MVC title when the Redbirds (24-5, 16-1 MVC) conclude league play by facing Northern Iowa (14-14, 9-8 MVC) Saturday at 1 p.m. at the McLeod Center.
ILLINOIS STATE AT NORTHERN IOWA • SATURDAY, FEB. 25, 2017 • 1 P.M.
THE SERIES:
Saturday's game marks the 74th meeting between Illinois State and Northern Iowa. ISU leads the all-time series, 40-33, with Northern Iowa winning five of the past seven meetings. Versus the Panthers, Illinois State is 10-19 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and 0-10 at the McLeod Center. The Redbirds have dropped 11-straight at UNI, marking ISU's longest active MVC road losing streak. Illinois State last won in Cedar Falls – in the UNI-Dome – Jan. 28, 2004 (13 years ago).
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.
Northern Iowa: Ben Jacobson (North Dakota, 1994) is in his 11th season as the head coach at UNI. Jacobson has guided Northern Iowa to four NCAA Tournament appearances (2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016) and four NCAA victories.
ILLINOIS STATE:
Is tied for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 16-1 MVC record, which is ISU's best-ever league record through 17 MVC games ... Features the fourth-best field-goal percentage defense in the nation (37.7) ... Features reigning MVC Player of the Week Deontae Hawkins (17.5 ppg last week) ... Was picked to finish second in the MVC ... Returns four starters and seven of 11 letterwinners from last year's team (18-14, 12-6 T2nd MVC).
NORTHERN IOWA:
Is third in the Missouri Valley Conference standings (9-8) ... Started 0-5 in MVC play but rebounded to go 9-3 since then ... Was picked to finish third (out of 10 teams) in the Missouri Valley Conference ... Roster includes two starters and five letterwinners from last year's team which finished 23-13 overall and 11-7 in the MVC (tied for fourth) ... Senior Jeremy Morgan leads UNI in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocked shots, steals, 3-pointers made and free throws.
PLAYING FOR A TITLE
Illinois State enters the final game of the 2016-17 regular season tied with Wichita State for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 16-1 MVC record. The Redbirds and Shockers split their regular-season series, with the home team winning each meeting. An ISU victory at Northern Iowa Saturday would clinch at least a share of the MVC regular-season championship for the sixth time in Illinois State history and the first time since the 1997-98 season, when head coach Dan Muller was a senior. ISU and WSU have already clinched the top two seeds at next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. In the case of a tie, the No. 1 seed will be given to the team with a higher RPI (see pg. 7).
RECORD WATCH
With one regular-season games remaining, Illinois State (24-5, 16-1 MVC) is approaching some potential milestones:
-With ONE more victory, Illinois State will set a program record for:
---Most regular-season wins: 24 (24-4: 1977-78; 24-5: 2016-17).
---Most conference wins: 16 (16-2: 1997-98; 16-1: 2016-17).
-With ONE more victory, Illinois State will match the program record for:
---Most single-season wins: 25 (25-3: 1967-68; 25-6: 1997-98; 25-10: 2007-08).
24 AND COUNTING
With a victory against Southern Illinois (Feb. 22), Illinois State earned its ninth 24-plus win season in program history. The Redbirds also improved to 24-5 through their first 29 games for the first time since the 1997-98 season. ISU is now aiming for its fourth 25-plus win season in the history of Redbird basketball, and Illinois State is looking to improve to 25-5 through 30 games for the first time since 1997-98. The Redbirds have never-before won 26 or more games during a single season.
16-1
Illinois State's 16-1 Missouri Valley Conference record is ISU's best league mark through 17 MVC games in program history. The Redbirds are now aiming to finish MVC play with a 17-1 record for the first time ever. Since joining the MVC in 1981-82, Illinois State has earned 16 or more total conference victories just once, in 1997-98: 16-2 (1st). That year, the Redbirds also won the MVC Tournament and went 1-1 in the NCAAs.
100-CLUB
With ISU's win over Southern Illinois (Feb. 22), fifth-year head coach Dan Muller clinched his 100th victory as Illinois State's head coach. Muller became the sixth ISU head coach – out of 19 – to win 100 or more games. He enters Saturday's contest at Northern Iowa with a 100-63 record.
FIELD-GOAL DEFENSE
Illinois State's field-goal percentage defense of 37.7 percent ranks fourth nationally and leads the MVC:
-ISU's program record for field-goal percentage defense is 40.2 percent (1996-97).
-Since 1980, the MVC's best field-goal defense recorded was 38.3 percent by Bradley (1997-98).
-During that 37-year span, ISU has led the league in field-goal defense five times (1983, 1984, 1985, 1988 and 2009), with the Redbirds advancing to the NCAA Tournament in three of those five years.
SCORING DEFENSE
Illinois State's scoring defense of 61.4 points allowed per game ranks eighth nationally and leads the MVC:
-ISU's program record for scoring defense is 59.1 points per game (2005-06).
-Since 1980, the MVC's best scoring defense was 54.6 points per game by Northern Iowa (2014-15).
-During that 37-year span, ISU has led the league in scoring defense five times (1983, 1985, 1988, 1989 and 2008), with the Redbirds advancing to the NCAA Tournament in two of those five years.
LOCKING DOWN
Opponents have averaged 36.0 percent shooting and 58.3 points against Illinois State over the past 20 games. The Redbirds have gone 17-2 during that stretch. Conversely, during ISU's first seven games, the Redbirds earned a 4-3 record while allowing opponents to shoot 43.0 percent and average 69.1 points per game. In MVC games, ISU ranks first in field-goal percentage defense (36.7 percent) and scoring defense (59.4 points per game).
PHIL `ER UP
Sophomore forward Phil Fayne (MVC Newcomer of the Week Jan. 30), ranks second in league field goal percentage (59.2 percent) and seventh in rebounding (6.4 per game). Fayne most recently recorded his third double-double with a career-high 15 rebounds plus 11 points versus Southern Illinois (Feb. 22).
1,600
Illinois State's next victory will be the program's 1,600th dating back to 1898.
DROUGHT BUSTER
The Redbirds are aiming to win in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the first time since Jan. 28, 2004. Since then, ISU has lost 12-straight at UNI. With their Jan. 7 win at Indiana State, the Redbirds earned their first victory in Terre Haute, Indiana, since Feb. 14, 2007. The Sycamores had won nine-straight games over Illinois State at the Hulman Center, which was Illinois State's second-longest active MVC road losing streak.
WHEN THERE'S A WILLS, THERE'S A WAY
On Senior Night, senior guard Tony Wills matched a career high with 16 points on a career-best six field goals, including four 3-pointers in the winning effort over Southern Illinois (Feb. 22). Wills also forced a career-best five steals and collected five rebounds and two assists.
HAWK LANDS MVC HONOR
For a program-best fifth time this season, and for the second-straight week, a Redbird is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, as senior forward Deontae Hawkins earned league recognition Feb. 20. Hawkins averaged a team-best 17.5 points per game – on a team-high 15-for-23 (65.2 percent) shooting effort from the field – with 7.0 rebounds per contest to lead Illinois State in two more Missouri Valley Conference victories last week. Hawkins shot 3-for-7 (42.9 percent) from beyond the arc. The honor was the first of the season for Hawkins and the second of his career (previously earned Feb. 8, 2016). The Dayton, Ohio, native is one of three Redbirds to have earned the honor this season: Paris Lee (Dec. 5, Dec. 19, Feb. 13); MiKyle McIntosh (Jan. 16). Illinois State's five MVC Player of the Week awards this season marks the most in program history, with ISU previously earning four in 2000-01 and 2012-13.
MR. CONSISTENT
Having started all 29 games this season, senior forward Deontae Hawkins has reached double-digit scoring in a team-high 25 contests, including 14 of the past 16. He has led the Redbirds in scoring and rebounding nine times, and Hawkins has recorded a team-high five double-doubles which is the most by a Redbird since Jackie Carmichael recorded 15 double-doubles during the 2012-13 season. In Illinois State's 24 victories, Hawkins has averaged a team-best 15.7 points, whereas in ISU's five losses, Hawkins has ranked third on the team with 10.0 points per game.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Junior forward MiKyle McIntosh, who ranks third in Illinois State scoring and rebounding, underwent surgery Feb. 1 to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and missed five-straight games, with ISU going 4-1 during the stretch. At Missouri State (Feb. 15), McIntosh returned to action and played 22 minutes with nine points, two rebounds and one assist. He then played against Loyola Chicago (Feb. 19), and scored 13 points with five rebounds in 23 minutes.
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
The Redbirds are 15-0 this season when allowing their opponent to score fewer than 60 points and 22-1 when allowing fewer than 70 points. Offensively, ISU is 14-2 when scoring 70 or more points.
BLOCK PARTY
Illinois State leads the MVC and ranks 52nd nationally with 4.6 blocks per game. The Redbirds recorded a program-record 11 blocks in their win over Drake (Jan. 21).
TAKING THE ROCK
ISU leads the MVC and ranks 59th nationally with 7.3 steals per game. Senior guard Paris Lee ranks first in the MVC and 34th nationally with 2.0 steals per contest.
DEEP DISH
Senior guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and ranks 48th nationally in assists (5.1 assists per game). He has recorded at least two assists in every game this season.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
