Top-Seeded Redbirds Tip Off Arch Madness Friday at Noon

ST. LOUIS – After winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship and earning a No. 1 seed at the State Farm MVC Tournament for the first time since 1998, the Illinois State men's basketball team tips off Arch Madness Friday at noon versus No. 8 Evansville after the Purple Aces beat No. 9 Indiana State, 83-72, Thursday night. The Redbirds enter 2017 Arch Madness in search of their first MVC Tournament title and NCAA appearance since 1998.

ILLINOIS STATE VS. EVANSVILLE • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • 12 P.M.

EVANSVILLE:
Finished eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season standings with a 6-12 record ... Features All-MVC Second Team selection Jaylon Brown who leads the MVC in scoring (20.6 ppg), minutes played (36.6 mpg) and free throw shooting (86.0 percent) ... Features MVC All-Freshman Team selection Dru Smith (5.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg).

VS. EVANSVILLE SERIES
Illinois State and Evansville have met 56 times, with the Redbirds holding a 37-19 advantage in the all-time series ... the Redbirds have won five of the past six games in the series, including both this season.

TOP SEED
Illinois State enters the 2017 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time since 1998 and the sixth time in program history. The Redbirds, who shared the league regular-season title with Wichita State, earned the tournament seeding tiebreaker (overall RPI as of Sunday, Feb. 26). The teams finished with identical 17-1 MVC records and split the regular-season series, but ISU earned the higher seed using the league's secondary tiebreaker with an RPI figure of 34, compared to Wichita State's 40. When seeded No. 1, ISU has won three of five possible titles and has never lost in a quarterfinal matchup: 1983 - won tournament; 1984 - lost in semifinals; 1993 - lost in championship; 1997 - won championship; 1998 - won championship.

LET'S DANCE
After winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship for the first time since 1998, the Redbirds now have their sights set on winning an MVC Tournament title and making the NCAA Tournament also for the first time since 1998. ISU has made it to the championship game in four out of the past nine years, which is tied with Northern Iowa for most title-game appearances during the nine-year stretch. Unfortunately for the Redbirds, ISU has gone 0-4 in its last four title games, including two overtime losses. ISU holds the second-longest NCAA drought amongst league members, behind Loyola.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Illinois State's 2016-17 team (25-5, 17-1 MVC) is amongst the most successful in program history:
-With ONE more victory, Illinois State will set the program record for:
---Most single-season wins: 25 (25-3: 1967-68; 25-6: 1997-98; 25-10: 2007-08).
-By beating Northern Iowa (Feb. 25), Illinois State set the program record for:
---Most regular-season wins - Previously 24 (24-4: 1977-78; 24-5: 2016-17).
---Most conference wins - Previously 16 (16-2: 1997-98; 16-1: 2016-17).

1,600+
Illinois State's win at Northern Iowa (Feb. 25) marked the program's 1,600th dating back to 1898.

25 AND COUNTING
With a victory at Northern Iowa (Feb. 25), Illinois State earned its fourth 25-win season in program history. The Redbirds also improved to 25-5 through their first 30 games for the first time since the 1997-98 season. ISU is now aiming to secured 26 or more victories for the first time in program history.

MULLER JOINS 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 is the sixth coach (out of 19) in program history to win 100 or more games (101-63).
-Muller is the third coach (out of seven) to win 57 or more MVC games (57-33).
-Muller has led Illinois State to a better MVC record and higher conference finish each year as head coach:
2013: 8-10, 6th; 2014: 9-9, T4th; 2015: 11-7, T3rd; 2016: 12-6, T2nd; 2017: 17-1, Tst.
-As a second-year head coach, when Paris Lee and Tony Wills were freshmen in 2013-14, Muller was in charge of leading the least experienced team in the nation with 2.5 years of returning experience.             

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 60.7 points allowed per game ranks sixth 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 57.6 points against Illinois State over the past 21 games. The Redbirds have gone 18-2 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 regular season MVC games, ISU ranked first in field-goal percentage defense (37.0 percent) and scoring defense (57.9 points per game).

DROUGHT BUSTER
ISU ended two major road droughts this season. By beating Northern Iowa Feb. 25 to clinch the MVC regular-season title, the Redbirds won in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the first time since Jan. 28, 2004. ISU had 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 at the Hulman Center.

MR. CONSISTENT
Having started all 30 games this season, senior forward Deontae Hawkins has reached double-digit scoring in a team-high 25 contests, including 14 of the past 17. 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 25 victories, Hawkins has averaged a team-best 14.9 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 and played 22 minutes with nine points and two rebounds. He has averaged 9.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game since returning.

RACKING UP THE HARDWARE
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.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
The Redbirds are 16-0 this season when allowing their opponent to score fewer than 60 points and 23-1 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 63rd nationally with 4.4 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 57th nationally with 7.3 steals per game. Senior guard Paris Lee ranks first in the MVC and 29th nationally with 2.0 steals per contest.

DEEP DISH
Senior guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and ranks 51st nationally in assists (5.1 assists per game). He has recorded at least two assists in every game this season.

LEE FOR THREE!
Senior guard Paris Lee ranks second in the MVC in both three-point field goals per game (2.3) and total three-point field goals made (69). Lee is shooting 69-for-167 (41.3 percent) from beyond the arc this season. His previous season-best was 26-for-71 (36.6 percent) from three-point range as a sophomore.

STEALS LEE-DER
Senior guard Paris Lee broke Illinois State's career steals record at Bradley (Jan. 18). Lee passed Ron Jones who held the previous record of 222 since 1980. Lee now has 244 career steals and is the NCAA active-career leader. He also ranks sixth in career-steals.

LEAVING HIS MARK
Along with setting the career steals record, senior guard Paris Lee also ranks fifth in ISU career assists (471), 26th in points (1,203), second in games started (127 - behind head coach Dan Muller who holds the games started record of 128), and third in minutes played (3,856).

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