NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State and Bradley meet for the 125th time in the War on 74, the first game of this years' series coming at Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (9-9, 3-3 MVC) vs. Bradley Braves (13-6, 3-3 MVC)
When: Wednesday, Jan. 17
Tip-Off: 6 p.m.
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (10,200)
TV: MVC TV Network (FS Midwest / FS Indiana / Fox Kansas City / NBC Sports Chicago)
John Rooney, play-by-play
David Kaplan, analyst
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network
Dick Luedke, play-by-play
Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State StatBroadcast
SETTING THE TABLE
• Phil Fayne's 11-for-12 shooting game against Southern Illinois on January 10 stands as the 10th-best single-game shooting performance in the NCAA this season.
• This is Illinois State's third game as part of the "Battle for Illinois"
• Illinois State is one of seven schools in NCAA Division I to have their top three scorers rank inside of the top-10 of their conference scoring leaders. In fact, the Redbirds' trio of Milik Yarbrough, Keyshawn Evans, and Fayne all rank inside of the top five in the conference standings, something only one other school can claim.
• Yarbrough's averages of 16.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game make him one of five student-athletes in the country to average 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
• Only three players on this season's team have played in all 18 games thus far throughout the season: Isaac Gassman, William Tinsley, and Taylor Bruninga.
• Illinois State made 29-of-51 shots in its loss to Southern Illinois, a shooting percentage of .569. That is the 11th-highest shooting percentage in a loss in the NCAA this season.
• Behind the efforts of his big shooting night, Fayne has climbed to 14th among active players in career field goal percentage, as his year-plus shooting percentage stands at .595 (247-of-415).
• Fayne also stands third in career field goal percentage in school history, and his total this season has him tied for eighth in the single-season record books.
• Yarbrough draws an average of 7.6 fouls per 40 minutes during the season, which ranks as the 14th-highest such total in NCAA Division I.
• Evans is one of three student-athletes in NCAA Division I to stand in the top-25 in three-point field goals made per game, three-point field goals made, and three-point field goal percentage.
• Illinois State is 16-11 all-time on January 17.
SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Bradley comes into the 125th meeting of the battle between the two teams off of a 16-point loss at Loyola on Saturday evening by an 81-65 final score.
In the game which Loyola never trailed, Darrell Brown scored a team-best 15 shots, while Nate Kennell scored 13 points off of the bench, while Donte Thomas added 11.
Thomas pulled down a team-best seven rebounds, with the Braves being out-rebounded 35-to-28. Brown also dished out five assists for the game-high. The Braves allowed the Ramblers to shoot 57.7 percent from the field (30-of-52) in the game.
For the season Brown and Thomas are the only two players to average in double-figures at 13.3 and 10.1 points per game, while Kennell (9.2) and Elijah Childs (8.1) are nearing the double-figure plateau.
Thomas pulls down an average of 6.4 rebounds to lead the team, while Brown has dished out a team-best 75 assists, and Childs blocking 24 shots to pace the squad.
