DES MOINES, Iowa - The Illinois State men's basketball team will look to extend its four-game win streak on Wednesday evening when the squad travels to face off against the Drake Bulldogs, who are 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The game will the Redbirds' third straight this season in the conference against a team without a league loss: Evansville (0-0), Indiana State (1-0), and Drake (2-0).
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (8-6, 2-0 MVC) vs. Drake Bulldogs (8-7, 2-0 MVC)
When: Wednesday, Jan. 3
Tip-Off:Â 7Â p.m.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Arena: Knapp Center (7,152)
TV: ESPN3
  Larry Morgan, play-by-play
  Adam Emmenecker, analyst
Radio:Â Illinois State Radio Network
   Dick Luedke, play-by-play
  Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Drake Sidearm Live Stats
SETTING THE TABLE
•   Since 2010-11, Illinois State has had 11 games of which they have won a game when they were trailing by at least 10 points, including in each of the last two games against Evansville and Indiana State. (page 4)
•   ISU guard/forward Milik Yarbrough is one of just 13 players in the country that currently rank in the top-10 in their conference in points, rebounds, and assists. (page 4)
•   Yarbrough also was named the MVC Player and Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season. He and Missouri State's Alize Johnson are the only players in league history to sweep the honors twice in the same season. (page 4)
•   The trio of Keyshawn Evans, Yarbrough, and Phil Fayne are one of five trios in the NCAA this season that all average at least 16 points per game this season. (page 4)
•   The aforementioned trio is averaging 53.4 points per game, which is the sixth-highest three-player scoring average in the country, the fourth-most in Missouri Valley Conference history, and seventh in Illinois State history. (page 5)
•   Against Indiana State, Illinois State picked up its first win of the season when it was trailing at halftime. (page 4)
•   Illinois State has played in three overtime games this season, which is tied for the fifth-most overtime games in a season in school history. (page 5)
•   The Redbirds have the three highest scoring duos in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, as Evans and Fayne, Evans and Yarbrough, and Fayne and Yarbrough each average at least 34.9 points per game as a group, where the next highest pair, Evansville's Ryan Taylor and Dru Smith average 33.9 points per game. (page 6)
•   Illinois State's 112-71 record during Dan Muller's tenure is the best of the 13 programs that are in the state of Illinois. (page 7)
•   Yarbrough ranks fourth in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes. (page 6)
•   Illinois State has used six different starting lineup combinations in their 14 games this season. (page 7)
•   Illinois State is 15-9 all-time on Jan. 3. (page 17)
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Drake comes into its first game of the 2018 calendar year with an 8-7 overall record, having on its last three games against UMES, Â Bradley, and Southern Illinois.Â
In the team's last game, a 70-67 New Years' Eve win over Southern Illinois, Reed Timmer scored 20 points for the Bulldogs, while Nick McGlynn added 17. Graham Woodward scored eight points off of the bench, as the SIU bench out-scored Drake's 19-to-16.
C.J. Rivers pulled down eight rebounds to lead the team, while McGlynn snagged seven missed shots. Timmer led the team with five assists in the win.
Timmer leads the Bulldogs with a season scoring average of 18.9 points per game, while three others, De'Antae McMurray (11.1), Nick McGlynn (10.6), and Graham Woodward (10.5) each also average in double-figures.
C.J. Rivers leads the team by averaging 5.3 rebounds per game, as Drake is out-rebounded by an average of 1.6 rebounds per contest.
