NORMAL, Ill. - For the fourth time in as many Missouri Valley Conference games, the Illinois State Redbirds will face off against a team without a conference loss. This contest brings preseason MVC favorite Missouri State to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (8-7, 2-1 MVC) vs. Missouri State Bears (13-3, 3-0 MVC)
When: Sunday, Jan. 7
Tip-Off:Â 1Â p.m.
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (10,200)
TV: CBS Sports Network
  Jerry Recco, play-by-play
  Tim Doyle, analyst
Radio:Â Illinois State Radio Network
   Dick Luedke, play-by-play
  Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State StatBroadcast
SETTING THE TABLE
•   With Missouri State coming into the game with an undefeated conference record, it marks the fourth consecutive game for Illinois State in which its opponent has not yet lost a conference game (Evansville, 0-0; Indiana State, 1-0; Drake, 2-0; Missouri State, 3-0). It is the first time in the MVC since 2008-09 (when it happened to Illinois State) that a team has opened the season with four such games.
•   This season Illinois State has come back from a double-digit deficit twice, including in each of the team's first two MVC contests. (page 4)
•   Through 15 games this season, Illinois State has used six different starting lineups, which is the 11th-highest total in the country this season. (page 4)
•   The trio of Keyshawn Evans, Milik 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 51.9 points per game, which is the fifth-highest three-player scoring average Missouri Valley Conference history, and 10th in Illinois State history. (page 5)
•   The game today features the only two players in Missouri Valley Conference history to sweep the conference Player and Newcomer of the Week awards multiple times during a season (Yarbrough and Alize Johnson).
•   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)
•   Yarbrough is ranked second in the country in the KenPom.com metric Percentage of Possessions used, as he is used in 36.6 percent of possessions, second only to Oklahoma's Trae Young. (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 33.8 points per game as a group, where the next highest pair, Evansville's Ryan Taylor and Dru Smith average 33.6 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)
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Missouri State comes into the game riding a four-game win streak, including three in a row to open MVC play.Â
In the team's last game, a 62-55 win at home against UNI, Alize Johnson had a 24-point, 20-rebound double-double — his second 20-20 double-double of the season — as he nearly recorded the Northern Iowa game rebound total (26) by himself.Â
J.T. Miller scored 13 points off of the bench, while Obediah Church had seven rebounds for the Bears.
Johnson, the preseason MVC Player of the Year, is currently the only player on the team averaging in double-figure points at 15.1 points per game, although Reggie Scurry (9.6), Miller (9.3), and Jarrid Rhodes (9.1) are all a point away from the double-figure pace.
Johnson's 11.2 rebounds per game leads the MVC, as the Bears out-rebound their opponents by an average of 9.4 per contest. Jarred Dixon leads the team with 40 assists, while Obediah Church has 32 blocked shots for high-mark on the team.
