Redbirds Host Salukis in Battle of Win Streaks

NORMAL, Ill. - In a battle between the schools with the two longest active win streaks in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Illinois State Redbirds leverage its three-game win streak against Southern Illinois' five-game win streak on Thursday evening.

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (13-11, 7-5 MVC) vs. Southern Illinois Salukis (16-9, 8-4 MVC)
When: Thursday, Feb. 8
Tip-Off: 8 p.m.
Location: Normal, Illinois
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (10,200)
TV: CBS Sports Network
   John Sadak, play-by-play
   Michael O'Donnell, analyst
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State Statbroadcast

SETTING THE TABLE

•    Milik Yarbrough is one of 15 student-athletes in NCAA Division I to rank in the top-10 in his conference in points, rebounds, and assists.
•    During Illinois State head coach Dan Muller's tenure, the Redbirds have a 44-22 record over the last 12 games of the regular season, including a 4-2 mark this season.
•    Dan Muller is 29-12 during the month of February during his career as head coach of the Redbirds. 
•    Muller's career MVC-game win percentage is .627, which is tied for the 18th-highest such percentage in conference history. 
•    Against Evansville, the Aces took a lead for the first time in the game just after halftime, snapping a 100-minute streak for Illinois State in which it did not trail. Over the last three games the Redbirds have trailed for just 4:50, which is the ninth-best such three-game stretch over the past 10 seasons.
•    Illinois State head coach Dan Muller's 117-76 career record is the fifth-most career coaching wins in program history. 
•    Illinois State's group of three leading scorers of Yarbrough, Keyshawn Evans, and Fayne are one of three groups in the country of three teammates that average 15 points per game.
•    Yarbrough ranks third in the country in the KenPom category Percentage of Possessions Used.
•    Phil Fayne ranks 18th among current student-athletes in career field goal percentage, shooting .597 for his career. 
•    Illinois State has three of the top six scoring duos in the country, as the pairs of Yarbrough and Fayne, Yarbrough and Keyshawn Evans, and Fayne and Evans all have combined scoring averages in the top six in the league. 
•    Yarbrough ranks fifth in KenPom's Assist Rate ranking in NCAA Division I. 
•    Illinois State has a 117-76 record during Dan Muller's tenure, which represents both the most victories, and highest win percentage of all NCAA Division I schools in the state of Illinois. 
•    Illinois State is 20-12 all-time on February 8.

SCOUTING THE SALUKIS

Southern Illinois heads into Normal for the Thursday night contest riding a MVC-long five game win streak, with the most recent win coming at home over Valparaiso 65-59.

In the win over the Crusaders, Kavion Pippen scored 21 points with six rebounds and four steals en route to his being named the MVC Newcomer of the Week. Armon Fletcher added 12 points, while Tyler Smithpeters scored eight.

For the season the Salukis - who are alone in second place in the MVC standings - are led by Fletcher who averages 14.3 points, while Pippen (12.2), Sean Lloyd (12.0), and Aaron Cook (10.1) each average in double-figures.

Pippen leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.8 boards per contest, with Fletcher nabbing 5.3 per game. Five Saluki players average at least four rebounds per game, with SIU being out-rebounded by just three rebounds over the 25 game season. Cook has a team-best 68 assists, while Pippen leads the team with 33 blocked shots.