ISU Hosts Evansville in Saturday Afternoon Battle

NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State will look to shrug off its MVC-opening loss as the Redbirds play host to the Evansville Aces.

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (7-7, 0-1 MVC) vs. Evansville Aces (7-7, 1-0 MVC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 5
Tip-Off: 3 p.m.
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena
TV: MVC TV Network (ESPN3 - regional online blackout)
    John Rooney, play-by-play
    Rich Zvosec, analyst
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network / TuneIn Radio
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State Statbroadcast

SETTING THE TABLE

•    Illinois State is 6-0 this season when leading at halftime.
•    The Redbirds have won their last seven overtime games, currently the second-longest active such streak in the NCAA.
•    Over the last two seasons, Illinois State's seven overtime wins are the most in the country.
•    ISU senior Phil Fayne was been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 17. 
•    Illinois State head coach Dan Muller was named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team. 
•    Illinois State is 5-2 at home this season, and 81-22 on its home floor under current head coach Dan Muller. 
•    Phil Fayne stands 15 points away from being the 44th member of the program's 1,000-point club.
•    Illinois State is 43-24 under current head coach Dan Muller when the scoring margin is within five points at the end of regulation.
•    Keyshawn Evans ranks seventh in program history in career three-pointers made, and seventh in career three-pointers attempted. 
•    Milik Yarbrough was named to the mid-season watch list for the Lou Henson Award, given to the top mid-major player in Division I.
•    Illinois State is 6-3 this season when Josh Jefferson makes at least three three-point field goals.
•    Illinois State has the best record in the state of Illinois since 2012-13 with a 129-87 overall record, six more wins than the second team on the list.
•    Milik Yarbrough is one of 26 student-athletes in the country since 1992-93 to average at least 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. 
•    In each of the last five seasons, the Redbirds have out-performed their preseason conference predictions, including last season in which the squad was picked fourth and finished third.
•    ISU head coach Dan Muller has the ninth-most career wins among coaches that are leading their alma maters.

SCOUTING THE ACES

Evansville comes into the game after a thrilling 82-77 double-overtime victory over Drake in each team's MVC opener.

In the win over the Bulldogs, K.J. Riley scored a game-high 25 points while Marty Hill scored 24. Both Evan Kuhlman and Dainius Chatkevicius scored 10 points, as the aforementioned quartet scored 69 of the team's 82 points. John Hall pulled down 10 rebounds, while Chatkevicius (9) and Riley (8) narrowly missing double-doubles. 

On the season, Evansville is led by Riley, who averages 14.7 points per game, including making 87 free throws in 14 games, which is the 11th-highest total in the country this season. Shea Feehan (12.2) and Hill (10.2) average in double-figures, while Hall is three total points away from joining the group with an average of 9.8 points per game.  Hall has pulled down a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game, while Riley's 40 assists are most on the team. Chatkevicius has a team-high 11 blocked shots while Riley has 20 steals.

SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS

Illinois State will look to shrug off its loss on Wednesday at Valparaiso, in which the Crusaders made a half-court shot at the buzzer to secure the win. In the game, Zach Copeland scored a career-high 21 points, making 5-of-8 shots from long range, while Phil Fayne scored 14. In his first collegiate start, Matt Chastain pulled down a game-high-tying nine rebounds, as Copeland and Keyshawn Evans each dished out a trio of assists.

This season the Redbirds have four players averaging in double-figure scoring, led by Milik Yarbrough's 16.5 points per game. Fayne - who is closing in on 1,000 career points - averages 15.3, while Copeland and Josh Jefferson are each averaging 11.0 points per game. Yarbrough and Fayne lead the team in rebounding with averages of 7.9 and 6.1 rebounds per game, respectively, while Yarbrough also leads the team with 52 assists. Fayne is the top Redbird shot blocker with 22 for the year, while he and Jefferson each have a dozen steals.