ISU Returns to Redbird Arena Against Prairie Stars

NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State men's basketball team returns to action on Friday, Nov. 29, when the squad plays host to the UIS Prairie Stars in a 2 p.m. tip-off at Redbird Arena

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (2-4) vs. UIS Prairie Stars (5-1)
When: Friday, Nov. 29
Tip-Off: 2 p.m.
Location: Normal, Illinois
Arena: Redbird Arena
TV: ESPN3
    Kurt Pegler, play-by-play
    Bob Morris, analyst
Radio: WJBC (93.7 FM / AM1230) / TuneIn Radio
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst

QUICK HITTERS

• The game will count towards the season record of Illinois State, and will be an exhibition for UIS.
• The game will be the first-ever meeting between ISU and UIS; however, the Redbirds have faced off against 11 total teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
• Through six games, Illinois State has had nine different players reach double-figure scoring, more than the team had through the entirety of last season.
• Illinois State junior point guard Lijah Donnelly played two seasons at UIS before transferring 
• Illinois State scored 51 points from its bench in a narrow loss to UCF, which is the highest reserve total in head coach Dan Muller's tenure with the squad.
• The Redbirds face off against seven opponents picked in the top four of their conference pre-season polls, including Belmont (1st), Western Kentucky (1), Northern Kentucky (2), UTSA (2), Grand Canyon (2), UIC (3), and Cincinnati (3).
• Illinois State sophomore Dedric Boyd scored 22 points off of the bench against UCF on Nov. 17, which is the fifth-most points by an individual off the bench in Muller's tenure.
• Illinois State is 57-25 all-time against schools within the current iteration of the GLVC, including a 4-0 mark under current ISU head coach Dan Muller.
• According to the statistical website KenPom.com that predicts home court advantages based off of an algorythm, Redbird Arena is the fifth-toughest place to play in the country with a home court advantage of 4.4.
• Illinois State has won its last seven overtime games, the third-longest such streak in the country behind Marquette (10) and Harvard (8).
• Since Dan Muller has taken over as head coach, Illinois State has the best record within the state of Illinois (141-100).
• Under head coach Dan Muller, Illinois State is 47-29 all-time in games that are within five points at the end of regulation. ISU is 26-11 in such games over the last four seasons.
• Five times in the last six seasons Illinois State has bettered its preseason MVC poll prediction.
• Dan Muller is one of 38 head coaches in NCAA Division I to be coaching at their alma maters, and on that list, he ranks eighth with 140 victories.
 

SCOUTING THE PRAIRIE STARS

Illinois Springfield comes into the game after seeing its five-game season-opening win streak snapped at the hands of Northwest Missouri State by a 91-56 final score.

In the game, the Prairie Stars got 16 points each from Daniel Soetan and Chase Robinson, whle Matt Wendling scored 10. Soetan pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a team-best two assists, and grabbed two steals - also leading the team.

UIS averages 13.6 three-point baskets per game, the third-highest total in NCAA Division II, while the team's three-point percentage stands as the 10th-highest total in Division II.

Five players average in double-figure scoring for the Prairie Stars, led by Soetan who pours in 17.8 points per game. Robinson averages 16.5 points per game, while Matt Wendling (12.7), Jesus Castillo (11.8), and Keymonta Johnson (11.2) all average at least 10 points per game. Johnson pulls down a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game, as he and Soetan have each dished out 18 assists to lead the team. 

Soetan leads the team with 11 steals and seven blocked shots, as he has also made 52 percent of his shots on the season.
 

PRESEASON STRONG

Of Illinois State's 11 non-conference opponents, seven were picked to finish inside of their top four of the conference preseason polls, including Belmont and Western Kentucky who were each picked to win their conferences. Below is a list of where the ISU opponents were picked to finish this season.

FAMILIAR FACE

Current Illinois State reserve guard Lijah Donnelly played his first two seasons at UIS. Donnelly played in 55 games over two seasons for the Prairie Stars with 22 starts. He averaged 8.3 points per game over two seasons, while dishing out 125 assists.
 

BIG OFF OF THE BENCH

Against UCF, ISU guard Dedric Boyd scored 22 points off of the bench. In current head coach Dan Muller's tenure, only four other times has someone scored more than 22 points in a reserve role. 

TEAMING UP OFF OF THE BENCH

Behind three double-digit scorers off of the bench against UCF, Illinois State's 51 points from non-starters marks the highest such total in head coach Dan Muller's tenure at Illinois State. Below are the top-10 reserve scoring totals in the last eight seasons.