Redbirds Return Home to Battle In-State Foe Loyola Chicago

NORMAL, Ill. - Following back-to-back road games at Indiana State and Drake, the Illinois State Redbirds return to Redbird Arena for a Sunday afternoon battle with in-state foe Loyola Chicago in a 3 p.m. tip-off on Doug Collins Court.

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (6-11, 1-4 MVC) vs. Loyola Chicago Ramblers (12-6, 4-1 MVC)
When: Sunday, Jan. 19
Tip-Off: 3 p.m.
Location: Normal, Illinois
Arena: Redbird Arena
TV: ESPNU
    Robert Lee, play-by-play
    Kevin Lehman, analyst
Radio: WJBC 93.7 & 1230 AM
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst

QUICK HITTERS

• With his game of 32 points and 7 assists against Drake, Illinois State senior guard Zach Copeland became the 11th player in Division I this season to have a game of 30+ points and 7+ assists, and one of just two to do it with no turnovers.
• Copeland's eight three-pointers made tied with four other former Redbird student-athletes for the most in a game in Illinois State history. The total ties him for the most in the MVC this season, and tied for the 10th-most in a game in MVC history.
• On defense, Illinois State has forced its opponents to use an average of 19.2 seconds per possession, which is the second-longest such total in Division I this season, behind only the Washington Huskies.
• Copeland's big game against Drake has his numbers as the first Redbird student-athlete to reach the 30+ point, 7+ assist plateau since Tarise Bryson accomplished the feat with 40 points and 8 assists against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 22, 1999.
• Illinois State committed just six turnovers against the Drake Bulldogs, which is the fewest in a game since the 'Birds also committed six against Loyola in the championship game of the 2018 MVC Tournament. To find a lower turnover total in a game you have to go back to Jan. 3, 2016 where the team had four turnovers on the road at Drake.
• When Redbird freshman DJ Horne scored 22 points against UNI on Dec. 31, it marked the most points by a freshman under head coach Dan Muller in his eight seasons as head coach. 
• Illinois State has had eight different players lead the team in scoring during a game, the highest-such total in the MVC this season, as the next-highest total by one of the 10 schools is six by Bradley.
• Illinois State has used eight different starting lineup combinations this season.
• The Sunday game will feature the two schools with the most victories and highest winning percentage in the state of Illinois.
• Illinois State has won its last seven overtime games, which is tied for the third-longest such streak in the country, behind only Harvard (10) and Florida State (8) and tied with Kent State.
• Illinois State has the sixth-best home court advantage according to KenPom, and the 'Birds are 94-26 at home under head coach Dan Muller.
• Dan Muller is one of 38 head coaches in NCAA Division I this season who are coaching at their alma mater, and of that list, he has the eighth-most wins. Leading the list of 38 includes Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Matt Painter (Purdue) and Bob Huggins (West Virginia).
• Illinois State is 19-9 all-time on January 19 and have won five of its last six games on the date.

SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS

Loyola comes into the Sunday meeting riding a two-game win streak, and in a tie for the top spot in the MVC with a 4-1 conference record. 

In the team's last game, a 64-48 win over Southern Illinois, freshman Marquise Kennedy scored a game-high 17 points off of the bench as he made half of his 12 shots in the game, including 2-of-3 from long range. Tate Hall scored 16 points while Keith Clemons added 13 points. Cameron Krutwig had a balanced game with eight points while leading the team with eight rebounds and five assists.

For the season, Krutwig leads the team in scoring (15.6 ppg), rebounding (7.9 rpg), assists (79), and blocked shots (17). Hall stands second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game and a team-high 28 steals and 28 three-pointers made, while Kennedy is just off of the double-figure pace averaging 9.7 points per contest. 

BIG PRODUCTION

On the road at Drake, Illinois State senior Zach Copeland put up quite the stats line in which he scored 32 points, dished out seven assists, and had zero turnovers. This season there have been just 11 players in NCAA Division I that have scored at least 30 points with seven assists in a game, and just two of those did it with no turnovers.

SCHOOL RECORD FROM DISTANCE

With his eight three-point baskets against Drake, Illinois State senior Zach Copeland made eight three-point baskets, which ties the Illinois State single-game record, and is tied for the 10th-most in a game in MVC history. Below is the three-point single-game record list for makes in a game.

GETTING DEFENSIVE AT LENGTH

This season Illinois State opponents average an offensive possession length of 19.2 seconds. That time is the second-longest defensive possession length in the country. The Redbirds trail just Washington (19.2). Below are the 10 longest defensive possession lengths in the country according to the basketball stat analysis site KenPom.

FIRST TIME IN TWO DECADES

When Zach Copeland had a 32-point, 7-assist game against Drake, it was the first time for Illinois State that a student-athlete had at least 30-points and 7 assists since Tarise Bryson had a 40-point, 8-assist game against the Miami Hurricanes in the final game of San Juan Shootout on Dec. 22, 1999. Bryson, like Copeland, also made eight three-point field goals as the Redbirds picked up an 87-78 win over the Hurricanes. 

LOW TURNOVERS

On Thursday, Jan. 16, the Illinois State Redbirds committed just six turnovers in an 84-74 loss at Drake. That was the fewest turnovers in a game since the 'Birds had just six in the championship game of the 2018 MVC Tournament. To find a game with a lower ISU turnover total you have to go back to Jan. 3, 2016 when the team committed just four turnovers - also in a game on the road in Des Moines against the Drake Bulldogs.

FRESHMAN SCORING

This season Illinois State has a pair of freshmen in Antonio Reeves and DJ Horne have climbed into the top-10 in the Dan Muller-coached era for single-game points for a freshman. Reeves' 15 points at TCU stands tied for the ninth-best single-game scoring total under head coach Dan Muller, and his 16 against Missouri State stands seventh. Horne's 22 points against UNI is the most that a freshman has scored that many points in a game under Muller, while his 18 against Indiana State stands third.

SPACING OUT THE LEADERS

This year through 17 games of the season, Illinois State has had eight different players lead the team in scoring (Zach Copeland, Dedric Boyd, Ricky Torres, Rey Idowu, Keith Fisher III, DJ Horne, Jaycee Hillsman, and Antonio Reeves), which is the highest-such total in the MVC this season. The Redbirds also have had eight different players lead the team in assists and seven lead the team in rebounding, which are either tied for the highest mark in the conference, or second-best. Below are the teams in the MVC and the total number of different leading scorers, rebounders, and assist leaders each has had this season.