Illinois State Hosts Sycamores, Taste of Redbirds, on Saturday

NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State hosts the Indiana State Sycamores on Saturday afternoon, as the day will also feature Taste of Redbirds, and a special National Anthem performed by Jim Cornelison.

GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (7-16, 2-9 MVC) vs. Indiana State Sycamores (14-8, 7-4 MVC)
When: Saturday, February 8
Tip-Off: 7 p.m.
Location: Normal, Illinois
Arena: Redbird Arena
TV: NBC Sports Chicago+
    Kurt Pegler, play-by-play
    Bob Morris, analyst
Radio: WJBC 93.7 & 1230 AM
    Dick Luedke, play-by-play
    Mike Matthews, analyst

QUICK HITTERS

• DJ Horne and Abdou Ndiaye rank inside of the top-10 in school history among freshmen in three-point field goal percentage (Horne), three-pointers made (Horne), and blocked shots (Ndiaye).
• Illinois State has twice had a +12 assist/turnover margin in a game this season, which is tied for the sixth-most in a game over the last 20 seasons.
• With his 32-point, 7-assist, 8-three-point field goals, 0-turnover game against Drake, Illinois State senior Zach Copeland became one of just three NCAA Division I student-athletes since 2010-11 to have similar numbers. His three-point makes tied a school record, and is one of just three players this season with games of 30-points, 7-assists, and 0-turnovers.
• Illinois State's defense has forced opponents to use 19.2 seconds per possession, which is the highest total in the country this season. Additionally, it is the second-highest in Division I basketball since the 2015-16 season.
• This season Illinois State has had eight different players lead the team in scoring, which is the second-highest such total in the MVC this season.
• Dan Muller is one of 38 head coaches in the country this season that are coaching at their alma maters, and on that list he has the eighth-most victories. Leading that list include Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Matt Painter (Purdue), and Bob Huggins (West Virginia).
• Illinois State has used 10 different starting lineup combinations this season.
• Illinois State has won its last seven overtime games, the second-longest overtime win streak in the country, behind only Florida State's nine-game overtime win streak.
• Illinois State freshmen DJ Horne and Antonio Reeves have combined to account for six of the top 11 single-game scoring efforts by a freshman in the Dan Muller era.
• As a student-athlete, current ISU head coach Dan Muller averaged 10.6 points per game against Indiana State.
• Keith Fisher III is the reigning MVC Newcomer of the Week, the first time this season that a Redbird has earned a Newcomer of the Week award, and the second time a member of the team has earned an MVC award (joining Zach Copeland who was named Player of the Week on Nov. 11).
• Illinois State is 21-12 all-time on February 8, and is 2-2 against the Sycamores on games played on the date.
• Zach Copeland ranks 32nd in the country in three-point field goal percentage, while his 2.7 three-pointers made per game ranks 54th among all Division I student-athletes.

SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES

Indiana State comes into the meeting of the two programs riding a four-game win streak with home wins over Bradley, Drake, and Loyola Chicago, and a road win at Missouri State. 

In the team's last game, a 68-39 win over the Loyola Ramblers, the Sycamores were led by 18 points from Tyreke Key and a 15-point, 12-rebound effort from freshman forward Jake LaRavia. Christian Williams and Cameron Bacote each scored 10 as the Sycamores had four players in double-figure scoring, while holding Loyola without a single double-digit scorer. The Sycamores out-rebounded Loyola 37-to-22 in the game, while LaRavia also led the team with four assists. 

This season Indiana State has two players - Key and Jordan Barnes - averaging in double-figure scoring, with Key averaging 17.0 and Barnes 12.3. Two others - LaRavia (8.9) and Cooper Neese (8.5) are just off the double-figure pace, with Tre Williams (7.7) close behind. 

LaRavia pulls down a team-best 5.7 rebounds per game, with Key standing second on the team with 5.1 rebounds per contest. Barnes, with 83 assists, has nearly twice as many than the net highest player on the team (Key with 43) while also leading the team with 37 steals. Tre Williams and LaRavia are dueling for the team blocked shots title with 26 and 25 blocked shots, apiece.

YOUNG STATS

This season, Illinois State freshmen DJ Horne and Abdou Ndiaye have climbed into the top-10 in program history in a trio of categories, as Horne currently is tied for the best single-season three-point percentage by a freshman, most three-point field goals by a freshman, and most blocked shots by a freshman.

BIG RATIO

Against Evansville on Jan. 29, Illinois State has a +12 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is tied - along with its +12 margin against Drake earlier this season - for the sixth-best such ratio in the last 20 years. 

LOW TURNOVERS

For a second time this season, Illinois State committed just six turnovers in a game, the second time on Wednesday, Jan. 29 against Evansville. The two games are tied for the third-fewest turnovers in a game under head coach Dan Muller. The Muller-era-low for turnovers in a game is four against Drake on Jan. 3, 2016.

RARE AIR

When Zach Copeland had his big game against Drake (32 points, seven assists, eight three-point field goals, and no turnovers), he became one of just three NCAA Division I student-athletes since 2010-11 to have similar numbers.

LOW HALF SCORING

When Illinois State held Southern Illinois to just 17 first-half points, it was tied for the third-lowest scoring half for an MVC opponent this season. Only Missouri State has given up fewer points in a half when they held both Arkansas State and Valparaiso to 16 points in games this season.

Over the last 20 seasons, there have been 48 instances in which the Redbirds held an opponent to fewer than 20 points in a half, including 11 points in the first half against Indiana State during the 2003-04 season. Below are the 15 lowest single-half scores since the turn of the century.

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. 

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 17 players in NCAA Division I that have scored at least 30 points with seven assists in a game, and just three of those did it with no turnovers.

GETTING DEFENSIVE AT LENGTH

This season Illinois State opponents average an offensive possession length of 19.3 seconds. That time is the longest defensive possession length in the country. The Redbirds trail just Washington (19.3). Below are the 10 longest defensive possession lengths in the country according to the basketball stat analysis site KenPom.