ISU Returns Home for Rivalry Game with Braves

NORMAL, Ill. - After nearly a month without a home game, the Illinois State Redbirds return home on Sunday evening, when the squad hosts its I-74 rival Bradley.

QUICK HITTERS

• Illinois State's 5.9 blocked shot per game average puts it 13th in the country in the category, and on pace to break the school record (5.2 blocks per game)
• Illinois State redshirt junior forward Sy Chatman was named the MVC Player of the Week on January 3.
• Antonio Reeves and Josiah Strong are two of just 19 student-athletes in the country to rank inside of the top-40 in both three-point makes per game and three-point percentage. 
• Josiah Strong's 48.0 three-point percentage is on pace to be the fourth-best single-season shooting mark in program history, and currently ranks eighth in the country.
• Antonio Reeves ranks 13th in NCAA Division I in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game. 
• Reeves has scored 865 career points, which puts him 63rd in school history, and just three points away from climbing into sole possession of 62nd in school history.
• Reeves has scored in double figures in all 16 games this season, which is the 13th-longest such streak to open a season in program history. He is the only player in the MVC to have scored in double-figures in every game of this season.
• Illinois State has had five different players score at least 20 points in a single game this season, which is tied for the highest such total in the MVC this season.
• Illinois State head basketball coach Dan Muller is one of 44 head coaches in the country this season to be the head coach at their alma mater. His 164 coaching wins at Illinois State is the sixth-most among that group of coaches.
• The Redbirds' four overtime games are tied for the most in the country this season.
• The Illinois State trio of Antonio Reeves, Sy Chatman, and Josiah Strong combine to average 49.2 points per game, which is on pace to be the sixth-highest three-person scoring total in MVC history.
• Illinois State is 7-1 this season when shooting as well or better than its opponent.
• Antonio Reeves' 332 points through the first 16 games of a season are the eighth-most over the first 16 games of a season in program history.

SCOUTING THE BRAVES

On Wednesday night Bradley snapped a three-game losing skid with a 79-47 win over the Evansville Aces, as the Braves led for 36:27 of game-time and didn't trail after the first media timeout.

Rienk Mast scored a game-high 23 points with 13 rebounds for the double-double, while Terry Roberts flirted with a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Bradley out-rebounded Evansville 47-to-26, while making 9-of-16 shots from long range. 

This season Bradley has three players averaging in double-figure scoring, led by Roberts' 15.5 point per game average. Ja'Shon Henry, who has only played in 10 games this year and has not played in any of the team's last six contests. Malevy Leons averages 10.9 points per game as the third player averaging in double figures, while Mast is near the plateau with a 9.7 rebound per game average.

Mast leads the Braves with an 8.1 rebound per game average, while Leons (5.8), Henry (5.1), and Roberts (5.0) all averaging at least five rebounds per game. Roberts' 74 assists and 28 steals lead the team, while Mikey Howell has dished out 57 assists. Leons' 22 blocked shots are the high mark on the team, with Bradley blocking 84 shots on the season with 115 total assists. 

SENDING AWAY

This season through 16 games, the Illinois State Redbirds rank 13th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game, averaging 5.9 per contest. The Illinois State school record for blocked shots in a season is 171 (5.2 per game)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

On Monday, January 3, Illinois State forward Sy Chatman was named the MVC Player of the Week, his first collegiate Player of the Week honor. On the week, Chatman averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, making 62 percent of his shots from the field and 76.5 percent of his free throw tries. He scored 22 points at nationally-ranked Wisconsin, and followed that with 23 points against Valparaiso. 
 

HIGH MAKES AND PERCENTAGE

Illinois State guards Antonio Reeves and Josiah Strong are two of just 19 student-athletes across NCAA Division I to rank inside of the top 40 in both three point field goals made per game and three-point field goal percentage. Reeves and Strong are the only teammates among the 19 in that list, as Reeves ranks 32nd in three-point field goals made and 32nd in percentage, while Strong ranks 39th in makes per game and eighth in percentage.

SPECIAL GAME STATS

Against UTSA, Illinois State guard Antonio Reeves scored 21 points with a career-high 10 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double. He also gave out four assists while making three three-point baskets. That stat line has only been duplicated by 12 other players in NCAA Division I this season, with 10 others doing it against a NCAA Division I foe.

BIG NUMBERS

With 16 games played into the 2021-22 season, Illinois State's Antonio Reeves ranks 13th in NCAA Division I in points per game, averaging 20.8 per contest.

MILESTONE WATCH

Now 16 games into the 2021-22 season, Antonio Reeves is rising through the Illinois State career record book. Reeves is 135 points away from becoming Illinois State's 46th member of the 1,000-point club.

FIRST 16-GAMES SCORING START

In Illinois State men's basketball history since 1964-65, there had been just 15 players (listed below) who had eclipsed the 300-point scoring plateau by their 16th game of the season. ISU guard Antonio Reeves became the 16th member of that group, and has scored 332 points, ninth-best in program history through 16 games.