Redbirds Open 2023 Arch Madness Against Panthers

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -  The 2023 Arch Madness Basketball Tournament opens play on Thursday at noon, with the Illinois State Redbirds facing off against the Northern Iowa Panthers inside the Enterprise Center.

QUICK HITTERS

• There are 60 current NCAA student-athletes who have had at least 20 assists, 20 blocks, and 20 steals in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. Two of them - Illinois State's Kendall Lewis, Missouri State's Donovan Clay, and Bradley's Malevy Leons - are the only ones in the MVC to have done it in each the last two seasons.
• Kendall Lewis is one of 41 players in the country - and the only one in the MVC - to have two or more double-doubles in games when they are coming off the bench
• Illinois State's Kendall Lewis and Bradley's Rienk Mast each have eight double-doubles this season, which is tied for the second-most in the MVC, behind only UNI's Tytan Anderson's 11.
• The Redbirds are tied for second in NCAA Division I in free throw percentage, making 79.5 percent of their free tries during the season.
• Darius Burford has made 48.9 percent of his field goal tries during the season, which is the ninth-highest in the country among players that are 6-2 or shorter. 
• Illinois State senior forward Kendall Lewis is one of eight players in NCAA Division I with at least 22 blocks, 41 assists, 44 steals and 330 points this season.
• Since he started wearing a protective mask due to an orbital bone fracture, Darius Burford has been averaging 16.8 points per game while dishing out over three assists, making 52.8 percent of his field goal tries, and 41.43 percent from long range. 
• Redbird guard Malachi Poindexter has made 52-of-55 free throws this season and is one of just six players in the country to have made 92.5 percent of their free throws with at least 40 makes.
• Illinois State seventh leading scorer (Liam McChesney) averages 6.7 points per game, which is the third-highest seventh-leading scorer in the MVC this season.
• Illinois State guard Seneca Knight has scored 1,336 career collegiate points, which is the 206th-highest active career total in NCAA Division I.
• ISU guard Darius Burford is just 16 points away from 1,000 collegiate points, while Kendall Lewis is 27 away from the milestone.
• Since 1992 there have been nine times where a Redbird student-athlete has scored at least 300 points with 225 rebounds, including Kendall Lewis who is putting up those numbers for ISU this season.
• Sunday's game will be the ninth game this season for Illinois State against schools with Purple among their school colors. Those nine games are the most in a season in school history heading into the MVC Tournament on Thursday.
 

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

Northern Iowa comes into the opening game of the 2023 Arch Madness having dropped eight of its last nine games, including a season-ending 83-75 home loss to Belmont on Sunday.

Against the Bruins, the Panthers were led by a team-high 21 points off the bench from Landon Wolf, while Michael Duax scored 12 and Bowen Born 11. Duax and Trey Campbell each pulled down a team-high eight reboundes, while Campbell also dished out a team-best three assists.

For the year UNI has two active players - Bowen Born (17.2) and Tytan Anderson (12.6) averaging in double-figures, with Michael Duax just off the pace at 9.8 points per game. Anderson's 8.8 rebounds per game leads the MVC, as the Panthers out-rebound their opponents by an average of 0.3 per game. Born's 79 assists lead the team, while Anderson leads the team with 41 steals and 14 blocked shots. 

BIG MAKES FROM THE SMALL

During the 2022-23 season, Illinois State guard Darius Burford has made 48.9 percent of his shots during the season, which is the ninth-highest percentage in the country among players 6-2 or shorter, based on the NCAA minimum for the stat, which is five made baskets per game, and having played in 75 percent of his team's games.

PUTTING THE FREE IN FREE THROWS

This season, having made 412 of 518 free throws, Illinois State ranks second  in NCAA Division I in the category. There have been just 21 schools in NCAA Division I history to finish a season with a free throw percentage at .800 or better. The school record for season free throw percentage is .775 from the 2001-02 season and the MVC record is .797 set by Missouri State in 2021-22.

STRONG OVERALL NUMBERS

Later in the notes we talk about how last season ISU forward Kendall Lewis had one of just four total seasons in program history with 30+ blocks, steals, and assists. Lewis is back to his same tricks this season, as he is one of 180 players in the country with at least 20 assists, steals and blocks. Additionally, he is one of just nine players in NCAA Division I with at least 22 blocks, 44 steals, and 42 assists, while scoring at least 330 points.

NEAR PERFECTION

This season Illinois State guard Malachi Poindexter has made 52-of-55 tries from the charity stripe. That gives him a percentage of .945, which is the second-highest in the country for student-athletes with at least 50 made free throws.

BIG CAREER NUMBERS

Illinois State's Seneca Knight has scored 1,310 career points over his collegiate career, which ranks as the 212nd-highest active career scoring total in NCAA Division I.

CLIMBING NEAR MILESTONES

Earlier this season Illinois State fifth-year guard Seneca Knight scored the 1,000th point of his collegiate career. Two other Redbirds - Kendall Lewis and Darius Burford - are climbing towards the milestone during their college careers - each of which have included time at other schools - Lewis at Appalachian State and Burford at Elon. Burford needs 16 to reach the milestone while Lewis needs 27.

STRONG COMPANY

Since 1992 an Illinois State Redbird has scored at least 330 points with at least 225 rebounds nine times, including this season with Kendall Lewis putting up those numbers. Joining Lewis on that list is Rico Hill (1996-97 and 1997-98), Baboucarr Bojang (2001-02), Dinma Odiakosa (2009-10), Jackie Carmichael (2011-12 and 2012-13), Deontae Hawkins (2016-17), and Milik Yarbrough (2018-19).

SEVENTH HEAVEN

This season Illinois State has seven different student-athletes averaging near seven points per game and the Redbirds' Colton Sandage has the second-highest scoring average of all the seventh scorers in the conference with a season scoring average of 6.6 points per game (of those who have played in at least half of their team's games).

CONFERENCE PLAY NEAR-PERFECTION

There are nine NCAA Division I student-athletes this season who have made at least 92.5 percent of their free throws (with a minimum of 40 makes) within conference play. Illinois State's Malachi Poindexter has the fourth-highest percentage in the country in conference games and with at least 40 makes, and the highest in the MVC this season.