ISU Opens Play in the Virgin Islands Against McNeese

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands - The Illinois State Redbirds look to extend their three-game win streak on Friday afternoon, when the squad opens play at the 2024 Paradise Jam against the McNeese Cowboys at 2 p.m. (CT).

QUICK HITTERS

• ISU guard Dalton Banks is the first college basketball player since the 2022-23 season to finish perfect from the field with at least six attempts, perfect from three, and perfect from the charity stripe, while being 6-2 or shorter. The last person to do it was Tommie Lewis of Texas A&M Commerce on December 27, 2022.
• Through three games of the season, the Redbirds have made 84.4 percent of their charity stripe attempts, which is the third-highest total in NCAA Division I this season.
• With his eight three-point baskets against Trinity Christian, freshman Jack Daugherty tied the school single-game makes record, and is one of two freshmen in the country this season with eight three-point makes in a game.
• Against Ohio on November 12, the Redbirds made 61.2 percent of their field goal attempts, 52.6 percent from long range, and 93.8 percent from the free throw line. That is the only time this season in the country that a school has had those same numbers, and just the 32nd time since 2002 against a Division I opponent.
• In ISU's win over North Dakota State, the Redbirds committed just five turnovers, which is tied for the fifth-fewest in a game in program history.
• In the season-opener, Illinois State freshman Jack Daugherty made five three-pointers in the season-opener, which is the fifth-most in a game by a freshman in program history, and the second-most by a freshman on the opening day of NCAA basketball.
• On October 13, Redbird basketball legend Doug Collins was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone associated with the game of basketball. Collins had played and worked in basketball at almost every level including being an All-American at Illinois State, an NBA top overall draft pick, an Olympian in 1972, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, coaching the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards, and an NBA and Olympic broadcaster for ABC/ESPN, CBS, NBC, TNT, and TBS.
• Johnny Kinziger was recently named to the Bracketeer.org All-America Watch List.
• When Brandon Lieb joined the squad for the 2023-24 season, the incoming transfer became the tallest player in program history. At 7-0 without shoes, and 7-1 with, he is one of just seven players in program history who have been 7-0 (or taller). 
• The Illinois State men's basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, with voters in the poll consisting of school's media, SIDs, and head coaches. Johnny Kinziger was named to the First Team, while Malachi Poindexter was picked on the second team.
• This season there are five different Redbirds from the state of Wisconsin, which is tied for the third-most Cheese-state basketballers for a Division I school this season. Only Milwaukee and Green Bay have more Wisconsin natives on their team.
• The Redbirds have six student-athletes that are in their fifth year of eligibility (due to the season that didn't count towards eligibility), and that total is the fifth-most five-year players in the country this season.

SCOUTING McNEESE

McNeese, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, comes into the opening day of the Paradise Jam with an even 2-2 mark with wins over Biblical Studies and North Texas and losses to South Dakota State and Alabama.

In the team's most recent game, a 68-61 win over North Texas on Monday evening, the Cowboys were led by Sincere Parker who scored a game-high 18 points while adding a pair of rebounds, while Quadir Copeland scored 11 with five boards. Joe Charles flirted with a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, while adding five of the team's 11 steals in the game. Omar Cooper dished out a team-best four assists, while Christian Shumate had a quartet of blocked shots.

This season Alyn Breed leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game; however, has missed the most recent two contests. Parker averages 15.5 points per game on the season, while Javohn Garcia is also in double-figures at 12.0 points per game. Charles is the team rebounding leader, pulling down 7.5 per contest, while Cooper's 17 assists pace the team. Shumate has a team-leading six blocked shots, while Charles' 11 steals are also most on the team.

.610 OR BETTER, TWICE 

This season in college basketball, there have been 34 games in which a school has had a field goal percentage of .610 or higher. Of those 34, Illinois State has two, and is one of two schools to appear in that group of 34 two times, along with MVC brethren Murray State.

LARGE MARGINS 

Against Trinity Christian on Sunday, November 17, the Redbirds out-scored the Trolls by 55 points, which is the fifth-largest scoring margin in a game in program history.

ALL-AROUND PERCENTAGES

On Tuesday, November 12, the Illinois State men's basketball team made 61.2 percent of its field goal tries, 52.6 percent from long range, and 93.8 percent from the free throw line. It is the first time this season in the NCAA that a school has had those three percentages in the same game, and just the 35th time since 2002 that a school has done it - just 32 times against NCAA Division I opponents. The last time a school from the MVC accomplished the feat was in 2016 when Northern Iowa did it against Drake.

BIG POINTS 

Behind a career-high 28 points against Trinity Christian, Illinois State freshman Jack Daugherty scored the seventh-most points by a freshman in program history. He is joined on that list by teammate Johnny Kinziger, who scored 31 points against nationally-ranked Indiana State last season, which is tied for the second-most freshman points in school history.

STRONG NEW CLASS

With four signees, the Illinois State men's basketball recruiting class for the 2025 season was ranked 60th in the country according to the 247sports.com team ranking. ISU added forward Nick Allen, guard/forward Isaac Ericksen, and guards Tyreek Coleman and Mason Klabo. Allen, a 6-11 forward from Bradley-Bourbonnais HS, has a national 247sports ranking of 277, and is the top-rated center in the state of Illinois. He was named First Team All-State as a junior. Ericksen, a 6-9 guard/forward from Green Level HS in Cary, North Carolina, was named Second Team All-State as a junior, and is the 13th-rated prospect inside North Carolina. Coleman, a 6-2 guard from Waubonsie Valley HS, was named Third Team All-State as a junior. Klabo, a 6-1 guard from Fargo Davies HS in Fargo, North Dakota, was named First Team All-State three times heading into his senior season, as he is within grasp of the North Dakota boys basketball all-time scoring record.

PUTTING THE FREE IN FREE THROW

Two seasons after finishing as the national runner-up in team free throw percentage, the Redbirds are at it again, and through four games of the season, ISU ranks third in the country in free throw percentage, making 84.4 percent (54-of-64) of their free tries for the season.

STRONG WITH THE BALL

In the team's nine-point win over North Dakota State, the Redbirds committed just five turnovers, which is tied for the fifth-fewest in a game in program history. The last time an ISU squad had five or fewer turnovers was on January 21, 2022 against Evansville.

OFFENSIVELY REBOUNDING

This season, Illinois State sophomore forward Chase Walker has pulled down 11 offensive rebounds over the first three games of the season, which puts him into a tie for 32nd-most in the country this season.

BIG FRESHMAN MAKES

With two big games within his first four contests as a Redbird, Illinois State freshman Jack Daugherty is quickly etching his name into the school record books. He opened his career by making five three-point baskets in his career-opener, which (at the time) was the fourth-most in a game in school history. In his fourth game he tied both the freshman and overall school record by making eight three-point baskets against Trinity Christian. The eight makes are tied for the most this season in the NCAA by a freshman (along with Drexel's Horace Simmons) and are tied for the 14th-most in a game in MVC history.

HALL OF FAMER DOUG COLLINS

On October 13, Redbird basketball legend Doug Collins was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone associated with the game of basketball. Collins had played and worked in basketball at almost every level including being an All-American at Illinois State, an NBA top overall draft pick, an Olympian in 1972, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, coaching the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Washington Wizards, and an NBA and Olympic broadcaster for ABC/ESPN, CBS, NBC, TNT, and TBS. He was joined in the 2024 Hall of Fame class by 12 others including: Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Seimone Augustus, Bo Ryan, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Charles Smith, Dick Barnett, Harley Redin, Michele Timms, Jerry West, and Herb Simon.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

When Illinois State hosts the UT Martin Skyhawks on Monday for the season opener, it will mark the only time during the Redbirds' 2024-25 season where both teams will have mascots are fowl. This season ISU plays one bird (UT Martin Skyhawks), three large land animals (North Dakota State Bison, Belmont Bruins, Missouri State Bears), three from the feline family (Ohio Bobcats, Pacific Tigers, Northern Iowa Panthers), three canines (Northern Illinois Huskies, Southern Illinois Salukis, Drake Bulldogs), four people-based (McNeese Cowboys, Murray State Racers, Evansville Aces, Bradley Braves), and six more from who knows what category they fall into (Trinity Christian Trolls, Saint Louis Billikins, Cornell Big Red, UIC Flames, Indiana State Sycamores, Valparaiso Beacons), but no other aviary creatures.

ALL-AMERICA WATCH LIST

On Thursday, October 31, Illinois State sophomore guard Johnny Kinziger was named to the Bracketeer.org All-American watch list. Eligible conferences for the first-year award include: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, CAA, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ivy League, MAAC, MAC, MEAC, MVC, NEC, OVC, Patriot League, SoCon, Southland, SWAC, Summit League, Sun Belt, WAC. The 2025 Bracketeer.Org Non-Power Conference Player of the Year will be announced in the final week of March, 2025. 

ONE OF A FEW SEVEN-FOOTERS

When Brandon Lieb joined the squad for the 2023-24 season, the incoming transfer became the tallest player in program history. At 7-0 without shoes, and 7-1 with, he is one of just seven players in program history who have been 7-0 (or taller). 

FIRST TIME IN THE STATE

On November 7, the Redbirds will play against North Dakota State in Fargo, North Dakota. The game will be the first-ever played in the state in program history. There are just nine other states where ISU has never played a men's basketball game, including Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Additionally, ISU has played in the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

PRESEASON POLL

The Illinois State men's basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, with voters in the poll consisting of school's media, SIDs, and head coaches. Johnny Kinziger was named to the First Team, while Malachi Poindexter was picked on the second team.

CHEESE STATE OVERFLOW

This season there are five different Redbirds from the state of Wisconsin - Jack Daugherty, Dalton Banks, Jordan Davis, Johnny Kinziger, and Caden Boser, which is tied for the third-most Cheese-state basketballers for a Division I school this season. Only Milwaukee and Green Bay - who each have six student-athletes from Wisconsin - have more Wisconsin natives on their team. Below are the five schools with five or more student-athletes from the state.