Redbirds Start MVC Play at Belmont

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The 2024-25 MVC season opens on Wednesday evening when the Illinois State Redbirds travel to Nashville to take on the Belmont Bruins in each programs' only pre-holiday MVC contest.

QUICK HITTERS

• Illinois State guard Johnny Kinziger has four blocked shots this season, which is the third-most in the country for players under six feet. Only Longwood's Kyrell Luc and Siena's Justice Shoats (each with six) have more
• Illinois State's win against UAB was the program's third game in a four-game stretch where the Redbird opponent was picked as the preseason favorite in their conference: Ohio (Mid-American Conference), McNeese (Southland Conference), and UAB (American Athletic Conference). In those games, the Redbirds went 2-1.
• 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.
• This season in the NCAA, Jack Daugherty ranks 199th in three-point field goal makes per game, which is the 10th-best total by a freshman in the country. 
• The Redbirds rank 19th in the NCAA this season in free throw percentage, making 79.7 percent of their free tries, while the team also ranks 53rd in the country in three-point field goal percentage, making 37.7 percent of their attempts.
• Against McNeese, the Redbirds saw six different players reach double-figure scoring, the first time that an ISU squad had more than five double-figure scorers since the team had 10 against NCAA Division III foe Greenville on December 2, 2021.
• 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. His total is tied for the seventh-most in a game in the NCAA this season.
• 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 a team has done it against a Division I opponent.
• Illinois State sophomores Johnny Kinziger and Ty Pence have each made 22-of-24 free tries this season, which is the 40th-best free throw percentage in the country.
• In the season-opener, Illinois State freshman Jack Daugherty made five three-pointers, 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. In the team's fourth game he tied the single-game school record with eight makes against Trinity Christian, while also attempting 15 three-pointers - also tying the single-game school record in the process.
• 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.

SCOUTING BELMONT

Belmont comes into the MVC opener for each squad riding a two-game win streak with wins over Tulane and Gardner-Webb.

In the win over Gardner-Webb, Belmont had four players reach double-figure scoring, led by 15 points from Tyler Lundblade off the bench. Drew Scharnowski and Carter Whitt each scored 11 points, while Isaiah Walker added 10. Jonathan Pierre pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, while also dishing out a game-high five assists.

For the season the Bruins have five players averaging double-figure scoring, led by Lundblade, who averages 12.1 per game. Brody Peebles and Pierre each average 11.6, while Whitt and Walker average 11.0 and 10.9, respectively. Pierre's 7.0 rebounds per game lead the team, while Walker's 29 assists pace the squad.

.610 OR BETTER, TWICE 

This season in college basketball, there have been 53 games in which a school has had a field goal percentage of .610 or higher. Of those 53, Illinois State has two, and is one of two schools to appear in that group of 53 twice, along with MVC brethren Murray State and Northern Colorado.

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 seven games of the season, ISU ranks 19th in the country in free throw percentage, making 79.7 percent (98-of-123) 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.

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.

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.

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.

SHORT BLOCKS

Through the first seven games of the 2024-25 season, Illinois State sophomore Johnny Kinziger is one of five players in NCAA Division I basketball who have at least four blocked shots while being shorter than 6-0. Kinziger ranks third in the country among the five-footers in total blocks.

FRESHMEN FROM DEEP 

Illinois State freshman Jack Daugherty ranks 199th in the NCAA in three-pointers made per game, and is tied for the 10th-most among freshmen inside the country. 

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.