NORMAL, Ill. - Riding a five-game win streak, including a championship at the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, the Illinois State basketball team returns home to host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels on Wednesday evening inside CEFCU Arena.
QUICK HITTERS
• Over the previous week, the Illinois State Redbirds won their first in-season tournament title since the 2010-11 season, the first outside of Normal, Illinois, since the 2008-09 season, and the 17th all-time in program history
• Over the last four seasons, both the Redbirds and Colonels have played for the CBI Postseason Tournament Title, with Illinois State winning the event last season while EKU was the runner-up in the 2023 tournament
• Through eight games of the season, ISU redshirt senior Landon Wolf is a perfect 8-of-8 at the charity stripe, which is the 49th-most makes without a miss in the country this season
• ISU freshman Ty'Reek Coleman is on a pace with his field goal shooting numbers that only a small handful of freshman in NCAA history have accomplished
• Chase Walker's season free throw percentage — .814 — is the eighth-best among college student-athletes standing 6-9 or taller with at least 35 makes
• Illinois State's 52-point win over Coastal Carolina on November 23 is the 13th-largest margin of victory in the NCAA this season by a NCAA Division I school against a NCAA Division I school
• This season Chase Walker draws an average of 8.6 fouls per 40 minutes of games played, which is the eighth-highest average in the country, after finishing seventh in the same category a year earlier
• ISU held Coastal Carolina to just 42 points in their win on November 23, tied for the fifth-fewest points allowed to a NCAA Division I team this season
• Illinois State has committed just 74 turnovers this season, and their average of 9.3 turnovers per game ranks 14th in the country
• With his 100 points through the first seven games of the season, Ty'Reek Coleman reached the century mark for a season in the second-fastest time frame in program history
• Redbird freshman Ty'Reek Coleman was named the MVC's opening Freshman of the Week after his performances against Ohio and Cornell
• Johnny Kinziger's career free throw percentage of .865 is the 17th-highest active career free throw percentage in NCAA Division I, and 46th-highest among all NCAA divisions
• This season the Redbirds have had 12 runs of eight or more points, including a season-high 21 on November 20 against Rockford
• ISU's Kinziger has the sixth-highest field goal percentage in the country who have played at least 30 minutes per game, and are under 6-0
• The Redbirds are coming off a post-season tournament championship at the Purple CBI hosted in Daytona Beach, Florida
• Illinois State is one of just 15 schools in Division I since 2023-24 to not have had a non-traditional jersey number (jerseys with numbers 6, 7, 8, or 9)
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS
With Illinois State's win at the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, the Redbirds secured their 17th in-season tournament win in program history, the first since 2010-11, and the first outside of Normal since 2008-09.
| Season |
Tournament (record) |
Location |
| 1959-60 |
Ottawa Tournament (3-0) |
Ottawa, Kan. |
| 1965-66 |
Mid-West Invitational (3-0) |
Emporia, Kan. |
| 1968-69 |
Hatter Invitational (2-0) |
Deland, Fla. |
| 1971-72 |
Dominican Holiday Tournament (2-0) |
Racine, Wis. |
| 1975-76 |
Bradley Invitational (2-0) |
Peoria, Ill. |
| 1976-77 |
Connecticut Classic (2-0) |
Hartford, Conn. |
| 1977-78 |
Charlotte Invitational (2-0) |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| 1978-79 |
Illinois State Holiday Festival (2-0) |
Normal, Ill. |
| 1979-80 |
Illinois State Holiday Festival (2-0) |
Normal, Ill. |
| 1984-85 |
American Savings Classic (2-0) |
Stockton, Calif. |
| 1984-85 |
Fleet Classic (2-0) |
Providence, R.I. |
| 1998-99 |
Hawai'i Pacific Shootout (3-0) |
Honolulu, Hawai'i |
| 2008-09 |
SMU Tip-Off Classic (3-0) |
Dallas, Texas |
| 2008-09 |
World Vision Invitational (3-0) |
Normal, Ill. |
| 2009-10 |
Basketball Travelers Classic (3-0) |
Normal, Ill. |
| 2010-11 |
Global Sports Roundball Classic (3-0) |
Normal, Ill. |
| 2025-26 |
Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational (2-0) |
Kissimmee, Fla. |
EARLY PERCENTAGES
This season, Ty'Reek Coleman is of to a fast start, as he is averaging 13.6 points per game while making 55 percent of his shots from the field, 40 percent from long range, and just under 70 percent from the free throw line. Since 1980-81, there have been just ten freshmen to have a scoring average of 13.5, and shooting percentages of .550 (FG), .400 (3FG), and .675 (FT) while playing at least 27 minutes per game.
| Student-Athlete |
School |
Season |
PPG |
FG% |
3FG% |
FT% |
| Bol Bol |
Oregon |
2018-19 |
21.0 |
.561 |
.520 |
.757 |
| Calbert Cheaney |
Indiana |
1989-90 |
17.1 |
.572 |
.490 |
.750 |
| TJ Leaf |
UCLA |
2016-17 |
16.3 |
.617 |
.466 |
.679 |
| Kingston Flemings |
Houston |
2025-26 |
15.3 |
.608 |
.524 |
.714 |
| Tony Mitchell |
North Texas |
2011-12 |
14.7 |
.567 |
.439 |
.739 |
| Charles Bassey |
Western Kentucky |
2018-19 |
14.6 |
.627 |
.450 |
.769 |
| Nick Mayo |
Eastern Kentucky |
2015-16 |
14.5 |
.607 |
.556 |
.802 |
| Melih Tunca |
Penn State |
2025-26 |
13.9 |
.567 |
.474 |
.743 |
| Ty'Reek Coleman |
Illinois State |
2025-26 |
13.6 |
.552 |
.407 |
.686 |
| Brian Mason |
South Carolina State |
2003-04 |
13.5 |
.551 |
.419 |
.737 |
BIG MARGINS
In Sunday's 94-42 win over Coastal Carolina, the 52-point margin of victory is tied for the 11th-largest in NCAA Division I this season against a NCAA Division I opponent. Only Gonzaga (72 vs Southern Utah), Georgia (64 vs Md. Eastern Shore), UConn (64 vs UMass-Lowell), Louisville (59 vs South Carolina State), Illinois (58 vs Jackson State), Duke (58 vs Niagara), Miami (56 vs Delaware State), Duke (55 vs Army), Gonzaga (55 vs Texas Southern), and Arkansas (54 vs Jackson State) have a highest total against a Division I school.
EARLY SEASON PERFECTION
Through the first eight games this season, Landon Wolf is a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line. He is tied for 49th in the country for the most free throws without a miss in the NCAA, as 66 student-athletes are currently perfect at 8-for-8 or better. Three players - Coleton Benson of New Orleans, Jared Frey of UMass Lowell, and Nick Coval of Davidson are each 24-for-24 for the top spot on the list.
CHARITY STRIPE FOR THE BIG
Illinois State forward Chase Walker is making 81.4 percent of his free throws this season (35-of-43), and among players that are at least 6-9, and have made at least 35 free throws, Walker's percentage is tied for the eighth-best in the country.
Â
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Not only was Illinois State's win over Coastal Carolina one of the top scoring margin totals in the NCAA this season, but by holding the Chanticleers to 42 points, it is tied for the eighth-fewest points allowed against a Division I school in the country this season.
| Rk |
Pts |
School |
Opponent |
Date |
| 1 |
29 |
Georgia |
UMES |
11/5/2025 |
| 2 |
37 |
Lafayette |
Ball State |
11/29/2025 |
| 3 |
38 |
Clemson |
New Hampshire |
11/3/2025 |
|
38 |
West Virginia |
Mercyhurst |
11/30/2025 |
| 5 |
41 |
Towson |
Norfolk State |
11/14/2025 |
|
41 |
Miami (Fla.) |
Delaware State |
11/23/2025 |
|
41 |
Presbyterian |
The Citadel |
11/30/2025 |
| 8 |
42 |
Illinois State |
Coastal Carolina |
11/23/2025 |
|
42 |
Duke |
Niagara |
11/21/2025 |
OFF TO A FAST START
Through eight games, Illinois State freshman Ty'Reek Coleman has scored 109 points. Since the 1972-73 season, when the NCAA started allowing freshman to compete again, only two freshman players in program history - Billy Lewis and Tarise Bryson - had scored more points through their first eight games with the program.
| Rk. |
Pts |
Student-Athlete |
Season |
| 1 |
157 |
Tarise Bryson |
1998-99 |
| 2 |
121 |
Billy Lewis |
1974-75 |
| 3 |
109 |
Ty'Reek Coleman |
2025-26 |
| 4 |
99 |
Dan Muller |
1994-95 |
| 5 |
91 |
Hank Cornley |
1980-81 |
Through nine games, the freshman record is 168, as Tarise Bryson opened his Redbird career with a scoring average of 18.7 with Billy Lewis close behind (14.7).
| Rk. |
Pts |
Student-Athlete |
Season |
| 1 |
168 |
Tarise Bryson |
1998-99 |
| 2 |
132 |
Billy Lewis |
1974-75 |
| 3 |
105 |
Hank Cornley |
1980-81 |
| 4 |
104 |
Dan Muller |
1994-95 |
| 5 |
98 |
Markku Larkio |
1998-99 |
FOULED A LOT
A season after ending the season ranked seventh in most fouls drawn per 40 minutes (7.4), Illinois State junior forward Chase Walker is drawing an average of 8.6 fouls per 40 minutes this season, a total that ranks eighth in the country.
| Rk. |
Student-Athlete |
School |
FD / 40 |
| 1 |
Ezra Ausar |
USC |
10.1 |
| 2 |
Chandler Cuthrell |
Elon |
9.5 |
| 3 |
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil |
Jacksonville State |
9.4 |
| 4 |
Rafael Castro |
George Washington |
9.2 |
| 5 |
Michael Osei-Bonsu |
Missouri State |
8.8 |
| 6 |
Deyton Albury |
New Mexico |
8.8 |
| 7 |
Matas Vokietaitis |
Texas |
8.8 |
| 8 |
Chase Walker |
Illinois State |
8.6 |
| 9 |
Antonio Munoz |
Grambling State |
8.6 |
| 10 |
Rob Whaley |
Kent State |
8.5 |
CLIMBING NCAA CAREER LISTS
Over his two-plus seasons as a Redbird, ISU junior Johnny Kinziger has a career free throw percentage of .865, which is the 17th-highest active career free throw percentage in NCAA Division I and 46th overall in NCAA basketball. (minimum of 110 free throw makes). Boden Skunberg ranks 76th among active players in career points, while his 122 games played puts him 30th on the list.
SAFE WITH THE BALL
Through eight games this season, Illinois State has committed just 74 turnovers, for 9.3 per game, which is tied for the 14th-lowest total in the NCAA.
Â
BIG SMALL PERCENTAGE
This season Johnny Kinziger has made nearly half of his 79 field goal attempts, and he is one of six players in the NCAA this season to be shooting .450 or better in 30 or more minutes played per game, all while being under 6-0 tall.
| Rk |
FG% |
Student-Athlete |
School |
MPG |
Ht. |
| 1 |
.511 |
Justice Shoats |
Siena |
34.1 |
5-11 |
| 2 |
.500 |
Colin Porter |
Liberty |
33.5 |
5-10 |
| 3 |
.474 |
Kaden Metheny |
Liberty |
31.7 |
5-11 |
| 4 |
.472 |
Kenyon Giles |
Wichita State |
33.0 |
5-10 |
| 5 |
.468 |
U'Riyah Evans |
Kansas City |
30.9 |
5-11 |
| 7 |
.456 |
Johnny Kinziger |
Illinois State |
31.3 |
5-11 |
BIG HOME OPENER FOR THE ROOK
In his second game in a Redbird uniform, and the first at home, freshman Ty'Reek Coleman shined, scoring 24 points, which is the 21st-most by a freshman in program history, the second-highest in a home debut by a freshman, and he is one of just 19 freshmen in the NCAA Division I to have had a game scoring total of 24.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING
Through eight games this season, Illinois State has had 11 scoring runs of at least eight consecutive points, with the longest-such mark being the 21-0 first-half run against the Rockford Regents.Â
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Using his strong second game, Illinois State freshman Ty'Reek Coleman was named the MVC Freshman of the Week, just the third Redbird to earn this honor, joining teammates Johnny Kinziger (Jan. 29, 2024 and Feb. 26, 2024) and Jack Daugherty (Dec. 23, 2025).
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Returning three of its top four scorers from last season, including two All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, the 2025-26 Illinois State men's basketball team — and players on the team — have high expectations put on it from numerous preseason prognostications. Mid-Major Madness, Lindy's Basketball Magazine, Blue Ribbon Basketball Magazine, and the MVC media poll have the Redbirds picked to win the MVC in 2025-26. Mid-Major Madness, Lindy's Basketball Magazine, and Blue Ribbon all have returning forward Chase Walker named as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Johnny Kinziger was named to the Preseason First Team by Blue Ribbon Basketball Magazine and Lindy's Basketball Magazine. The Field of 68 ranked Illinois State as the #3 Mid-Major Team in the country in their preseason poll, while also naming Walker the Mid-Major Preseason Player of the Year.
RETURNING SCORING
The Redbirds return players that combined to score 1,786 points from last season — 65.49 percent of the team's scoring — which is the fifth-highest total in the NCAA returning, and the team's returning scoring percentage is 10th-best heading into the 2025-26 season.
STAYING TRADITIONAL
Starting in the 2023-24 season, the NCAA started allowing student-athletes to wear non-traditional jersey numbers, outside of the typical 0-5 numbers. In the three seasons' worth of rosters since the adjustment, there have been just 15 schools to not have a "new number" on its rosters. Joining Illinois State on that list include Alabama State, Army West Point, Bethune-Cookman, Binghamton, Central Michigan, Delaware, ETSU, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Mississippi Valley, UMES, Vermont, Western Illinois, and Wright State.
