NORMAL, Ill. - After the first stretch of back-to-back road games of the season, Illinois State returns to Doug Collins Court at Redbird on Saturday evening to face off against the Valparaiso Crusaders.
GAME INFORMATION
Illinois State Redbirds (10-11, 4-5 MVC) vs. Valparaiso Crusaders (11-11, 2-7 MVC)
When: Saturday, Jan. 27
Tip-Off: 9 p.m.
Location: Normal, Ill.
Arena: Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (10,200)
TV: ESPN2
Mitch Holthus, play-by-play
Malcolm Huckaby, analyst
Radio: Illinois State Radio Network
Dick Luedke, play-by-play
Mike Matthews, analyst
Live Stats: Illinois State StatBroadcast
SETTING THE TABLE
• Milik Yarbrough is one of 13 student-athletes in the country who rank in the top-10 of their conference in points, rebounds, and assists. (page 4)
• With Yarbrough, Keyshawn Evans, and Phil Fayne ranking fourth, fifth, and sixth in the conference, the Redbirds are one of just two schools (along with Oakland) to have three players in the top six in their conference in scoring. (page 4)
• Illinois State is one of just three schools that have three players averaging at least 16 points per game, and joining Illinois State is Marshall and Oakland. (page 5)
• The Redbirds have used 10 different starting lineup combinations this season, which is tied for the ninth-most by a program this season. (page 7)
• Yarbrough ranks fourth in the country in the KenPom stat metric percentage of possessions used. (page 7)
• Phil Fayne's career shooting percentage of .591 not only ranks third in Illinois State career history (page 5), but is also the 18th-highest among active players in NCAA Division I (page 7)
• Illinois State has three of the top five scoring duo totals in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. (page 8)
• The Redbirds have the 35th-highest opponent win percentage in the country, and their strength of schedule also ranks 35th in the country. (page 8)
• Of the 13 schools within the state of Illinois, Illinois State has the most wins, and highest win percentage. (page 8)
• Illinois State head coach Dan Muller is one of 35 head coaches in the country to be coaching at their alma maters, and his win total puts him 13th on that same list. (page 9)
• Illinois State has had 16 runs this season of nine points or more over the team's 21 games. (page 9)
• Evans is one of four NCAA Division I student-athletes to rank in the top-25 in total three-pointers made, three-pointers per game, and three-point percentage.
• Illinois State is 14-11 all-time on January 27
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Valparaiso comes into the game on a four-game losing skid. The Crusaders opened the season with eight consecutive victories; however, have gone 3-11 over the last 14 games.
In the last game, a 75-65 loss against Evansville, Bakari Evelyn scored a team-best 17 points, while Tevonn Walker scored 14 and Mileek McMillan 12. Derrik Smits fell a point short of the double-figure plateau by scoring nine points.
The Crusaders were out-rebounded 42-34 in the game, and were led in the rebounding column from Walker, Max Joseph, and Markus Golder who each scored six points. Evelyn dished out four assists, while Jaume Sorolla had three blocked shots.
For the season it is Walker that leads the team, averaging 15.3 points per game, while Evelyn averages 11.4, second best among active players on the team.
Walker averages 5.1 rebounds per game to lead the team, as Joseph is second with a 4.6 rebound per game average. Evelyn has dished out a team-best 64 assists.
