Game 24 ► Indiana State (4-19, 2-10 MVC) at Illinois State (19-4, 8-4 MVC)

February 8, 2009  ►  7:05 p.m. ET  ►  Normal, Ill.  ►  Redbird Arena (10,200)

Game Day Central

Series:             Illinois State Leads 55-44

Streak:             Indiana State Has Won 5 of last 8

Television:       ESPNU

Play-By-Play:  Dan McLaughlin

Analyst:           Mac McCausland

Radio:              The Crock 92.7 FM

Play-By-Play:  Brian Fritz

Analyst:           Matt Renn

Internet:           GoSycamores.com

Storylines     

            Indiana State (4-19, 2-10 MVC) got the better of Illinois State (19-4, 8-4 MVC) in the first meeting between the two schools this year on Jan. 10 and will be looking for series sweep on Sunday on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.

            The Sycamores, who were wearing their throwback uniforms in recognition of the famed 1979 team, delivered their best performance of the season and picked up a 75-70 win in overtime on Fan Appreciation Day at Hulman Center.  The win was the last for ISU in conference play.

            Indiana State is coming off a 64-58 loss to Wichita State at Hulman Center on Wednesday night.  ISU held a three-point lead at halftime, but a second half surge gave WSU its first road win of the season.

            Harry Marshall was the only Sycamore in double digits, as he finished with a game-high 18 points.  Rashad Reed also had a solid game with eight points, three assists and five steals.

            The Redbirds overcame a 10-point first-half deficit to rally for an exciting 60-57 overtime win at Southern Illinois Wednesday night at SIU Arena. 

            Junior Dinma Odiakosa's tip-in with 22 seconds remaining proved to be the game winner for the Redbirds, who picked up their 19th win of the year and held onto a second-place tie in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with Creighton.

            Champ Oguchi led the Redbirds with 15 points, while Lloyd Phillips scored 11 and Dinma Odiakosa and Osiris Eldridge each chipped in with 10 points each.

            Illinois State leads the all-time series between the two schools 55-43, with the series dating back to the 1913-14 season.  Indiana State has won five out of the last eight contests between the two squads and split the season series last year against the Redbirds.  The Sycamores last won at Redbird Arena in 2007, when they picked up a 54-50 win over the Redbirds on their home court.

About The Coaches

Kevin McKenna (Creighton ?93) is in his second season as the head coach at Indiana State (19-35).  In his first season with the Sycamores, McKenna led the team to its highest win total since the 2000-01 season and an impressive 12-2 record at home in the Hulman Center.  McKenna came to Indiana State after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Creighton under head coach Dana Altman, where he helped the Bluejays advance to four NCAA tournament appearances.  From 2001-05, McKenna spent four years as the head coach (89-33) at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Omaha, where he guided the Mavericks to four consecutive 20-win seasons and three appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament. 

Tim Jankovich (Kansas State ?82) is 44-14 in his second season with the Redbirds and is 147-85 overall in his eighth season as a head coach.  In his first season as the Redbirds' head coach, Jankovich led the team to its highest win total in school history (25) and posted the most victories by any Illinois State first-year head coach.  He also helped the ?Birds to their first postseason victory since 1998, a 61-57 win at home over Utah State in the first round of the 2008 MasterCard National Invitation Tournament (NIT).  Prior to taking over as head coach at Illinois State, Jankovich spent five years as an assistant coach under Bill Self at Kansas (4 years) and Illinois (1 year).

Scouting The Redbirds

►        Illinois State University is located in Normal, Ill., and has an enrollment of 20,450 students.  The Redbirds are members of the Missouri Valley Conference and play their home games at Redbird Arena (10,200).

►        The Redbirds finished with an overall record of 25-10 during the 2007-08 season.  In conference play, Illinois State posted a 13-5 record which placed the Redbirds 2nd in the league standings.  Their season ended with a 55-48 loss to Dayton in the second round of the 2008 MasterCard National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

►        Through 23 games, the Redbirds have four players averaging in double figures  with senior Champ Oguchi (15.0 ppg.) and junior Osiris Eldridge (13.9 ppg.) leading the way for the ?Birds.  Junior Lloyd Phillips is not far behind with 11.5 points per contest, while senior Emmanuel Holloway rounds out the quartets at 10.0 points per contest.

►        The Redbirds overcame a 10-point first-half deficit to rally for an exciting 60-57 overtime win at Southern Illinois Wednesday night at SIU Arena.  Junior Dinma Odiakosa's tip-in with 22 seconds remaining proved to be the game winner for the Redbirds, who picked up their 19th win of the year.  Oguchi led ISU with 15 points, while Phillips scored 11 and Odiakosa and Eldridge each chipped in 10 points.

Last Time Against The Redbirds

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - For the second time in two weeks, the Sycamores (4-12, 2-3 MVC) outlasted a conference opponent in the extra session.  Wearing their throwback uniforms in recognition of the famed 1979 team, Indiana State delivered their best performance of the season on Fan Appreciation Day beating the Illinois State Redbirds (14-2, 3-2) 75-70 in overtime.

            ISU's Osiris Eldridge, struggled throughout the game battling flu-like symptoms and only scored seven points, nine below his season average.  Indiana State's Carl Richard led a balanced Sycamore attack behind his second career double-double, while Jordan Printy led a strong bench effort scoring a team-high 15 points.

            Rashad Reed hit a three-pointer and Harry Marshall followed with a jumper and two free throws after he was fouled with 3:23 left in the first half giving the Sycamores the lead at 24-23 for the first time since 15:35 showed on the clock.  Indiana State went on an offensive spark just before halftime as Printy made a beautiful pass to Jay Tunnel underneath the basket giving the Sycamores an ever greater lead at 28-23 with less than two minutes remaining in the first period.  Tunnel again got the crowd roaring when he pulled down an offensive rebound and converted a short buzzer-beating jump shot giving Indiana State its largest lead of the game, 33-24 heading into halftime.

            The Redbirds came out of the half time break fast and furious going on a 21-7 run highlighted by Champ Oguchi who scored a quick seven points hitting two jumpers and a three-pointer around a lay-up by Dinma Odiakosa.  The Sycamores got a lift from Reed who drilled a three-pointer and Carter put back an offensive rebound.

            Brandon Sampay hit a jumper and Oguchi hit a pair of free throws with 1:27 left to make it a one possession game at 61-58.  On the following possession, Marshall was called for a controversial charge which was followed up by a Redbird three-pointer tying it up with under a minute left. The game went into overtime following a great defensive stand by the Sycamores.

            In the extra period, Richard scored the first two points and hit two free throws giving the Sycamores a 65-61 lead with 3:29 left in overtime.  Later in the half, Eldridge hit two-of-three free throws with 51 seconds left, cutting the Sycamore advantage to one. Printy hit two free throws and Richard one to put Indiana State up five at 73-68. Printy then iced when he hit both free throws with 7.5 seconds to give the Sycamores a 75-70 victory.

Sycamores And Redbirds To Square Off On ESPNU

People around the country will have an opportunity to watch the Sycamores' game on Sunday against Illinois State live on ESPNU.  It will be the first appearance on ESPNU for the Sycamores as part of the Missouri Valley Conference's television package.  ESPNU, which is seen in over 20 million homes across the country, can be seen on DirecTV channel 614 and on Dish Network channel 148.  It can also be seen in Terre Haute on Time Warner Cable channel 152.

Sycamores To Host Toledo In ESPU BracketBusters

Indiana State will face Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo on February 21 as part of the ESPNU BracketBusters event.  The contest between the Sycamores (4-18, 2-9 MVC) and the Rockets (4-17, 2-5 MAC) will be the first between the two schools in the history of both programs.  ISU is 2-2 all-time in the BracketBusters series, with victories over Western Michigan in 2006 (59-57) and Murray State in 2008 (79-62).  As part of the BracketBusters series agreement, the Sycamores will travel to Toledo for a return game next season.

Extra Time Pays Dividends

Indiana State is no stranger to winning games in overtime, as seen in the team's thrilling 75-70 win over Illinois State on Jan. 10.  In fact, the Sycamores have won their last five games in a row when needing extra time including a perfect 4-0 mark under head coach Kevin McKenna.  All four of those wins have come against Valley opponents as well, with wins over Southern Illinois (2 OT) and Wichita State last year and a win at UNI (2 OT) and against Illinois State this season.  That last time ISU lost in overtime was on Dec. 2, 2006, when ISU dropped a 73-70 decision to in-state rival Ball State under head coach Royce Waltman. 

Tunnell Approaches Another Career Milestone

Senior Jay Tunnell will play in the 114th game of his career on Sunday night against Illinois State with the chance to become just the 31st player in school history to score 1,000 points.  The Topeka, Kan., native and 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Kansas needs just eight points to top the mark as he currently has 992 points in his four-year career at ISU.  Earlier this season, Tunnell hit another milestone as he pulled down his 500th career rebounds.  He currently needs 53 more caroms to top 600 in his career.

Dishing The Rock

People know about sophomore guard Harry Marshall's ability to score on the court, but he shares the wealth with his teammates as well.  In just 13 games played for the Sycamores, Marshall ranks second on the team with 46 assists and is tied for seventh in the conference with 3.8 assists per Valley game.  Last week at Creighton, Marshall set a new career high with seven assists against the Bluejays, breaking his previous career high of six set twice earlier this season at Purdue and UNI.

Long Range Bombing

The Sycamores came out firing from long distance last Saturday against Northern Iowa, as they hit 11 three-pointers against the Panthers including a 9-for-14 effort in the first half.  The 11 treys were the second most in a game this season by ISU, falling one short of the dozen three-pointers hit against Murray State on Nov. 26.  Freshman Jordan Printy led the barrage with four treys, while sophomore Harry Marshall and junior Rashad Reed each added three each.  In all, the Sycamores hit 21 three-pointers against the Panthers in two games this season which accounts for 26.6 percent (21-of-79) of their triples during conference play.

Finding His Shooting Touch

Redshirt freshman Jordan Printy has found something in his shooting lately, as he has scored in double figures in five of his last eight games played.  The Marion, Iowa, native averaged 13.5 points per game in two contests last week for the Sycamores, including a 14 point and four assist effort last Saturday against UNI.  In addition, he has connected on at least three treys in five of those eight games.

I'll Take A Dozen

The number 12 has been benchmark for freshman Carl Richard during Valley play, as he's corralled at least 12 rebounds in three of his last eight games for the Sycamores.  The Chicago, Ill., native racked up a dozen boards at Bradley on Jan. 24 to give him his fourth double-digit rebounding effort in the last 12 games.  Richard's four double-digit rebounding effort leads the Sycamores and his average of 6.8 caroms in league games currently ranks sixth among all players in the conference.

Martin Tames The Salukis

Sophomore Isiah Martin earned his second start of the season against Southern Illinois on Jan. 21 and showed he deserved the honor as he tied season highs with 12 points and six rebounds against the Salukis.  Martin started for senior Jay Tunnell, who was suffering from the flu, and matched his season high of 12 points set earlier this season at Drake (Jan. 7) thanks to a career-high 6-for-10 effort from the free throw line.

A Gutsy Effort From Tunnell

Senior Jay Tunnell missed his first start of the season on Jan. 21 against Southern Illinois due to suffering from flu symptoms.  After missing practice and the team's shoot around, Tunnell suited up and gutted out a solid performance against the Salukis.  Playing in just 17 minutes, Tunnell scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds to help his team out rebound SIU by a 31-29 margin.

Double Trouble

Freshman Carl Richard has recorded three double-doubles in 11 games during league action. On January 17 at Evansville, the Chicago native scored 10 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to record the third double-double of his young career at ISU. He also owns double-double performances against Illinois State (14 pts./12 reb.) and UNI (15 pts./11reb.).

Spreading The Wealth

The Sycamores needed help from everyone on the floor in order to pull out a 75-70 win in overtime against Illinois State on Jan. 10.  In all, six Indiana State players scored in double figures marking the first time since 1999 a Sycamore team had achieved that feat.  Jordan Printy (15 pts.), Carl Richard (14 pts.), Harry Marshall (12 pts.), Aaron Carter and Rashad Reed (11 pts. Each) and Jay Tunnell (10 pts.) all chipped in double figures to help the Sycamores to their second conference win of the season on Saturday against the Redbirds.  The last six-pack of Sycamores who scored in double figures included Matt Renn (16 pts.), Matt Broermann (15 pts.), Kelyn Block (13 pts.), Michael Menser (11 pts.) and Nate Green and Terence Avery (10 pts. each) against Montana State at the Top Of The World Classic on Nov. 20, 1999, in Fairbanks, Alaska.

What A Difference A Game Makes

Freshman Jordan Printy struggled in his home state against Drake on Jan. 7, as he finished the game 0-for-8 from the field against the Bulldogs.  However, the Marion, Iowa, native bounced back well against Illinois State on Jan. 10, as he tied his career high with 15 points for the Sycamores.  Printy finished 4-for-4 from the field, including a 3-for-3 effort from three point range, and was 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

Martin Takes A Bite Out Of The Bulldogs

Sophomore Isiah Martin has struggled at times offensively this season, but he showed his scoring ability on the road against Drake on Jan 7.  Martin led the way for the Sycamores with a game-high 12 points, including a stretch in which he scored four consecutive buckets for the Sycamores. 

Blocks-A-Plenty Against The Aces

The long arms of Indiana State's post defenders were busy against Evansville on Jan. 4, as the Sycamores racked up 11 blocked shots against their in-state rivals from the south.  The 11 blocks by the Sycamores were just one short of the team's single-game record of 12, which was set in 1984 against SIU-Edwardsville.  Forward Isiah Martin, who led the Missouri Valley Conference last season in blocked shots with 59, had a season-high five swats to lead the way while center Brant Leitnaker chipped in with two of his own.  Forward Jay Tunnell, center Josh Crawford and guards Rashad Reed and Jordan Printy each added a block apiece to round out the effort for the Sycamores against the Aces.

Shutting Down The Three

Evansville came into the Hulman Center on Jan. 4 averaging 71.2 points per game and nearly four three-pointer per contest.  However, the Sycamores shut down the Purple Aces' scoring from the perimeter, as Evansville finished 0-for-6 from three-point range against the Sycamores.  It marked the first time all season the Sycamores had held an opponent without a made three-pointer and it was the first time Evansville did not connect on a trey in 13 games.

McKenna Remains Unbeaten In Valley Openers

In each of his two seasons on the bench at Indiana State, head coach Kevin McKenna's teams have opened Missouri Valley Conference play on the road.  In those two contests, the Sycamores have earned big wins in both after the Sycamores defeated Northern Iowa in double overtime 85-84 on Sunday in Cedar Falls.  Last season, ISU opened Valley play with a 70-56 win at Evansville on Dec. 29 to pick up its lone conference road win of the season.

Honoring A True Sycamore Legend

Prior to the start of lSU's first exhibition game against Albion College, the floor at Hulman Center was officially named the Nellie and John Wooden Court in honor of the legendary coach and his late wife, Nellie.  Prior to achieving legendary success as the head coach at UCLA, Wooden began his collegiate coaching career and served two years as head men's basketball coach, baseball coach and athletics director at Indiana State from 1946 to 1948. While earning his master's degree at Indiana State, he compiled a 44-15 record as basketball coach while leading the Sycamores to post-season tournament appearances each year and two conference championships.  In addition, coach Wooden will also be inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Athletics Hall of Fame in March.

Mahurin Signs On The Dotted Line

With just one senior on this year's roster, Indiana State men's basketball head coach Kevin McKenna needed to fill just one spot for next year's team.  He filled that spot with the addition of local star RJ Mahurin (Rockville, Ind./Rockville HS), who signed a National Letter of Intent with ISU to continue his education and basketball career.  Mahurin, a 6-foot-8 forward, led the Rox to a sectional championship and a spot in the regional finals with a 23-4 overall record as a junior.  He averaged 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game, which earned him Honorable Mention All-State honors from the Associated Press.