Sports
Men's Basketball Announces 2023-24 Non-Conference Schedule … – Illinois State Athletics
Men’s Basketball Bill Salyer
NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head men’s basketball coach Ryan Pedon has announced the non-conference schedule for the Redbirds in the 2023-24 season, highlighted by six home games, a trip to the Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Florida, and road games at Saint Louis and Kentucky.
The season will open on Monday, November 6 when the Redbirds host Lourdes University, a member of the NAIA and based out of Sylvania, Ohio. The Grey Wolves, which finished 22-9 last season and advanced to the NAIA National Champion playoffs, is coached by former Chicago Bull and six-year NBA player Dennis Hopson, and the game will be the first between the two programs.
Five days later, Saturday, November 11, the Redbirds travel to St. Louis to face off against the Billikens, the first time ISU has played on the road against Saint Louis since the 1990-91 season. The Redbirds hold a narrow lead in the all-time series between the two schools at 7-6. Saint Louis went 21-12 a season ago and return leading scorer Gibson Jimerson who averaged 14.0 points per game.
The next week sees Illinois State hosting longtime foe Eastern Illinois on Wednesday, November 15, in the 117th all-time meeting between the two schools. The Panthers went 9-22 last season, and Bloomington native Caleb Donaldson is the team’s leading returning scorer after averaging 8.5 points and a team-best 103 assists last season.
The Redbirds travel to Fort Myers, Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase from November 20 through the 22nd. Opening the tournament on Monday, November 20, ISU will face off against Long Beach State, who finished last season with a 17-16 overall record. Back for the Beach is guard Marcus Tsohonis who averaged 14.4 points per game last season while 6-10 forward Lassina Traore (12.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg) and 6-5 forward Aboubacar Traore (10.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg), also return, as Aboubacar Traore also led the team with 111 assists and 39 steals.
The second game of the Showcase – on Tuesday, November 21 – will feature ISU taking on either the Iona Gaels or the High Point Panthers – both schools with head coaches in their first seasons with their respective programs.
In the previous season Iona finished with a 27-8 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament after sweeping through the MAAC Tournament. Back for the Gaels, under new head coach Tobin Anderson, previously head coach for 2023 NCAA Tournament darling Fairleigh Dickinson, is 7-0 forward Osborn Shema, who averaged 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Illinois State and Iona have met one previous time, during the 1998-99 season with the Redbirds coming out on top by an 83-75 score in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
High Point finished last season 14-17 and return six players from the year before, including Abdoulaye Thiam who averaged 13.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and Bryson Childress who put up 5.0 points per game with 36 assists. The Panthers are led by first-year head coach Alan Huss, who previously was an assistant coach at Creighton.
The other side of the bracket, which will provide Illinois State’s final opponent at the Showcase include Louisiana, Wright State, Hofstra, and Buffalo.
After returning from the pre-Thanksgiving tournament, the following week will feature a pair of MVC games during the week starting Monday, November 27.
The Redbirds remain at home for their next four games, starting on Wednesday, December 6 against 2023 NCAA Tournament qualifier Northern Kentucky. The Norse – who beat Illinois State during the 2019-20 season in the only match-up between the schools – return three of its top five scorers from last season including Marques Warrick (18.8 ppg), Sam Vinson (11.8 ppg), and Trey Robinson (7.0 ppg).
Norfolk State – who has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in two of the last three seasons – returns off a 22-11 season before falling in the championship game of the MEAC and come to Bloomington/Normal for a Saturday, December 9 battle. The Spartans are expected to return guard Christian Ings who averaged 10.1 points per game in 13 games, and Daryl Anderson’s 4.6 points per game. Illinois State and the Spartans have met two previous times, with the Redbirds winning both games, each of which were played inside CEFCU Arena.
Illinois State and North Dakota State meet on the hardwood on Sunday, December 17 for the first time in each program’s men’s basketball history in the first game of a two-season home-and-home scheduling series. Last season the Bison went 16-17 before falling in the Summit League championship game. Back for the Bison are seven of the team’s eight leading scorers from last year, including 6-5 guard Boden Skunberg who averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and Andrew Morgan, a 6-10 forward, who averaged 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Another NCAA Tournament team from last season – SEMO – comes to Bloomington/Normal for a Thursday, December 21 battle for the eighth all-time meeting between the two schools, which the Redbirds lead 6-1. Last year the Redhawks swept through the four-game OVC Tournament before falling in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Back for SEMO is 6-7 forward Josh Earley who averaged 7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, as Anquan Smart is also back after dishing out 70 assists while scoring 7.4 points per game.
The final non-conference match-up for the Redbirds is a meeting with 2023 NCAA Tournament second round squad Kentucky on Friday, December 29. The Wildcats – who lead the all-time series with Illinois State 1-0 by virtue of a 2015 UK win in Lexington – finished last season with a 22-12 overall record. The squad returns second-leading scorer and former Redbird Antonio Reeves who averaged 14.4 points per game last season.
Returning from last season’s squad for the Redbirds include four of the team’s top five scorers, six players that started at least twice last year, in addition to adding four transfers and three freshmen to the roster for 2023-24. Leading scorer Darius Burford is back after putting up 12.9 points per game while also leading the team with 76 assists. Kendall Lewis – who averaged 10.9 points while leading the team with 235 rebounds and 46 steals – also returns, as does Malachi Poindexter (9.4 ppg), and Luke Kasubke (6.8 ppg). Also, back that had started from the year before is Harouna Sissoko (11 starts, 60 points, 43 rebounds) and Ryan Schmitt (two starts).
Newcomers include transfers Jordan Davis (Wisconsin), Dalton Banks (Southern Illinois), Brandon Lieb (Illinois), and Myles Foster (Monmouth), in addition to three freshmen, two of which (Ty Pence and Johnny Kinziger) were 2,000-point scorers at their school and three-time first team All-State selections.
The 20-game MVC schedule – which includes two games during the first semester of the academic calendar – will be announced at a later date. Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets, and current season ticket holders wishing to renew their tickets, can visit www.GoRedbirds.com/tickets or call the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000.
Hotel fan block information for the team’s two road games and the tournament in Fort Myers, Florida, will be available at a later date.
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