NORMAL — Sitting 4-5 and tied for sixth place in the MissouriValley Conference with nine league games left, Tyler Brown claimshe isn’t worried about Illinois State’s basketball team.
“We haven’t pinpointed it yet, but we’re going to figure it outand turn it around,” he said before Tuesday’s practice.
If the rest of the Redbirds follow Brown’s lead, they could bejust fine.
The athletic 6-foot-4 junior guard, in his first year at ISU(12-8) after transferring from Marshalltown (Iowa) CommunityCollege, has averaged 14.4 points in the last eight games. Brownhas emerged as a leading candidate for the Valley Newcomer of theYear award ahead of Wednesday’s 6:05 p.m. game against MissouriState (12-9, 5-4) at Redbird Arena.
Brown leads all Valley newcomers in scoring average at a 12.8points per game. He also is second overall in the league in3-pointers made (47) and third in 3-point percentage (.452).
Defensively, Brown might have played his best game lastSaturday. He helped hold Evansville sharpshooter Colt Ryan to6-of-23 shooting as the Purple Aces downed ISU, 79-71.
“He’s a first-year guy. He’s going through the naturalprogression and he’s progressing quickly,” said ISU coach TimJankovich. “He played an outstanding all-around game at Evansville,not just on the offensive end. He did the lion’s share guardingColt and did a terrific job.”
ISU has played every Valley team once except Bradley. Brownbelieves that knowledge will come in handy during his second laparound the league.
“I feel more comfortable,” he said. “The last game againstEvansville, just knowing how to guard Colt Ryan and the plays theyrun, it’s a lot more comfortable against these teams.”
Brown earned his first Valley Newcomer of the Week award Monday.He averaged 19 points in two games last week, including acareer-high 24 points against Indiana State.
The last ISU player to capture the Valley Newcomer of the Yearaward was Lorenzo Gordon in 2005. Brown’s competition for thathonor could come from Creighton’s Grant Gibbs, Missouri State’sJarmar Gulley and Michael Bizoukas and Redbird freshman guard NicMoore.
ISU could have Bryant Allen back Wednesday night. Allen missedthe last two games with a sprained ankle. Jankovich said thesophomore guard is still considered “day to day.”
The Redbirds’ lone road Valley win came at Missouri State onJan. 4. The Redbirds downed the defending Valley regular-seasonchampions, 68-60. However, Missouri State was without 6-11 centerCaleb Patterson (12.9 ppg) because of a concussion.
Patterson has returned, although he is now coming off the bench.“He changes the complexion of our team on the offensive end,” saidMissouri State coach Paul Lusk.
Kyle Weems (15.9 ppg) still remains the focus of ISU’s defensetonight. The Bears’ senior forward, who was the Valley Player ofthe Year last season, recorded the 100th double-digit scoring gameof his career last week, the most of any active Division Iplayer.
Savard, Cornelison on hand: Former ChicagoBlackhawks standout Denis Savard and acclaimed national anthemsoloist Jim Cornelison will be available for autographs andpictures on the concourse when the gates open at 5 p.m.
Cornelison will sing his stirring rendition of the Star SpangledBanner before the game as he does at the United Center in Chicagowhen the Blackhawks play. Cornelison also performed at ISU lastyear.
Follow along
Join ISU beat writer Jim Benson for an online chat before thegame at live.pantagraph.com and follow him during and after that onTwitter at twitter.com/Pg_Benson
Redbird essentials
Missouri State at Illinois State
Site: Redbird Arena, Normal
Radio: WJBC (AM-1230, FM-93.7)
Records: Missouri State 12-9, 5-4 Valley; ISU 12-8, 4-5
Series/Last meeting: ISU leads, 33-23 (ISU won 68-60 on Jan.4).
About the Bears: Missouri State is 3-1 in Valley road games,with the lone defeat coming at Northern Iowa, 61-60. … JarmarGulley will come off the bench for the second straight game becauseof a sprained foot. The 6-4 swingman is the Bears’ third-leadingscorer (11.0 ppg) and second-leading rebounder (5.5). … Sophomoreguard Keith Pickens sat out Missouri State’s 51-48 victory atBradley on Saturday with knee soreness. He is questionable fortoday’s game. … Michael Bizoukas, a transfer from DePaul, leads theValley in assists (6.0) and assist/turnover ratio (3.3) and isthird in minutes played (33.1).
Next: Saturday vs. Southern Illinois, 3:05 p.m.
Prediction: Illinois State 67, Missouri State 63
Probable starters
(Scoring, rebounding avg)
MISSOURI STATE
F — Kyle Weems, 6-6, Sr. (15.9, 7.5); Christian Kirk, 6-7, Fr.(3.3, 3.1); G — Anthony Downing, 6-1, Jr. (10.8, 3.1); MichaelBizoukas, 6-1, Sr. (4.9, 3.4); Nathan Scheer, 6-4, So. (2.9,1.4).
ILLINOIS STATE
F — John Wilkins, 6-9, Jr. (7.9, 3.9); Jon Ekey, 6-7, So. (9.5,5.2); C — Jackie Carmichael, 6-9, Jr. (12.8, 8.2); G — Tyler Brown,6-4, Jr. (12.8, 3.9); Nic Moore, 5-9, Fr. (9.2, 1.9).