Illinois State Redbirds (12-19, 4-14)
Projected starting five:
Jr. F Jackie Carmichael
Jr. G John Wilkins
Jr. G Anthony Cousin
So. F Jon Ekey
Jr. G Justin Clark
Important departures:
Austin Hill: 10.5 ppg
Tony Lewis: 7.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Percent returning:
Starts: 63.2 percent
Minutes: 61.3 percent
Scoring: 60.2 percent
Rebounding: 59.4 percent
Additions:
The 2011 Indiana Mr. Basketball runner-up joins the Redbirds in guard Nic Moore. Moore averaged 27.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a senior at Warsaw High School and also dished out almost five assists per contest. Illinois State also welcomes two-time Illinois all-stater, Johnny Hill, a guard from Glenbard East High School.
Toughest nonconference match ups:
Nov. 22 vs. Rutgers
Dec. 7 at Morehead State
Outlook:
After a rebuilding project last season, Illinois State could be this year’s surprise team in the Valley. Though the Redbirds lost a good deal of experience with Austin Hill, Tony Lewis and Alex Rubin gone, ISU returns three of its top five scorers from last winter, who accounted for 24 points a game. The Redbirds should take the next step this season and could be good enough to snag a couple surprise wins to finish near the upper half of the MVC in 2011-12.
