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GAME NOTES: The Indiana State Sycamores will try to remain in the win column when they host the Illinois State Redbirds this evening in a Missouri Valley Conference clash at the Hulman Center.

The last time the Redbirds were in action the team grabbed a 66-47 decision over Bradley, pushing its league ledger to 6-5 on the season. The win snapped a two-game slide for Illinois State, which is just 4-5 on the road.

The Sycamores have won their last two matchups and come into this contest fresh off a 63-56 victory over Evansville. With the small streak, Indiana State is now 5-6 in MVC action. After this matchup the Sycamores will hit the road for back-to-back games against Wichita State and Creighton.

The Redbirds currently hold a 55-45 edge over Indiana State in the all-time series, but the Sycamores won the last meeting, 75-73, in overtime.

The Redbirds have been successful in large part because the team has a trio of players who have put forth a consistent effort offensively. Osiris Eldridge is pacing the team with 16.7 ppg, while Dinma Odiakosa is manning the middle with 12.1 ppg and a team-high 8.5 rpg. Running the show on the floor has been Lloyd Phillips, who is netting 11.0 ppg, to go along with 96 assists. The last time the Redbirds were on the floor the team only scored 66 points, but it was more than enough to get past Bradley by a 19-point margin. Illinois State only shot 40.3 percent from the floor in the matchup, and was led by Odiakosa, who tallied a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds. Eldridge and Phillips added 13 points apiece in the victory.

The Sycamores used a tenacious defensive approach in their recent matchup, as Indiana State held Evansville to just 56 points on a 38.0 percent shooting effort. Offensively, Indiana State was nothing special, as the team shot just 40.0 percent from the floor, and made only 15-of-19 attempts from the foul line. Harry Marshall led the way with 21 points and four assists, while Carl Richard tallied 12 points. Marshall has been the top player on the floor for Indiana State, as the guard is netting 13.7 ppg, to go along with a team-best 73 assists. However, he is the only player netting double figures for ISU, which is posting just 66.2 ppg on the season.

The Sycamores have played gritty basketball this season and have worn teams down. However, the Redbirds have too many weapons and should be able to creep into the win column this evening.