McLean County Times

The Illinois State men's basketball team is set to return to Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play this Sunday, December 29, facing off against the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Flames. The game will be held at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois, with a tip-off scheduled for 4 PM.

Illinois State has shown significant improvement this season, jumping 336 position rankings from last year and currently ranking third nationally in three-point field goal percentage. The Redbirds are averaging 80.1 points per game and have scored over 80 points in their last three games. Their current .418 three-point field goal percentage could become the fourth-best single-season average in school history if maintained.

Freshman Jack Daugherty recently earned the MVC Freshman of the Week honor after scoring 16 points against Cornell. Sophomore Chase Walker was named MVC Player of the Week following his career-high performance against Saint Louis.

UIC enters the game on a three-game winning streak with recent victories over Dartmouth, Little Rock, and Seattle. Ahmad Henderson II led UIC with a team-high 14 points and nine assists in their win over Seattle.

The Redbirds' recruiting class for the upcoming season ranks 60th nationally according to 247sports.com, featuring four new signees: Nick Allen, Isaac Ericksen, Tyreek Coleman, and Mason Klabo.

Redbird basketball legend Doug Collins was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on October 13. Additionally, sophomore guard Johnny Kinziger was named to Bracketeer.org's All-American watch list earlier this year.

The Illinois State men's basketball team was predicted to finish fourth in their conference preseason poll. Notably, five players on the current roster hail from Wisconsin.