By MVC correspondent Brian Doolittle
Despite its frustrating, injury-filled season the Illinois State men’s basketball team found itself in the 2017-18 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game.
At the end of that title game, the Redbirds watched Loyola-Chicago celebrate their 65-49 victory, and its automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament. There is no doubt that Illinois State wants to be the team jumping around in elation next postseason.
Having to watch the Ramblers’ celebration only adds to the Redbirds’ motivation to break through this season and snap their 20-year streak of missing the NCAA Tournament.
“I genuinely feel we can win the conference if everyone stays accountable for each other and stays focused and away from distractions during the year,” said senior guard Keyshawn Evans. “We have a very, very high ceiling.”
The Redbirds finished 18-15 last season under head coach Dan Muller and 10-8 in the MVC (third place). That included victories over SEC teams South Carolina and Mississippi.
Muller had only a single player appear in each game last season. But, Illinois State has its four leading scorers back and didn’t lose anyone to graduation.
Senior Milik Yarbrough was the MVC Newcomer of the Year last season. He was suspended in early fall because of an unresolved case involving an offseason traffic accident. Yarbrough did practice with the team, and certainly the Redbirds’ hopes hinge on his availability.
“We will do what’s right … but we don’t want to unjustly punish the kid,” Muller said. “We don’t play for awhile, so missing any games remains to be seen.”
Yarbrough, named first team all-MVC, led Illinois State last season with averages of 16.6 points and 4.8 assists. He also added 6.6 rebounds per game. He previously played at Saint Louis in 2015 and 2016 before transferring.
He was one of three players in the country last season with at least 500 points, 200 reb and 150 assists.
Evans, Phil Fayne and William Tinsley round out the core of Mullen’s team.
Fayne averaged 15.6 points last season while leading the team with 7.4 rebounds per game and 35 steals. He also shot 59.5 from the field, though just 51 percent from the line. He shot 11-for-12 in two games last season.
“I’ve been together for three years with Keyshawn and Malik, and every year we’ve been progressing and getting better. Last season we were good, but were just missing something. I think it was senior leadership,” said Fayne.
“This season we’ll be better prepared. We learned a lot from our losses.”
Evans scored 15.2 points per game last season and made 91 shots from 3-point range (42 percent).
“These guys are old. Like, really old,” joked Muller at the recent MVC Media Day. “I mean Keyshawn, he’s limping around like he’s hurt all the time. No, but we’ll be very careful with their bodies, especially early.”
Muller added: “We can win the league. But I don’t care where we are picked. But I’ll pick us first.”
Tinsley, a 6-6 guard, finished last season strong and played in every game, averaging 6 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Muller also returns 6-8 sophomore forward Taylor Bruninga (4.9 ppg), 6-3 junior guard Matt Hein (4 ppg), and 6-5 sophomore guard Isaac Gassman (3.8 ppg).
Transfer guards Zach Copeland and Josh Jefferson are now eligible, and each bring a reputation for being a 3-point marksman. Freshman Rey Idowu, 6-9, averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds for Holy Trinity High last season and should see action early.
“If Zach adjusts quickly, he could be a leading scorer for us in certain games. He’s a real playmaker,” Muller said.
“This is the most amount of depth of good players we’ve had. Plus it’s also a variety of players, with skill sets that complement each other,” said Muller.
Junior guard Madison Williams, who played over 24 minutes per game last season, recently ended his playing career because of a chronic knee injury.
Muller, entering his seventh season, is 122-80. He spent 12 years as an assistant at Vanderbilt before heading to the campus in Normal, Illinois. Muller played at Illinois State and was part of their last NCAA tourney appearances in 1997 and 1998. He’s 11th in career scoring (1,445 points) and is the school’s leader with 128 consecutive starts.
In 2016-17, Muller led the Redbirds to a 17-1 record in the MVC. This past offseason, he added national champion and nine-year NBA veteran Chris Duhon to his staff as an assistant.
Illinois State’s non-conference schedule includes its season opener at home against Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 6, and also San Diego State, BYU and Belmont. The Redbirds will host BYU and also Mississippi this season at Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
They also will be part of the three-game Cayman Islands Classic beginning Nov. 19 against Georgia.