NORMAL, Ill. – With the finalization of the Missouri Valley Conference schedule, the 2008-09 Illinois State men’s basketball slate was officially released Monday.
The Redbirds, who return two starters from a team that posted a 25-10 record and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament last season, will open up the 2008-09 campaign with their first four games on the road.
“We are just celebrating the fact that scheduling is finally over,” said head basketball coach Tim Jankovich. “Non-conference scheduling has overtaken recruiting as the most difficult part of the job, and I can promise you that recruiting is plenty difficult. There are several challenges for us on the schedule, beginning with the fact that we play our first four games away from home, compounded by our injury situation.”
Following the return game to Wright State (Nov. 15), from the 2008 ESPNU BracketBuster Series, Illinois State will face Alabama State, Houston Baptist and host SMU in the round-robin SMU Classic, in Dallas, Nov. 21-23.
The Redbirds will play the next five games on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, including the first regular-season tournament hosted by ISU since the 1978 Illinois State Holiday Classic. The Redbirds will host Winston Salem State, Nicholls State and UC-Santa Barbara in the World Vision Invitational from Nov. 28-30.
“We are excited to be hosting a tournament for the first time in 30 years at home, and the first in Redbird Arena,” said Jankovich. “I think it is going to be a great event, and I hope our fans, and the Bloomington-Normal community, come out and support it.”
After non-conference games against Bowling Green (Dec. 6), Morehead State (Dec. 14) and Illinois-Chicago (Dec. 20), and a road game at Central Michigan (Dec. 17), the Redbirds open up the 2008-09 Missouri Valley Conference race at Missouri State in the new JQH Arena Dec. 28.
ISU will host three conference games during the semester break (Evansville – Dec. 31; Creighton – Jan. 3; and Drake – Jan. 14), while travelling to Bradley (Jan. 6) and Indiana State (Jan. 10) during that time.
Home games against in-state rivals Southern Illinois and Bradley always highlight the Redbird home schedule. This year, Illinois State will host the Salukis Jan. 24, and the Braves Jan. 31. ISU will close out the league schedule with a home game against Northern Iowa Feb 24, before ending the regular season at Creighton Feb. 28.
“I figured out last year, that it is very difficult to tell if you have a favorable or unfavorable conference schedule,” said Jankovich. “You can’t predict timing, injuries, when you are playing well or when other teams are playing hot.
“Last year, I thought we had a really tough draw with Creighton and Wichita State on the road and Southern Illinois at home, and we start off the conference season with a 6-0 record. I’m just going to accept the fact that we play everybody twice, and I’m not going to worry too much about the when and the where.”
Including the exhibition game against Illinois-Springfield, the Redbirds will play 16 games this season on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Included in those 16 contests, are six Saturday games and three Sunday matchups. For season-ticket information, please contact the Redbird Arena Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000, or visit GoRedbirds.com.
All game times are subject to change, especially since the conference’s television package has yet to be released.
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2008-09 Illinois State Men’s Basketball Schedule
Date Opponent Site Time
Tues., Nov. 11 ILL-SPRINGFIELD (Ex) 7:05p.m.
Sat., Nov. 15 at Wright State 6 p.m.
SMU Classic (Alabama State, Houston Baptist, SMU)
Fri., Nov. 21 vs. TBD
Sat., Nov. 22 vs. TBD
Sun., Nov. 23 vs. TBD
World Vision Invitational
Fri., Nov. 28 NICHOLLS STATE 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 29 WINSTON-SALEM 6 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 30 UC-SANTA BARBARA 3:30 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6 BOWLING GREEN 7:05 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 14 MOREHEAD STATE 2:05 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 17 at Cent. Michigan 6 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 20 UIC 7:05 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28 at Missouri State* 2:05 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 31 EVANSVILLE* 2:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3 CREIGHTON* 7:05 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 6 at Bradley* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 10 at Indiana State* TBD
Wed., Jan. 14 DRAKE* 7:05 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 18 MISSOURI STATE* 2:05 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 21 at Wichita State* TBD
Sat., Jan. 24 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS* 7:05 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 28 at Northern Iowa* TBD
Sat., Jan. 31 BRADLEY* 7:05 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 3 at Southern Illinois* TBD
Sun., Feb. 8 INDIANA STATE* 2:05 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 11 at Evansville* TBD
Sun., Feb. 15 at Drake* TBD
Wed., Feb. 18 WICHITA STATE* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 21 at BracketBusters TBD
Tues., Feb. 24 NORTHERN IOWA* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 28 at Creighton* TBD
March 5-8 MVC Tournament
Home games in BOLD
All times Central
* Missouri Valley Conference game
All times are tentative and subject to change.
Article courtesy: ISU Sports Information
