One on One with Ryan Pedon
(St. Louis, MO) – Illinois State’s needle is pointed up. The Redbirds (15-10, 7-7) have won three of their last four games and five of their last seven. Illinois State has seemingly been in tightly contested games all season, and lately they’ve been winning those ‘coin-flip’ games.
Wednesday they host first place Drake in a rematch of a game the Bulldogs won (66-62) in Des Moines. Game time on local Gray Media television stations and Matrix Midwest in St. Louis is set for 8 pm. It is the second game of the MVC TV Network double header.
The 6 pm contest, on those same stations features Southern Illinois’ visit to Bradley.
Eleven of the Redbirds’ 14 conference games have finished as ‘two-possession’ games. ILS is 5-6 in those decided by six or less points. Saturday they lost by three points at Northern Iowa. Head coach Ryan Pedon’s team has won four of their last six tight contests.
Drake (22-2,12-2) has won ten straight games and are receiving votes in the national polls. While their season has been wildly successful Coach Ben McCollum tells us he is still striving for continual improvement.
Pedon says his team’s growing maturity is a factor for greater success. Well deserved accolades have been thrown at super sophomores Johnny Kinziger and Chase Walker, but Pedon also notes the growing contributions of key role players. Jordan Davis and Ty Pence have seen their roles increase in recent weeks.
Pedon believes the Redbird needle is pointed up.
Needle is Pointe Up
Illinois State hasn’t won as many as 17 games since the 2018-19 season or 18 victories in the season before that. Pedon’s team has matched last year’s squad’s total (15) with at least seven games left in this campaign. The Redbird kenpom.com ratings over the past five years have ranged from 179 to 289. Pedon’s current group sits at 138.
While Illinois State trails fourth place Belmont by two games, the Redbirds’ needle is pointed up.
Do Good
Editor: Cover photo of Jordan Davis, courtesy of Dennis Banks and goredbirds.com.
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. @DrakeBulldogsMB has 21 votes in the AP Top 25 poll AND 1 vote in the coaches' poll. Bulldogs are 57 in the NET. Wins over Kansas State (73 NET), Vanderbilt (42 NET) & @ @BradleyUMBB (83 NET) could all be Q1 wins when it all shakes out. Those are moving metrics. #FatherHarry
The first place @DrakeBulldogsMB survive and defeat @IndStBasketball 85-81 in overtime. Bennett Stirtz with 20 points & 7 assists. Samage Teel with 26 for the Trees. #FatherHarry
16th time in Ben Jacobson's 19 seasons at @UNImbb with at least 16 wins. #FatherHarry
Wow. @UNImbb comes from way down to end up winning by 3. 16 wins and 10 in the @ValleyHoops for the Panthers. #FatherHarry
