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LOCATION: Normal, IL
CONFERENCE: Missouri Valley
LAST SEASON: 16-15 (.516)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-11 (7th)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 3/2
NICKNAME: Redbirds
COLORS: Red & White
HOMECOURT: Redbird Arena (10,200)
COACH: Tom Richardson (St. Xavier '78)
record at school First year
career record First year
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ASSISTANTS: Chad Altadonna (Illinois State '96)
Doug Novsek (Southern Illinois '87)
Alvin Williamson (Tulsa '95)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 20-22-24-25-16
RPI (last 5 years) 84-64-41-27-96
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference quarterfinal.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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The decade of the 1990s has belonged to Illinois State in the Missouri Valley. Four regular-season championships, two conference tournament titles and two second-place league finishes in the seven seasons from 1991-98 have equated excellence and consistency. In the decade's final two years, the Redbirds have fallen from their roost. Last season, an alarming spate of injuries saw this preseason contender tumble all the way to seventh place and a meek quarterfinal-round exit from the conference tournament. After the season, coach Kevin Stallings, who had won two-thirds of his games over six years and presided over the bulk of that success, resigned and became Vanderbilt's head coach. Two important cogs in the team's recent success, center LeRoy Watkins and guard Kyle Cartmill, graduated. Then came a series of defections that left another figurative smoldering crater in the program. First, freshman point guard Victor Williams, one of the few bright spots in the battle-scarred season, transferred to Oklahoma State. Then, starting center Sean Riley decided to forego his final season of eligibility to pursue medical school studies elsewhere. Then, backup center Ronald van Velzen, who missed last year with a knee injury, transferred to Division III McKendree College. What was left was turned over to Stallings' right-hand man during his ISU reign, 45-year-old Tom Richardson, who hadn't sat in the head coach's chair since 1993 at Nazareth (Ill.) Academy High School. "Some might say we're rebuilding, but I'd say we're in a transition period with our program," Richardson said. "We have eight kids who haven't played here. But our system and style will be very similar even though I'll tweak some things to my liking. To the average basketball fan, it'll look very similar. We've had very good success with our (up-tempo) style and the kids like to play that way."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT C+ BENCH/DEPTH C
FRONTCOURT C INTANGIBLES D+
The Redbirds have the least experience returning of any team in the league from the head coach on down. Only two players remain from the MVC championship team of two years ago, and Ryan Crowley and Joe Hein were deep reserves then. Don't expect coach Tom Richardson to make many changes from the way Kevin Stallings ran things. He appears well-organized and is familiar with the program, the players and the league, so the transition should be fairly smooth. The biggest question on this team is how quickly the newcomers can contribute. The most critical position on the floor, point guard, is being handed over to two first-year players. Most of the inside minutes must be filled by the newcomers as well. But talent and athleticism abound on this team, and if L.D. Murdock and Tarise Bryson stay healthy, the Redbirds could make some noise in a balanced conference. |
Richardson seemed to be settling in well as individual workouts began this fall. "Kevin really prepared me well for this job," he said. "He gave me a lot of administrative responsibilities and sent me out on speaking engagements. I feel real good and comfortable moving into his chair. The transition has been fine. Two assistants stayed with me." Only two starters 6-2 junior guard Tarise Bryson and 6-9 senior forward L.D. Murdock return. Both are coming off knee surgeries. Bryson played through the often severe pain of a stress fracture in his right shin and a knee ligament tear last year. Murdock's season ended in late January when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. Bryson, chosen the Valley's Newcomer of the Year for his team-leading scoring average of 15.5 points per game, is expected back 100 percent because his surgery was arthroscopic. Murdock (14.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg), a transfer from Missouri, was chosen to the all-newcomer team despite missing the season's last month. "Tarise's stress fracture is fine, but his knee still swells occasionally," Richardson said. "He's such a good player when he's healthy. L.D. is playing, but he's just out of shape and his timing is lacking. He just needs to get basketball strong and gain the confidence to cut on his knee." The other three returning lettermen didn't play major roles last season. Forward Ryan Crowley, a 6-5 senior, started 13 games, but averaged just 4.8 points and 2.0 rebounds. Forward Joe Hein, a 6-7 senior (0.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg), played just 43 minutes last season. Guard Shawn Jeppson, a 6-2 sophomore with a sweet jump shot, showed promise as a freshman, averaging 2.4 points. "Crowley has savvy, Hein might be able to help us a little and Jeppson had a good off-season and should be a good contributor at the two guard," Richardson said. Much greater athletic talent resides in the crop of newcomers, led by Prop 42 sophomore guard Isaac Kincaid (Pike High School/ Indianapolis), who averaged 20.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in leading Pike to a state championship. Also new in the backcourt is 6-2 freshman Ishmael Joyce (White Station HS/Memphis, Tenn.), who averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 steals. "Those two look like they're the ones to run the team for us, which is scary," Richardson said. "The Valley is loaded with great backcourt players, so our inexperienced guys will have their hands full. They can both play either the point or the two guard and they have a good feel for the game." One player who could have helped, Ray Austin, a 6-7, 230-pounder from Youngstown, Ohio, left school in September and returned home with no plans to resume his basketball career. "It wasn't that I didn't like the players, school or coaches," Austin said. "I just don't want to play basketball anymore." Richardson was disappointed in Austin's decision, particularly its timing. "If he questioned his desire to play, he should have shared that with us so we could have either helped him or made alternate plans," Richardson said. "We tried every possible approach with Ray, but he just withdrew from everyone." Picking up the slack left by Austin's departure could be 6-8 junior Rich Beyers (Shelbyville HS/Shelbyville, Ill.), a transfer from Illinois who will become eligible on Dec. 18. Beyers, essentially a face-the-basket finesse player, averaged 3.9 points and 1.8 rebounds as a first-semester sophomore for the Illini. Beyers hurt his back during the summer and couldn't play much. Consequently, his assimilation into the rotation could be slowed. Another transfer who will probably play right away is 6-8, 240-pound Dan Luczywko (South Milwaukee HS/South Milwaukee, Wisc.), a junior transfer from South Florida, where he averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds as a sophomore. "Dan's a big, lumbering slow guy, but a blue-collar worker who is very physical," Richardson said. "If I had to put a starting lineup out there today, he'd be in it." Perry Smith (Proviso East HS/Maywood, Ill.) is a 6-4 athletic freshman who averaged 14.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals as a senior. "Crowley's experience will probably keep Perry from starting immediately," Richardson said. "But as the season moves on, Perry may move into that (small forward) spot. He's a bouncy, explosive athlete who will be a really good player for us and have a good career." The last newcomer is 6-11, 235-pound freshman Andy Strandmark (Darnall HS/Geneseo, Ill.), who averaged 14.2 points and 9.3 rebounds a year ago. "Strandmark has a good touch and good skills," Richardson said. "But he needs to get stronger and more physical. He may redshirt this year." Two walk-ons round out the Redbird roster 6-1 junior guard Marcus Betts (Manley HS/Chicago) and 6-6 sophomore forward Chad Mazanowski (DeKalb HS/DeKalb, Ill.). A transfer from Arizona who will sit out this season is 6-3 sophomore Traves Wilson (Moline HS/Moline, Ill.), a versatile swingman who is counted on for big things in the future. Wilson, who averaged 22.4 points and 10.0 rebounds at Moline, played in 28 of 29 games for Arizona as a freshman, averaging 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds. While Richardson isn't writing off this season by any means, he knows his youthful team has a tough road ahead. "Experience is such a key factor in a basketball team," he said. "You just can't underestimate what that means to a team. The guys who aren't back represented our program well and will be missed on and off the floor for sure. Our approach will be a little different this year and hopefully we can improve as the season goes along."
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