ISU went perfect at home and won the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, defeating Charlotte and Furman. They then suffered a humbling defeat to USC and lost a sloppy game to Utah State.
Illinois State finds itself ranked No. 100 in the KenPom rankings as of Dec. 14. With Missouri Valley Conference play on the horizon, it is important to recognize the highs and lows for what was a respectable finish to the non-conference slate.
High: The Freshmen Class Is Absurd
Illinois State Head Coach Ryan Pedon and his staff’s recruiting ability is impeccable. They find more gems than miners who work grueling 12-hour shifts.
The star of the show has been Ty’Reek Coleman. The former three-star recruit currently averages 11.9 PPG while shooting 55% from the field and 44% from three. Getting to the rim has been his greatest strength. Coleman makes 62% of his shots attacking the paint, despite being just six-foot-two.
Coleman’s slashing has been the saving grace when the Redbird offense becomes stagnant. The team’s motto is getting up shots from deep. 42% of ISU’s field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc. The difference compared to last year was that no one could attack the rim. If Chase Walker could not score in the post, a shot was not being generated in the paint. The emergence of Coleman has been critical for the Redbirds' success.
Then, there is Mason Klabo. The former zero-star recruit has started to shine, emerging as a rising star for the program. The North Dakota Native gets around 13 minutes per game, averaging 5.7 points on 55.8% shooting from the field.
Isaac Ericksen and Nick Allen are redshirting the 2025-26 season. If they pan out to be decent players, Coach Pedon has a freshman class that rivals the Walker/Kinziger/Pence class.
Low: Missing Posters Are Up For Jack Daugherty
Jack Daugherty — the 2024/25 Bloomington cult hero. A flame thrower from deep ignited excitement throughout CEFCU Arena. Countless memories were made from Daughtery’s greatness. The seven three-pointers against Bradley or the 10 against Trinity, Daugherty was magic from downtown.
He is currently shooting 12-of-51 from the three-point line.
Did he forget how to shoot? Obviously not. It is a confidence issue that can normally be fixed with reps. However, he is not getting the opportunity until he develops another skill. If he is not hitting threes, Daugherty is just another guy on the court. Pedon knows this as well. Daugherty has played 12 minutes or less seven times this season.
The strength of the Redbird’s depth has led to the downfall of Daugherty’s game. He will not get opportunities to break the slump because ISU can bring in another guy who can contribute something important to the game. Daugherty is providing an empty tool chest.
High: The Redbirds Role Deep
Illinois State currently has five players averaging 10+ PPG. When Johnny Kinziger and Walker went cold last season, no one could step up. The 2024/25 team was a two-headed monster.
Now with Boden Skunberg, Ty Pence and Coleman competing to be the third guy, the Redbirds have an unlimited buffet of bucket-getters.
On top of that, 10 players are averaging 11+ MPG. The valley runs deep, but the Redbirds run deeper. Arch Madness is a grueling weekend with back-to-back-to-back games. Coach Pedon’s crew is built for the gauntlet.
Low: The Redbirds have an apparent size problem
The backcourt of Kinziger & Coleman has an average height of six feet, the starting forwards are both guards and Walker is less aggressive on the boards due to his constant foul troubles. Small ball works against inferior opponents. However, this was a glaring problem against the likes of Utah State.
The Redbirds got out-rebounded 33-18 and allowed 19 offensive rebounds.
ISU desperately needs another big man to play alongside Walker. He has committed four or more fouls in six games this season, where the Redbirds have a record of 3-3. They are 5-0 when he has three or fewer.
Walker strikes fear with his offensive game. He does not have the same instincts on defense, and teams take advantage of it. He needs a partner in crime to help him there. The development of Cameron Barnes needs more focus from the staff.
Where do the Redbirds rank amongst the MVC
It is currently Belmont, and then everyone else. The Redbirds find themselves in tier two with Northern Iowa and Murray State. However, the Bruins are currently a lap ahead in the valley.
10-1 record, 85.7 PPG, 18.7 APG compared to 13.5 TO, 52 FG% and 38.6 3P% — the Bruins have had an elite start to the season. The worst part, they are a stylistic nightmare for ISU.
The Bruins have six players who average 19+ minutes per game. Their average height is slightly above six-foot-six. The average height for the Redbirds' six deep into their rotation is six-foot-four. That is a notable difference when it comes to average team height, especially given the fact that they can all shoot from deep. Brandon Lieb and Walker cannot defend bigs on the perimeter.
The Redbirds have strengths that the Redbird faithful can flock to. ISU has a stacked rotation, can shoot from deep and can run in transition. They are a great team. However, with the expectations this team had heading into the season, they need to evolve into a brilliant team. It is a doable assignment. The players and staff need to do their homework on multiple assignments.
Kinziger has stepped up as the team’s point guard/facilitator. While I do not love the idea, he has done a solid job so far. His experience has allowed him to average 3 APG with 2.1 TO. If coach Pedon is going to continue having Kinziger play the point guard role rather than being a shooting guard with a main priority of scoring, both of those numbers need to improve.
The Walker foul trouble pandemic has carried into this season. He has to be on the court if the Redbirds want to win. When he had four or more fouls last season, the Redbirds went 6-6. Compared to the 22 games with three fouls or fewer, ISU went 15-7. Smart coaches are going to deliver drives to the rim quicker than Amazon’s overnight shipping. ISU can not continue to leave Walker on an island.
Finally, Daugherty has to get back in the groove. Bench mobs win games and a spark plug who can come in and drill multiple threes is game-changing. The emergence of Coleman and Skunberg has been massive. The return of Daugherty would be the icing on the cake.
The door is still open for the Redbirds to return to March Madness. The valley just happens to be the most competitive mid-major in the country. With it likely being a one-bid league, Illinois State needs to be elite.