NORMAL, Ill. – The Redbirds host Chicago State on Monday night in the final scheduled non-conference game of the 2022-23 season.

QUICK HITTERS

• When Illinois State faces off against the Chicago State Cougars, it will mark just one of two times this season in which ISU will see two different schools with the same mascot, as the ‘Birds topped the SIUE Cougars on December 10. The only other mascot duplicate is with the Panthers (Eastern Illinois, and UNI).

• Illinois State is 23-11 all-time on December 19

• The Redbirds rank eighth in the country in free throw percentage, a fraction below 80 percent on the season.

• Kendall Lewis is one of just eight players in NCAA Division I this season to have at least 14 assists, blocks, and steals, while scoring 150+ points.

• Malachi Poindexter is one of six student-athletes in the country to be perfect on his free throw tries this season with at least 14 makes and attempts.

• This game is one of eight for ISU when it faces off against a school with an alliterative name (same letter starts the school and mascot – Chicago State Cougars).

• After Illinois State’s season-opening loss, Illinois State’s 20 head coaches have a 13-7 combined record in their first game on the sidelines for ISU. Of the coaches that won the 13 games, none have led Illinois State to an NCAA Tournament berth. On the other side of the ledger, each of Illinois State’s last five head coaches to lose their ISU opener have taken the Redbirds to a NCAA tournament appearance in their career.

• With three games of 13+ rebounds, Kendall Lewis has the ninth-most such games in the country this season. Purdue’s Zach Edey has a nation-leading six this season.

• Last Monday, Illinois State fifth-year guard Colton Sandage earned MVC Newcomer of the Week honors after aver

• Chicago State is…