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NORMAL, Ill.--After a record-setting performance Wednesday, the Eagles take a step out of Ohio Valley Conference play for the Bracketbuster showdown at Illinois State.
But just because the game is non-conference doesn’t mean there’s nothing at stake. The Eagles (19-8) will be shooting for their 20th win this season, which would mark back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. It would also be the first time MSU has garnered 20 regular season wins since the 2002-03 season.
Illinois State is also 19-8 and looking for its 20th victory. Last year Morehead State lost at Illinois State by just six points. The teams have met on four previous occasions, including last season, but MSU has won just one of those meetings. Saturday’s winner will earn a nice non-league victory that could help in postseason seeding.
MSU has won two straight, 15 of its last 17 and have been in every game, win or lose since early December. Kenneth Faried continues to lead the Eagles in points (17.1 ppg) and rebounds (13.5 ppg), but it’s Maze Stallworth and Steve Peterson who’ve been in the spotlight in the last few games. Stallworth, Morehead’s second-leading scorer at 13 points per game has hit 21 3-pointers in the past five games, scoring 20 or more in three of those. Peterson has had two of his best games in the past four, scoring 20 against Tennessee Tech and 15 versus Eastern Kentucky. He’s also become more of a defensive stopper, making key steals.
ISU has three players that average in double figures, led by Osiris Eldridge’s 15.6 points per game. Dinma Odiakosa averaged 13 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game. The Redbirds are outscoring their opponents by a 6.3 margin and outrebounding them by 4.3 boards per game. ISU players OVC schools SEMO and SIU Edwardsville, beating both of them handily. They are on a four-game winning streak and have won five of their last six games.
Morehead State returns home to wrap up OVC play and the regular season with Murray State and UT Martin Thursday and Saturday.
