SETTING THE SCENE
The non-conference start to the season for Illinois State continues on Friday night, when the Redbirds (3-1) host the visiting Saint Louis Billikens (1-4) at CEFCU Arena with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. The Redbirds will be looking for their third-straight victory heading into next week's Puerto Rico Shootout in San Juan.
THE SERIES
Illinois State and Saint Louis will meet for the 7th time in program history, with the series knotted, 3-3. The two teams first played in 2018, and the Redbirds won, 72-67. Their last meeting came in 2024, when the Billikens won, 78-71.