Local Sports
Gary Walter (L), Dick Luedke (C) and Mike Matthews provide play-by-play coverage on the WJBC Country Financial Illinois State Radio Network. (Photo by B Corbin/WJBC) Illinois State men host No. 19 Shockers
The Illinois State men will take the Redbird Arena floor one final time this season against 19th-ranked Wichita State on Wednesday.
The Redbirds are locked in one of the closest Missouri Valley Conference races in history. ISU (8-8) is tied with Drake and Evansville for fourth place, while the third and eighth place teams are just two games apart.
Malik Wildermuth had ___ points as the Pioneers cruised to a victory Tuesday night. 
An ISU victory over Wichita State Wednesday would equal the second-most home victories (15) in the history of Redbird Arena. (Photo by B. Corbin) Matty on the Redbirds: Handling Wichita State
Yesterday
WJBC Illinois State men's basketball team analyst Mike Matthews joined WJBC's R.C. McBride and Jim Fitzpatrick to preview tomorrow night's game against No. 19 Wichita State at Redbird Arena.
Illinois State has not beaten a ranked opponent since downing No. 14 Iowa, 89-88, on Dec. 29, 1987. Wichita State is looking for its sixth-straight win in the series and its second-straight regular-season sweep over the Redbirds.
Former Redbird Neal Cotts pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2009. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Ex-Redbird Cotts signs with Texas Rangers
Former Illinois State left-handed pitcher and member of the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox Neal Cotts agreed to a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers Monday.
Cotts, 31, has not pitched in the Major Leagues since he played for the Chicago Cubs in 2009. Since then, he underwent Tommy John surgery and has recently battled hip issues. Cotts has pitched in 284 Major League games for the White Sox and Cubs. He is 10-12 with a 4.63 ERA through 279 relief appearances and five starts.
Malik Wildermuth had ___ points as the Pioneers cruised to a victory Tuesday night. 
LeRoy posing with their trophy and net after the win. (Photo by Mike Spaulding LeRoy defeats Annawan in supersectional
BLOOMINGTON – High school girls basketball had the Shirk Center near capacity Monday night, with a raucous crowd on hand to watch the LeRoy Panthers defeat the top-ranked Annawan Bravettes, 56-53.
It seemed to take the Panthers a few minutes to gather themselves and figure out the full-court press defense that Annawan was putting forth early. Once that happened, it was all LeRoy.
Tyler Brown joined this week's edition of the Tim Jankovich Show at Pub II in Normal. (Photo By B Corbin/WJBC) 
Coach Melinda Fischer's Redbirds were picked to finish first in the Missouri Valley Conference. (Photo Courtesy GoRedbirds.com) Redbird catcher named Valley Player of the Week
ST. LOUIS – For the second-straight week, an Illinois State softball player has earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honors. After going 6-for-13 with three doubles, seven RBI and six runs scored, senior catcher Caiti Kopp earned the weekly award for the first time in her career, as announced by the league office Monday afternoon.
Tim Jankovich's Illinois State Redbirds will host No. 24 Wichita State on Wednesday. (Photo by B Corbin/WJBC) ISU men hope to ‘shock’ MVC leaders
Illinois State men's basketball coach Tim Jankovich says Wichita State seems to be playing on a different level than they were when the Redbirds nearly knocked off the Shockers in Wichita on Jan. 10.
WSU, now ranked 24th in the nation, will take a 6-game winning streak into Redbird Arena on Wednesday for Illinois State's final home game of the regular season.
Gallery: Photos: ISU men top Oakland in BracketBuster
NORMAL -- The Illinois State men's basketball team took down Oakland with a second-half comeback, 79-75, on Saturday.
Check out our photo gallery from the Sears BracketBusters game.
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