Illinois State Redbirds
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.
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.
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.
Illinois State coaches Stephanie Glance and Tim Jankovich will be on WJBC at Pub II in Uptown Normal on Monday. (WJBC file photo) ISU coaches shows, Cardinals on WJBC tonight
Join WJBC at Pub II in Uptown Normal for the Illinois State basketball coaches shows. Women's coach Stephanie Glance and men's coach Tim Jankovich will recap weekend victories and look ahead to home games this week with Wichita State.
The Stephanie Glance Show begins at 6 p.m. followed by the Tim Jankovich Show at 7 p.m. They are presented by Country Financial representatives Melissa Isenburg and Steve Peterson and by Bud Light.
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.
Redbirds beat Drake with big second half
DES MOINES, Iowa – Katie Broadway led the Illinois State women’s basketball team with 20 points, as a 12-0 opening-second half run helped the Redbirds defeat Drake, 66-51, Sunday at the Knapp Center.
Jamie Russell scored 18 points and brought down six boards, while recording a career-high six steals. Candace Sykes recorded 10 boards for the second-straight game and added eight points for the Redbirds.
Katie Broadway and the Redbirds look to sweep the season series with Drake Sunday. (Photo By B Corbin/WJBC) 
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