Redbird men 2nd, women 5th in preseason MVC polls

Posted on October 18, 2018
Redbird Arena
Official practices are underway for Illinois State basketball ahead of exhibition games two weeks away. (WJBC file photo)

By Greg Halbleib

ST. LOUIS – Illinois State men’s basketball is picked to finish as runner-up in this season’s Missouri Valley Conference race while the Redbirds are selected to finish fifth on the women’s side.

The polls of coaches, sports information directors and media were released Thursday. Loyola is the choice to repeat as men’s champion while Drake is picked to win a third straight women’s conference title.

Three Redbird men have earned preseason All-Valley honors. Phil Fayne and Milik Yarbrough are on the first team and Keyshawn Evans is a second-team selection.

The Illinois State men host exhibitions on Oct. 30 against Lewis and Nov. 3 against Augustana before opening the season on Nov. 6 at home against Florida Gulf Coast. The Illinois State women host Quincy in a Nov. 4 exhibition before beginning their schedule on Nov. 11 at Southern Illinois Edwardsville.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…