Illinois State Redbirds Return Top Talent in 2025-2026
Illinois State Redbirds basketball preview: CBI champions return a lot of talent in college basketball. Can they end 27-year NCAA Tournament drought?
The Illinois State Redbirds are coming off their best season since 2017. The Redbirds finished 22-14 and 10-10 within the Missouri Valley Conference. Their success earned them a spot in the CBI postseason tournament where they would make it to the championship game. After taking down Cleveland State, Illinois State was crowned the CBI champions.
Now, with just five players that left the roster, the Redbirds have one of the top percentage of returning talent in all of college basketball. Following their CBI win, they are looking to complete what didn’t happen during that 28-7 2016-2017 season…returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.
This is a talented squad in all positions of the court, but the Missouri Valley Conference is one of the most competitive conferences outside of the power conferences. Let’s take a look at who the Redbirds have on their squad this season.
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Roster Turnover
The Redbirds have lost the following players:
Dalton Banks (Ineligible)
10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Malachi Poindexter (Ineligible)
6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Jordan Davis (Ineligible)
4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds
Caden Boser (Ineligible)
4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1 assist
Cade Norris (Sophomore) - Samford
1.1 points, 1.2 rebounds
Illinois State is in the top ten programs this season in returning minutes, and they’ve pulled off a marvel in this modern era of college basketball. The Redbirds lost just one player to the transfer portal, and that was Cade Norris who wasn’t a key rotational player. Outside of the portal, they did lose four players due to eligibility.
Dalton Banks became a fan favorite over the last two years after transferring in from Southern Illinois. He finished a strong five-year career in the Missouri Valley where he developed into a reliable point guard for the Redbirds. Poindexter spent two seasons at Virginia before spending the last three at Illinois State. He went from making an immediate impact as a starter, to adapting to a new role as a strong option off the bench last year, reflecting his loyalty to the program as the Redbirds grow.
Jordan Davis spent three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring in to the Redbirds. At Wisconsin, he averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds while starting in 18 games during his final season. For Illinois State, he never eclipsed those figures, but he played a huge role last season in a starter/role player hybrid role. Boser spent his final season of eligibility with Illinois State, producing career highs across the board.
Returning Players
The Redbirds have the following players returning this season:
Brandon Lieb (Senior)
DNP (3.2 points, 3.8 rebounds in 2023-2024)
Boden Skunberg (Senior) - North Dakota State
DNP (14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 2023-2024)
Landon Wolf (Senior)
6.3 points, 2.9 rebounds
Chase Walker (Junior)
15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2 assists
Ty Pence (Junior)
7.4 points, 4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Ty Blake (Junior)
1.5 points (4 games/3.3 minutes)
Johnny Kinziger (Junior)
14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal
Jack Daugherty (Sophomore)
6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds
Cameron Barnes (Sophomore)
2.1 points, 1.3 rebounds (17 games/6.1 minutes)
Guards
Boden Skunberg (6’5)
It was heartbreaking for Redbirds fans last season when it was announced that Boden Skunberg would miss the season. However, he’s back. After seeing how they did last season without him, then with the amount of returning talent they have…a beautiful recipe for success. Skunberg was outstanding at North Dakota State where he averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in his last season while shooting 40.8% overall and 34% from beyond the arc. He’s not a threat on defense outside of rebounding, where he finished with a 17.1% defensive rebounding percentage. However, he wildly makes up for it with his prolific offensive capabilities. Look for Skunberg to land on some All-MVC lists this year.
Landon Wolf (6’5)
Wolf was an inter-conference transfer who joined Illinois State after spending his first two seasons at Northern Iowa. Last year, he averaged 6.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 44.9% overall and 35.5% from three-point. While averaging 20 minutes a game, he finished 432nd in the country with a strong 116.1 offensive rating per KenPom. His 7.3% turnover rate was 23rd in the nation, and his 57.5% shooting percentage from inside the arc was 382nd. While his averages won’t blow you away, his efficiency and impact on the game makes him an important piece to the rotation puzzle for Ryan Pedon.
Ty Pence (6’6)
Pence broke out in his sophomore season as he averaged 7.4 points, four rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 36 games, starting in 19. He shot 51.7% overall and 36.7% from three-point. Similar to Wolf, his efficiency was outstanding. He finished the season with a 115.6 offensive rating which was 472nd in the nation, his 17.6% defensive rebounding percentage was 410th, and his remarkable 63.6% shooting percentage from inside the arc was 102nd in college basketball. He’s not a volume shooter, but when he’s about as efficient as they come. His metrics fell a bit in conference play, but over his first six games on the season which featured strong teams like North Dakota State, Ohio, McNeese, and UAB, he was averaging 12 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He’ll have an opportunity to take another step forward this season.
Johnny Kinziger (5’11)
Kinziger is one of the fastest rising guards in the country outside of the power conferences. As a freshman, he burst onto the seen averaging 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Last season, he jumped to 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and one steal per game. He shot 43.8% overall and 38.6% from beyond the arc. He finished the season with a 116.2 offensive ration, a 53.9% effective field goal percentage, and a 59.7% true shooting percentage which was 235th in college basketball. In conference, his metrics jumped to 118.9, 55.2, and 60.9 across those three metrics respectively.
One thing Kinziger does exceptionally well is get to the line. In the Missouri Valley, he drew 4.2 fouls per game where he attempted 73 free throws, knocking down 66. That 90.4% free throw shooting percentage was top among the conference.
Kinziger is poised to help lead the Illinois State Redbirds to the top of the conference this season as he looks to continue to garner attention across the college basketball landscape.
Forwards
Chase Walker (6’9)
Walker was nothing short of phenomenal last season for Illinois State as just a sophomore. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and two assists per game in just 24.3 minutes of action on average. He shot 58% overall, and he did knock down ten of his 28 three-point attempts. He finished the season with a 118.8 offensive rating which was 278th in the country, a 13.6% offensive rebounding percentage which was 55th in the nation, an 18.4% defensive rebounding percentage, and a 19.6% assist rate. This big man can do a little bit of everything. With Lieb going down for the entire season last year, Walker stepped into the undersized center role and it worked out well for him. I’m excited to see him step into his own in more of his traditional position this year because he’s going to be ready to lift his name into national conversations.
Cameron Barnes (6’10)
Barnes appeared in 17 games as a freshman last season and flashed some potential. Coming out of high school, he was listed as a three-star recruit and 434th in his class. Last season, he shot 56% overall and 28.6% from beyond the arc. His underlying metrics in limited minutes are impressive as he finished with a 121.8 offensive rating, a 9.8% offensive rebounding percentage, a 16.2% defensive rebounding percentage, and a 5.4% block rate. We should expect to see some more minutes from Barnes coming off the bench this season, but with Lieb being healthy, those minutes could be at risk.
Jack Daugherty (6’8)
After an outstanding campaign as a freshman, Daugherty earned a spot on both the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team and the All-Bench Team. Through 33 games while averaging 12 minutes, he finished shooting 47.3% overall and 47.6% from three-point alongside 6.3 points and 1.7 rebounds on average. As a freshman, his playing time was a bit all over the place, however, he had some outstanding games. Against Bradley in a huge win, he finished with 25 points while shooting 7-10 from three-point. Against SIU he finished with 17 and 11 points respectively. He finished with a 122.2 offensive rating, a 14.6% defensive rebounding percentage, and a remarkable 50% three point percentage in MVC games. This roster is loaded with talent, but you’ll be seeing plenty of playing time for Daugherty this season.
Center
Brandon Lieb (7’1)
Lieb missed the season last year, but he came over to the Redbirds following three seasons at Illinois. He appeared in 31 games for the Illini, then 17 for Illinois State in his senior season. He averaged 3.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in those 17 games. At 7’1, he provides an important role as a lock down player that can clean up the boards. However, there are questions around his offensive capabilities. He finished shooting 34.6% from the floor overall and just 14.3% from beyond the arc on 14 attempts. His offensive rating was just 84.9, but his defensive rebounding percentage was a strong 26% and his offensive rebounding percentage was a remarkable 14%. Lieb isn’t going to average 30 minutes for Illinois State, but he will provide an important role where he can be a lock down force on the boards when they aren’t running a smaller lineup with Chase Walker.
Walk-ons
Ty Blake (6’4)
Blake is a walk-on and appeared in four games last season. He did score four points against Northern Illinois in their blow out win, but you should imagine that we’ll see a similar amount of playing time for the local guard.
Roster Additions
The Redbirds have added the following players:
Landon Moore
3.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Tyreek Coleman (Freshman)
Mason Klabo (Freshman)
Isaac Ericksen (Freshman)
Nick Allen (Freshman)
Landon Moore (6’3)
Moore is the sole incoming transfer for the Illinois State Redbirds. He started out his freshman season at St. Francis where he dominated out of the gate. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 42.2% overall and 36% from 3pt. The Bloomington, Illinois native headed closer to home after transferring to Butler where he spent the last two years. He primarily played a bench role while appearing in 68 games, starting in four across two seasons. Last season, he shot 35.5% overall and 21.4% from three-point, down considerably from his 37.3% average the year prior. He took just 28 attempts from beyond the arc, which is by far a career low. He finished the season with a 101 offensive rating, and a 13.3% assist rate. You can imagine that in an expanded role, he should be able to creep back towards some of those freshman year numbers.
Ty’Reek Coleman (6’2)
Coming out of Aurora, Illinois, Coleman was listed as a three star recruit and 362nd in this season’s class according to 247 Sports. During his senior season, he averaged 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Waubonsie Valley had a incredible team last season, and Coleman was at the forefront. He is as crafty of a scorer as you’ll fine, he’s uber athletic, and he has great court vision. I’m not for sure how much he’ll play as a freshman, however, Illinois State fans are going to have a new fan favorite within another season to root for.
Coleman had offers from Colorado State, Murray State, Indiana State, Miami Ohio, and others.
Mason Klabo (6’2)
Coming out of North Dakota, he averaged a ridiculous 27.5 points, 5.9 assists, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game during his senior season. He is a lights out shooter, and the type of player that very obviously leaves it all out of the court. He reminds me a lot of Johnny Kinziger if I’m being honest. Klabo is a long-term prospect for Illinois State, but I have to imagine that he might redshirt this season. With the amount of talent they have at his position, he could take the year to develop and be ready to hit the court as a redshirt freshman next year. However, Coleman could wind up being the one to redshirt as well.
Klabo had offers from DePaul, Chattanooga, Wyoming, Vermont, Northern Iowa, and others.
Isaac Ericksen (6’8)
Ericksen hails from Cary, North Carolina and he was rated a three star recruit and 290th in his class per 247 Sports. During his senior season, he averaged 17.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The highlights below were from his junior season, but you can see the raw talent that’s there. For his size, he has a beautiful mid-range and three-point shot. He’s quick, he has strong verticality, and he’s a monster rebounder. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility to see some of Ericksen in his freshman season. With Jack Daugherty and Cameron Barnes in front of him, he could earn 10-12 minutes per game.
Ericksen had offers from Furman, Arkansas State, Charleston, and others.
Nick Allen (6’10)
Allen is another three-star recruit coming out of Illinois for the Redbirds this season. Allen was ranked as the 394th top recruit in the country. Allen averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game throughout his senior season. The Redbirds don’t have a ton of depth with significant height, so Allen will be playing behind Brandon Lieb as the primary center and Chase Walker who can help hold down the paint in the smaller lineup. The Redbirds could use Allen’s shot blocking and defensive abilities immediately as a freshman.
Allen had offers from Belmont, Murray State, Loyola Chicago, Bradley, and others.
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Expectations
Last season, there were a lot of expectations for the Redbirds, but once both Skunberg and Lieb went down with season-ending injuries, it changed what was to be expected. Regardless, they finished with more than 20 wins, and now this season with the returning talent the expectations are even higher. What does a potential starting lineup look like for Illinois State?
Johnny Kinziger
Boden Skunberg
Landon Wolf/Jack Daugherty
Jack Daugherty/Chase Walker
Chase Walker/Brandon Lieb
There’s so much talent on this team that nailing down a starting lineup is difficult. Pedon has some interesting options whether he wants to run a taller or smaller lineup. Kinziger, Skunberg, and Walker are three lock-ins for the starting lineup. Then it’ll vary depending on whether Pedon will want to bring in Lieb off the bench or start him in the traditional center spot while Walker plays in more of a power forward role. As for the small forward spot, if you start Lieb, then that bumps one of Wolf or Daugherty out of the lineup. I’d lean towards starting Wolf and bringing in Daugherty off the bench as a sparkplug on offense.
Off the bench, you’ll have Landon Moore, Ty Pence, Cameron Barnes, and some combination of either Landon Wolf or Jack Daugherty alongside Brandon Lieb. That’s a nine player deep rotation of strong options that Pedon can utilize to matchup against opponents. Pence and Moore will be able to provide backup minutes to Kinziger and Skunberg. The opposite of Wolf and Daugherty can come in the secondary for the other. Then you can play small with Chase Walker and bring in Brandon Lieb to give you a massive center to matchup against some of the strong backcourts in the Missouri Valley.
My largest concern is their point guard playing time. They don’t have a true “proven” point guard on the roster. Dalton Banks was that guy last season, so who will step up this year? Can Kinziger be that guy? Will they just run a committee? For the Redbirds, Pedon has never lived or died by having to run a full ball-movement offense. They finished 116th in assist/field goals made last year, 113 last year, and 279 two years ago. Considering they have a combination of Kinziger, Skunberg, and now Landon Moore, I think that running a committee will be fine. However, it’s something to keep an eye on as the season starts to develop, especially in conference games.
Looking at their schedule, I like that they have some true tests. The Missouri Valley Conference has always been one of the premier and toughest conferences outside of the traditional power conferences and high-majors. The Redbirds have Ohio, Cornell, USC, Eastern Kentucky, and Utah State. In particular, I love the USC, Ohio, and Utah State games. USC is obviously a buy-game for the Trojans, but don’t count out Illinois State. This is a deep roster and they could give USC a run for their money. Utah State should be a solid team again, and Ohio is always consistent in the MAC.
Overall, I think anything less than a top three finish in the Missouri Valley this season would be a disappointment for Redbirds fans. They have the potential to win the conference, but I know better than trying to predict a Missouri Valley Conference championship on September 1st before the season has even started. You’ll want to keep your eyes on this squad!