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NORMAL, Ill. — Ryan Cermak powered the Illinois State Redbirds to a 9-5 victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames on Sunday, smashing two home runs in a standout performance at Duffy Bass Field. Cermak’s second homer of the game came in a pivotal moment, electrifying the crowd as he leaped onto home plate to complete his trot around the bases. The Redbirds’ offense erupted for nine runs, overwhelming the Flames in a contest that showcased Illinois State’s dominance in the matchup. The win improved Illinois State’s record as they capitalized on a balanced attack against UIC’s pitching. The Flames, despite a late rally, couldn’t close the gap, finishing the game with five runs. The Redbirds’ victory underscored their strong play in the Missouri Valley Conference, while UIC struggled to keep pace. Both teams are set to continue their seasons with upcoming conference games later this week.

Illinois State University Redbird Women's Volleyball hosted a 4 team volleyball this past weekend.  Participating visiting teams were #7 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles, #7 ranked University or Illinois Fighting Illini and the Knights from the University of Central Florida.  Events kicked off on Friday evening with the Knights and Golden Eagles followed by ISU v the Illini.  Both those matches went 4 sets with Golden Eagles defeating the Knights and ISU upsetting the Illini! On Saturday UCF took on the Illini in a morning match.  The Illini fell once again moving their record in the tournament to 0-2 and setting UCF's record to 1-1.  The evening matchups included a 5:30 match between UCF and Illinois State and the nightcap was Marquette and the Illini.  Both matches went 5 sets, both thrillers with ISU taking the win over UCF and the Illini besting Marquette. Sunday afternoon, the final match between Marquette and Illinois State was nothing short of epic...

The local football season kicked off today with the Illinois State Redbird Red-White scrimmage.  A healthy combination of fans and students attended the event and the preliminary activities which included the annual student promo photo on the field in Hancock Stadium with the Big Red Marching Machine, cheerleaders, flag corp, and Redline Dancers forming ISU all wearing red shirts. High School football will follow in 13 days with the first Friday Lights games. Get out this fall, support your local teams and see some of the great talent that passes through our communities! Red-White game gallery

Redbird Arena - 2-16-2019 Bradley at Illinois State The Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball outcomes have been absolutely unpredictable this season.  A few games back, Illinois State defeated Loyola to take the lead in the conference.  Last night they lost to a struggling Bradley team.  Actually, Bradley has been staging a bit of a comeback the last few seasons, albeit a slow one.  But, nothing seems to happen overnight with maybe the exception of the Loyola Rambler cinderella team last season...Devine Intervention? The game has always been a rivalry, but in recent years it's been beat up.  This game, 9000 people filed in to the 'nest' to watch the game.  Some accounts say the contingent of Braves fans that travelled 40 miles from Peoria were more energized.  Maybe so, so much red in Redbird that I couldn't tell the fans apart by just looking up.  Still, the rivalry wasn't like it was in its heydays a dozen plus years ago when the th...

The annual Play4Kay women's basketball game at Redbird Arena this year was held on Sunday February 10 and featured the Indiana State Sycamores and the Illinois State Redbirds.  The normal faire of stationary bikes, treadmills, raffles, t-shirts, etc., helped to raise $20,000 for the Kay Foundations campaign against cancer.  For those that don't know, the foundation is named for famed women's college basketball coach Kay Yow. A couple of pretty interesting things at this years game were the sneakers worn by Illinois State coach Kristen Gillespie.  The sneakers were a one of a kind pair that were commissioned by the foundation.  Several pairs of sneakers were made, and to my understanding were all different.  All the sneakers were given to different coaches across the country.  The pair worn by Coach Gillespie were auctioned off in a silent auction and transferred to the winner after the game. The other item that was interesting was a result of the lighti...

Well, starting off with the positive is the Star Spangled Banner was adequately performed last night at the start of the game.  It wasn't or even attempted to be overdone!  Not a first, but pleasantly refreshing. From there, depending on the team you follow or the perspective you have - the rest of the night was either really good, or not so good.  Valpo walked on to something like a 14 - 0 run to start the game.  The Redbirds finally got it going in the 4th quarter and cut a 23 point deficit to 7 but it wasn't enough to change the momentum.  The Crusaders picked back up and sharpened their swords to take the score to a 16 point lead as the buzzer ended the bloodshed Not a huge gallery this game, but some pretty cool under the bucket shots are here .

February 2, 2019 - Normal, IL:  The Illinois State Redbirds and the Ramblers of Loyola Chicago squared off for a Men's Missouri Valley Basketball game to see who would walk away in sole possession of 1st place in the conference at near the midpoint of the season.  Dick Ludtke, a long time broadcaster was on hand to do the radio play by play and was recognized before the battle for his 1000th Redbird Basketball broadcast. Just over 8100 fans nearly filled the 10,500 seat Redbird Arena and stayed in their seats to watch the entire game.  Although the point difference at the buzzer was 8 points in the Redbirds favor, the game was not really settled till inside the 1 minute mark.  The frenzied late play kept a crowd that oftens leaves with minutes left on the clock, in their seats till the end. Photo Gallery!

The Illinois State Redbirds defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers on September 8, 2018 at the 107th playing of the Mid-America Classic held at Hancock Stadium in Normal Illinois.  The combination of Brady Davis at quarterback coupled with runners and receivers Spencer Schnell, Markel Smith and James Robinson provided many of the highlights.  The Panthers used 3 or more players at the quarterback position and couldn't seem to get started against the Redbird defense. Click for Photo Gallery Images are available for licensing from the Best Look in Sports Action Photography in Bloomington-Normal, Alan Look Photography .

Two weeks into the football season and the games we have covered were all just a wee bit one-sided. In week 1, Sacred Heart Griffin boke the wheels on the wagon of the University High Pioneers. Week 2 presented us with a twofer weekend, one high school game and one college game. The Annual Chili Bowl between Normal Community and Normal Community West was a one-sided affair on the field at NCHS. West Wildcats got a quick early score on a fumble recovery return, but was pretty much shut down by the Ironmen until the 3rd quarter. In college competition, Saint Xavier just couldn't keep up with the Redbirds in Hancock Stadium. Stay tuned, we will try to post a little more this season. Click links for photos: SHG at UHigh Chili Bowl Saint Xavier at Illinois State

The 3-4 Lady Redbirds moved to 4 and 4 on the season today after hosting and defeating the 2-6 (now 2-7) Lady Eagles of Eastern Michigan.  The game started out with the Redbirds taking the lead, a lead they never relinquished.  Quarterly scores were: 13-3, 26-12, 44-28, and the final 65-56.  Officiating crew for todays game was LaSha Hopson, Andrew Bills and Todd Moistner.

A fairly uneventful first half led to a 2nd half full of excitement as the Racers of Murray State visited Redbird Arena to play basketball against the Illinois State Redbirds.  Refs whistles came alive in the 2nd have creating some tension and escalating the level of play.  The Racers at one point mounted a double digit lead of 13.  The lead only changed one time, with the Redbirds giving it up to the Racers.  Late in the game, the Redbirds had trimmed the lead to one possession, but a couple of miscues evaporated the chance of taking the lead back to win the game.  Final score on the board was 78-72.

If you skipped last nights game at Redbird Arena, you missed a good game to watch some of the players that don't dust the floor very often.  Among those was Luke Litwiler, a walk on from Olympia High School who hit 3 points from beyond the arch and narrowly missed a 4th bringing the crowd to their feet!

Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 4, November 2015 By Alan Look in Best Look Magazine 32 pages, published 11/10/2015 Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 4, November 2015 The 2015 November Issue of Best Look Magazine has arrived. The front cover features a High Dynamic Range image of the Normal Theater in Normal taken during the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in July.  The rear cover is a shot of the memorial at Illinois State University that remembers the 7- Aaron Leech, Torrey Ward, Scott Bittner, Jason Jones, Andrew Butler, Terry Stralow and Thomas Hileman who lost their lives in a plane crash on their way home from the NCAA basketball tournament in April.  Other features in this issue - a wrap up of the Normal CornBelters winning season, McLean County Antique Automobile Associations annual car show, Sugar Creek Arts Festival, a preview of the S...

Family Day had Hancock Stadium at standing room only and the tailgates all full. Governor Rauner was on hand as well as comedian Bill Engvall.  Both teams came into the square off with records of 2 wins and a loss.  The Redbirds loss was to Iowa.  The Redbirds switched up quarterbacks most of the game with Jake Kolbe getting the first snap and Tre Roberson coming in and out.  Jay Blunk, a graduate of ISU and a member of the Chicago Blackhawks stopped by with a big shiny cup often referred to as a Stanley Cup which brought a round of applause from the fans.  Redbirds took the game to go to a record of 3-1 and 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Be sure to check out the Normalite Newspapers and Best Look Magazine for more photo coverage from the Best Look in Sports Action Photography in Bloomington - Normal . 20151003 Northern Iowa at Illinois State football photo gallery - Images by Alan Look  - Chimper

Now available online - viewing and electronic downloads are free, but grab a copy of the printed edition.  It really pops! Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 3, August 2015 By Alan Look in Best Look Magazine 32 pages, published 8/15/2015 Best Look Magazine August 2014 Volume 4 Issue 3 - Number 13

Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 2, May 2015 By Alan Look in Best Look Magazine 32 pages, published 5/15/2015 May 2015 Issue of Best Look Magazine Need something to do on Memorial Day weekend?  Ever been to the Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall in Marseilles Illinois?  It is a special place right along the Illinois River.  It is a first rate memorial and a solemn place to pay your respects to those who have made the freedom we experience possible.  Our cover and a story are dedicated to it.  Take a peek, this one is all funded by donations... Other items in this issue are the basketball wrap-ups for the Illinois State Redbird and Illinois Wesleyan Titans men and womens teams, the runs to state by the Central Catholic girls and the boys teams from Normal Community and Ridgeview.  It's Official is back and there...

It's been a very long and sad day for most everyone in Central Illinois today.  Waking up to the news that a small plane crashed a couple miles short of the airport in the dense fog and the suspense till the names of the 7 people killed in the crash was enough to wear one down very early.  Then hearing the names about lunch time, just seemed to take all the wind from the sail.  The dreary day just became gloom. I sit back of the baseline for most every Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball game.  I have been for 15 years.  Knowing that most don't really like a camera in their face, I normally just do my job while keeping my distance.  People see me, I see them, we probably even recognize each other away from the arena.  It was no different with Torrey and Aaron.  I don't remember even getting the chance to say hello to Torrey.  I probably did to Aaron as he would have moved around the arena more.  I don't really recall. With Torre...

It's been almost 2 months since an update.  In that time, the Lady Redbirds won a basketball game, the McLean County Tournament played, a new edition of Best Look Magazine published and The 107th 2015 Chicago Auto Show (#CAS15) kicked off! Life is good!  Enjoy some photo galleries... View this one full screen and make sure you have some time.  It is a large gallery and you will want to look at every picture. 2015 Chicago Auto Show photos #CAS15 - Images by Alan Look  - chimper

Up by double digits or close in the first half, Illinois State men's basketball team gives up the lead in the second half to Indiana State Sycamores.  A late comeback falls short when the 'birds fail to answer a late 10 foot bucket by the Sycamores.  The Redbirds made it to the paint and were looking to get a game tying bucket to force overtime, but the ball was mishandled and lost as the shot was taking shape. See the Normalite Newspapers and Best Look Magazine for pictorial coverage by Alan Look Photography, the Best Look in Sports Action Photography in Bloomington Normal . 20141231 Indiana State at Illinois State basketball photos - Images by Alan Look - Chimper

The Illinois State Redbirds Men's Basketball team lead the University of Tennessee Martin Skyhawks most of the first half.  Seemed like everytime I looked up at the scoreboard it was 22-13.  The Skyhawks got to work and took the lead in the early part of the 2nd half.  Near the 11 minute left mark, the Redbirds began to stage a comeback and at the buzzer were back in the lead shooting down the Skyhawks 65-54.  Justin McCloud broke his game high record with 11 points, Reggie Lynch dropped in with 12. 20141217 UT Martin at Illinois State - Images by Alan Look  - Chimper