WICHITA, Kan. - The swagger Illinois State's basketball team brought on the road earlier this season has been missing the last couple games away from Redbird Arena. | MVC scores, stats | Gameday glance

Wednesday would be a good time to find it.

ISU travels to one of the most hostile environments in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds will try to keep close to the league lead when they meet Wichita State at 7:05 p.m. at Charles Koch Arena.

Guard Lloyd Phillips said the Redbirds have to be "a lot tougher" to get back to winning on the road. ISU won its first six games away from home until losses at Bradley and Indiana State.

"Especially when we were undefeated everyone was excited to play us," said Phillips. "You have to play better defense on the road and rebound better. You get everyone's best game in their house."

ISU (16-2 overall, 5-2 Valley) is a game behind league-leading Northern Iowa, which entertains Bradley tonight. Even though Wichita State (7-11, 1-6) has struggled much of the season, the Shockers are coming off a 74-61 victory over Creighton.

The Wichita State fans haven't stayed away despite the team's record. The Shockers have drawn at least 10,000-plus crowds to 56 straight games at Koch Arena, where fans are right on top of the action and usually loud from the opening tip.

"We have to have an appreciation for how difficult the task at hand will be. That's what we have to get across," said ISU coach Tim Jankovich. "You have a tremendous environment, they're a very athletic team and they finally have a hold on something that gets them excited."

What would get Jankovich and the Redbirds excited is for Osiris Eldridge to crank up his offensive game.

Eldridge, the Preseason Valley Player of the Year, has a combined 26 points in the last three games, which started when he had the flu at Indiana State. However, he felt fine the last two games against Drake and Missouri State when he was shut out in the first half of both.

"It seems like I'm thinking too much on the court," said Eldridge after Tuesday's afternoon practice in Normal before the team flew here. "I feel I've got out of the flow of the game in the offense a little bit … Eventually I'll get back into it."

For ISU to win Wednesday, the Redbirds will have to stay close to Wichita State in the rebounding battle.

The Shockers lead the Valley in rebounding margin at plus-6.1. They hammered Creighton on the boards, 47-22. Second-year Coach Gregg Marshall applauded Wichita State's effort from start to finish against Creighton.

"We've played, for the most part, very hard, tough, aggressive (this season)," said Marshall. "Then you get a six-game losing streak and you just forget that's necessary because you're so down on yourself and searching and have no confidence whatsoever."

The chairman of the boards for Wichita State is 6-foot-6 senior forward Ramon Clemente, who is tied for the Valley lead with 8.0 rebounds per game. Clemente enjoyed his best Valley game against Creighton with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Sellout for Bradley

The Jan. 31 game at Redbird Arena against Bradley is a sellout, ISU officials announced Tuesday.

There are about 1,000 tickets left for Saturday's 4:05 p.m. game against Southern Illinois. "A Tribute to Will Robinson," the first black coach of a predominantly white Division I team who led ISU from 1970-75, will be held at halftime. Former All-American Doug Collins will be among the guests.