NORMAL - Lloyd Phillips wears a white sleeve on his right arm for a simple reason. "I just wanted to be different," said Illinois State's junior guard. | MVC scores, stats

Nothing wrong with that. The same could be said for teammates Osiris Eldridge (O-hawk hairstyle) and Champ Oguchi (headband). Like those two, there is little doubt the 5-foot-10 Phillips has made a huge difference in a 4-0 start for the Redbirds.

Phillips is averaging 12.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while also showing the willingness to take - and make - clutch shots. Now, Phillips and the other ISU newcomers are anxious to prove themselves in their home debut this weekend during the World Vision Invitational at Redbird Arena.

ISU takes on Nicholls State (1-1) at 6 p.m. Friday, while Winston-Salem State (0-3) meets UC Santa Barbara (1-3) at 8:30. The round-robin event also will be played Saturday night before finishing on Sunday afternoon. It is the first regular-season tourney the Redbirds have hosted since the 1979 Illinois State Festival.

Phillips had some big shoes to fill, taking over for Boo Richardson as ISU's point guard. It didn't take long for Phillips, who came from Iowa Western Community College, to show he belonged on the Division I level.

With ISU clinging to a three-point lead in the last minute of the opener at Wright State, Phillips knifed inside the lane to sink a running jumper and defuse the Raiders' comeback. He didn't stop during the Redbirds' victorious performance at the SMU Tip-Off Classic last weekend in Dallas, either. Phillips has scored in double figures every game while making 50 percent (9 of 18) of his 3-point attempts.

"It's funny. In the exhibition game (against Illinois-Springfield) he played more like you would expect a new player," said ISU coach Tim Jankovich. "Between the exhibition and Wright State he completely changed and slowed down. Now, he's playing tremendous for us."

Phillips might thank his coach for the lofty praise, but doesn't share Jankovich's opinion.

"I haven't played anywhere near my best yet," said Phillips. "I think my best basketball is still ahead of me. But I'm still trying to get better and better every game like the team."

When asked where he needs improvement, Phillips didn't hesitate.

"Everywhere," he said. "I think I can guard better, score more points, get more assists and help out and get more rebounds."

It's easy to see why Jankovich said Phillips is "highly motivated" to become a good player.

"He's constantly in the office, talking to the coaches and watching film and working hard to improve himself," said the ISU coach. "He has a great feel for the game, and you don't teach that. That's serving him really well."

Another Division I newcomer, freshman forward Kellen Thornton, hasn't made quite the impact of Phillips yet. However, Thornton (1.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg) has steadily progressed in each game as a backup for Dinma Odiakosa and Brandon Sampay.

"I'm not thinking about the game as much and letting the game come to me," said the 6-7 Thornton. "The first few games it was going real fast for me. I've learned how to slow down."

With Bobby Hill still out as he recovers from knee surgery, Thornton and fellow freshman Jeremy Robinson will continue to get called upon by Jankovich.

"We don't need them to do anything great, but be solid and be good defenders and rebounders," said Jankovich. "They know that and are working towards that."

Thornton can't wait to finally play a regular-season game at Redbird Arena.

"It should make me a whole lot comfortable, playing in front of friends and family," said Thornton, a native of Country Club Hills in the Chicago suburbs.

Free ticket for basketball donation

ISU will offer a free upper bowl ticket to any of the three days of the World Vision Invitational in exchange for donating a new or used basketball. It is part of the "Gets Kids in the Game" program coordinated by the event's title sponsor, World Vision.

World Vision describes itself as "a Christian humanitarian organization which is dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice."

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World Vision Invitational team capsules

Nicholls State

RECORD: 1-1

CONFERENCE: Southland (East Division)

COACH: J.P. Piper, 5th season

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP (points, rebounds per game): F Ryan Bathie, 6-6, sr. (17.5, 2.5); F Dominic Friend, 6-7, so. (10.0, 5.5); G Kellan Carter, 6-0, so. (5.5, 3.5); G Justin Payne, 5-11, sr. (6.0, 1.5); G Fred Hunter, 6-5, fr. (21.0, 3.5).

ABOUT THE COLONELS: Nicholls State, which has four starters back from a 10-21 squad, was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference's six-team East Division in a preseason poll of league coaches. Ryan Bathie is the school's career leader in 3-pointers with 212. Freshman Fred Hunter scored 23 points in a 72-70 loss to Tulane last Saturday. The Colonels have five players on their roster from Australia.

Winston-Salem State

RECORD: 0-3

CONFERENCE: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

COACH: Bobby Collins, 3rd season

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP (points, rebounds per game): F Jamal Durham, 6-6, sr. (12.3, 5.3); F Paul Davis, 6-9, so. (4.7, 5.0); C Corey Morris, 6-10, so. (0.7, 0.7); G Lamar Monger, 6-0, fr. (5.7, 3.0); G Diontae Gibson, 6-2, jr. (6.0, 2.3).

ABOUT THE RAMS: This is the third year in Division I for Winston-Salem State, which is coming off a 62-31 loss to 19th-ranked Wake Forest on Tuesday. The Rams are playing a full Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule for the second straight year, but won't be eligible for the league tournament until next season. Guard Brian Fisher has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Jamal Durham needs 81 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

UC Santa Barbara

RECORD: 1-3

CONFERENCE: Big West

COACH: Bob Williams, 11th season

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP (points, rebounds per game): F Chris Devine, 6-8, sr. (14.8, 5.5); F Jesse Byrd, 6-8, jr. (6.0, 5.8); G D.J. Posley, 6-3, sr. (3.3, 2.0); G Paul Roemer, 6-0, jr. 4.3, 1.0); G James Powell, 6-2, jr. (15.3, 2.8).

ABOUT THE GAUCHOS: UC Santa Barbara, which lost 84-67 to No. 1-ranked North Carolina last Friday, was picked to finish second in the Big West Conference preseason poll of league coaches. The Gauchos shared the Big West regular-season title last season when they won a school-record 23 games and played in the National Invitation Tournament. Chris Devine was a preseason all-Big West first-team choice and is the league's active leading scorer with 1,202 points.

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Nicholls State vs. Illinois State

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Where: Redbird Arena, Normal

Records: Illinois State 4-0; Nicholls State 1-1

Broadcast: WJBC-AM (1230), WJEZ-FM (98.9)