NORMAL - His face is usually expressionless. Yet even Jackie Carmichael couldn't help but show some emotion Monday.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Illinois State freshman swooped in to grab Austin Hill's missed shot. The ball was nearly behind Carmichael before he reached back and, in one motion, threw down a rebound dunk that rocked the crowd at UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

"It felt good to have the first collegiate dunk. It was fun," said Carmichael, who also made his first start in the Redbirds' 69-65 victory. "It was exciting and one of those things that's a momentum changer and got us going in the right direction."

ISU coach Tim Jankovich would like to see more of that spirit from Carmichael this weekend. The Redbirds (3-0) will serve as host for the Basketball Travelers Classic, meeting Norfolk State (1-2) at 6:05 p.m. Friday. The second game at Redbird Arena will have St. Bonaventure (2-1) against Southeast Missouri State (1-3).

The round-robin tourney continues Saturday and Sunday (see accompanying schedule).

"I just want him to continue to be more aggressive and play at the highest intensity level he possibly can," said Jankovich. "That's his first challenge, and it is for anybody who comes into a college environment. That's the biggest thing we talk to him about."

Carmichael might be from the same high school as Jankovich in Manhattan, Kan., but that doesn't mean there's any favoritism.

In fact, Jankovich might push Carmichael harder in practice than the other four freshmen on ISU's roster.

"He basically broke down my game and took the pieces he likes from my game and stuff he wants me to add to it," said Carmichael. "It has been a good learning experience."

Carmichael's numbers through the first three games are modest. He's averaging 4.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.3 minutes of action.

Yet his play in practice leading up to the UIC game led Jankovich into giving Carmichael a start. Carmichael said "the game has started to slow down" for him, a common refrain from freshmen, after the first couple weeks.

"He's a guy we're counting on so we want to push him as much as we can to get him ready in as short a period of time," said Jankovich. "The reason we're counting on him is because I think he has a chance to be an outstanding player."

Carmichael and ISU's other newcomers will get a dress rehearsal for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament during the next three days.

Jankovich likes playing three games in as many days to let his players experience what may transpire in St. Louis in March with an NCAA Tournament berth on the line.

"At this level the mental preparation and concentration it requires is so much higher than what they're used to," he said. "Throw in three straight days and it magnifies it. This will be a real test for us."

Robinson remains out: Jankovich said sophomore forward Jeremy Robinson still is not doing any basketball-related activities until he clears up some academic issues. Robinson will definitely redshirt this season and have three years of eligibility left, according to the ISU coach.

Freshmen Zeke Upshaw and Jon Ekey haven't played in the first three games and are "very probable" to redshirt, said Jankovich.

Basketball Travelers Classic

AT REDBIRD ARENA

FRIDAY

6:05 p.m. – Norfolk State vs. Illinois State

8:35 p.m. – Southeast Missouri State vs. St. Bonaventure

SATURDAY

6:05 p.m. – Southeast Missouri State vs. Illinois State

8:35 p.m. – Norfolk State vs. St. Bonaventure

SUNDAY

1:05 p.m. – Norfolk State vs. Southeast Missouri State

3:35 p.m. – St. Bonaventure vs. Illinois State