EDWARDSVILLE -- Dinma Odiakosa doesn't want to be a tour guide this weekend. Yet that is part of being a veteran on Illinois State's basketball team.

The Redbirds play their season opener against Southern Illinois Edwardsville at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Vadalabene Center. With seven ISU newcomers making their first road trip, Odiakosa and fellow seniors Osiris Eldridge and Lloyd Phillips are finding out what leadership is all about.

"We're just trying to talk to them as much as we can," said Odiakosa. "They're asking a lot of questions like, ‘What do we do here?' We tell them how things will go. Coach has done a pretty good job letting them know what we'll face on the road all year."

Tim Jankovich begins his third season as ISU coach counting on his leaders even more than usual this weekend.

"They need to be talking to them a lot on the bus and in the hotel," said Jankovich before the Redbirds left Saturday afternoon. "Obviously they'll hear a lot from the coaches, but when you hear it from your peers that means even more. They definitely need to steady the ship once the game starts."

SIU Edwardsville made the jump to the Division I ranks last season after enjoying great success as a Division II program. Led by current Evansville coach Marty Simmons, SIU Edwardsville won a school-record 25 games in 2006 while advancing to the Elite Eight in the Division II Tournament.

Jankovich doesn't think Illinois did the Redbirds any favors Friday. The Illini easily beat SIU Edwardsville, 96-69.

"That was the worst-case scenario for us," said Jankovich. "I know they're a much better team than that. I'm sure they were nervous beyond belief. Now they go home in arguably the biggest game in the history of their school at their school. That's a great trap for us in our first college game with these guys on the road.

"I'm not sure they understand what that means, but we're going to find out in a hurry."

The Redbirds may be without Alex Rubin. The junior guard suffered a concussion in Wednesday's 66-50 exhibition victory over Quincy and is questionable Sunday.

Rubin practiced on a limited basis Saturday, but did not participate in any contact situations.

"The biggest thing is he is one of our more experienced guys and he plays like a veteran. He's been through a lot of the wars and is valuable player for us," said Jankovich. "We're disappointed we may not have him. He could help us in this game, but we're going to have that happen."

ISU sophomore forward Jeremy Robinson won't be making the trip. Robinson is staying on campus to concentrate on academics, said Jankovich. Robinson did not practice Saturday.

Jankovich said Robinson "probably" will redshirt this season to preserve a year of eligibility. Another possible redshirt candidate is freshman forward Jon Ekey, but no official determination has been made on either player.

Odiakosa believes ISU's next road trip on Nov. 23 to Illinois-Chicago will pose fewer questions from his new teammates.

"No matter what we say they have to experience it to know," said Odiakosa. "We want to make sure everyone is ready mentally for whatever is thrown at us."

Season opener

Illinois State at SIU Edwardsville

Time: Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

Broadcasts: WJBC-AM 1230, WJEZ-FM 98.9

 

Illinois State vs. SIU Edwardsville

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Site: Vadalabene Center, Edwardsville

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

Series history/last meeting: ISU leads 4-0 (ISU won 94-65 on March 2, 1979)

About the Cougars: SIU Edwardsville is a transitional Division I program. The Cougars are in the second year of a four-year reclassification process to Division I. They will join the Ohio Valley Conference full-time next season. Mark Yelovich, a Mount Zion High School graduate, led SIU Edwardsville in scoring last season when the Cougars went 10-20. Aamir McCleary and Nikola Bundalo also were starters last season.  Stephen Jones played as a freshman at Northern Iowa before transferring. Third-year coach Lennox Forrester knows the Missouri Valley Conference well, serving as an assistant at Bradley and Evansville.

Next up: Saturday vs. North Florida, 4:05 p.m.

Prediction: Illinois State 74, SIU-E 62

Probable starters

(Scoring, rebounding averages last season)

ILLINOIS STATE

F – Dinma Odiakosa, 6-8, Sr. (8.7, 7.5); Tony Lewis, 6-7, Jr. (transfer); G – Osiris Eldridge, 6-3, Sr. (14.0, 6.2); Lloyd Phillips, 5-10, Sr. (10.6, 2.4); Austin Hill, 6-1, Jr. (transfer)

SIU EDWARDSVILLE

F – Denykco Bowles, 6-6, Sr. (3.2, 2.4); Mark Yelovich, 6-6, So. (13.7, 4.7); C – Nikola Bundalo, 6-10, Jr. (8.2, 4.8); G – Stephen Jones, 6-0, Sr. (2.4, 1.8); Aamir McCleary, 6-1, Sr. (9.4, 3.1).