Expectations were high not only for a Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title, but a possible NCAA Tournament at-large berth. However, it's been an up-and-down ride from the beginning for the Redbirds with critics on social media willing and eager to play the blame game.
Yet what happens the next four days could make everyone — players, coaches and fans — forget about that in a hurry.
Seventh-seeded ISU (16-15) meets No. 10 Evansville (11-20) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament play-in game at the Enterprise Center (former Scottrade Center).
"The season we expected didn't really turn out like we expected it," said ISU senior Phil Fayne, who was named to the all-MVC first team.