Nov. 20, 2006
Box Score
NORMAL, Ill. -
After starting the season 1-2 at the Colonial Classic in Tallahassee, Fla., the Illinois State men's basketball team returned to familiar territory on Monday night for the 2006-07 home opener at Redbird Arena against the Cal-State Northridge Matadors. The 4,699 fans in attendance were not disappointed in the new-look Redbirds (2-2), who shut down the normally-high scoring Matadors (4-2), allowing just 44 points in a 66-44 victory.
ISU newcomer Dom Johnson led all scorers with 16 points, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Anthony Slack paced the defense, grabbing seven rebounds and chipped in with 12 points on offense.
The Matadors jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead when Calvin Chitwood threw down a fast-break dunk on the game's opening play. However, the Redbirds quickly answered on a Boo Richardson three-pointer that opened up a 10-0 run to put the `Birds up 10-2. Thomas Shewmake then converted on a three-point play for CSUN and ended the ISU run, cutting the lead to 10-5 with 16:03 left in the first half.
ISU continued to score at will, going on a 21-7 run that spanned nearly nine minutes to widen the lead to 31-12. Johnson scored 10 points in the second run, including two baskets from beyond the arc. Jayme Miller's jumper stopped the run for the Matadors and cut the lead to 31-14 and a free throw by Jason Hill then made the score 31-15 at the 2:52 mark.
CSUN would only score one more point in the half, as ISU finished the half with a fast-break layup from Richardson and two free throws from Johnson to make the score 36-16 at the break. The Matadors' 16 points in the half, nine of which were scored by Chitwood, marked the second-lowest scoring total in a half by an opponent in Redbird Arena history.
The Redbirds scored three quick points to open the second half, highlighted by Johnson's fourth three-pointer of the game, to widen the ISU lead to 40-16. Chitwood then continued his hot shooting for the Matadors, as his second three-point basket of the game cut into the ISU lead at 40-19 with 18:29 left in the game.
After both team traded baskets to bring the score to 50-30 at the 7:02 mark, Brandon Holtz hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring the score to 56-30 and Richardson added a pair of free throws, extending the 8-0 run, and the ISU lead to 58-30. Miller's two free-throws ended the run for ISU, and CSUN cut the lead to 58-32. Holtz then added his third trey in four possessions and doubled up the Matadors with a score of 61-32.
The Matadors ended the game with a 12-5 run but couldn't dent the ISU lead, as the `Birds went on to win in double-digit fashion. In addition, ISU's stifling defense managed to post new arena records, holding CSUN to the lowest field goal percentage by an opponent (25.9 percent) and tying for the fewest field goals made (14) in a game by a visiting squad.
ISU returns to action on Saturday when it travels to New York to face the St. John's Red Storm. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CST at Carneseca Arena in Queens, N.Y.
