Feb. 7, 2006
Box Score
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Illinois State men's basketball team opened the game with a 2-for-12 effort from the field and added a 1-for-10 performance to start the second half and was never able to fully recover, despite overcoming a 17-point deficit, as the Redbirds fell to Drake 45-41 in Missouri Valley Conference action on the Knapp Center Tuesday night.
With the loss, the `Birds fell to 8-14 on the season and 3-11 in conference play, while Drake improved to 12-13 and 5-9.
After another slow start and a five-minute scoring drought, the Redbirds shook off a double-digit deficit and clawed to within seven points, 27-20, by the intermission. ISU broke the scoring column at the 16:12 mark on Dana Ford's front end of a one-and-one and trailed only 3-1. Back-to-back field goals by Ford and Greg Dilligard gave ISU a short-lived 5-3 lead with 14:45 on the clock.
Drake took control with a 14-0 run, which included three-pointers by Chaun Brooks and Chris Bryant, and took a 17-5 lead with 9:17 left in the half. Roberto Fortes' pair of threes brought the Redbirds closer despite shooting 29.6 percent in the first half and 2-for-14 on threes.
The Redbirds endured the same start in the second half, being held scoreless for the first five minutes and quickly fell behind 39-22 with 11:27 left. ISU responded with a 12-0 run of its own, thanks to six points from Neil Plank, to close to within 39-36 at the 6:08 mark.
Drake ended its near-seven minute scoring drought when Brent Heemskerk sank the back end of a one-and-one, but Plank countered with a put-back basket at the 4:04 mark to dwindle Drake's lead to 40-38. Following an Al Stewart free throw, Drake's Ajay Calvin dunked a rebound basket for a 43-38 Bulldog lead. ISU again bounced back when Levi Dyer drained a three-pointer from the corner for a 43-41 score with 1:14 on the clock.
ISU regained possession the game's final minute on a steal by Plank. With seven seconds left, Plank's in-bounds pass was intercepted by the Bulldogs and Stewart sank a pair of free throws to seal a 45-41 Drake victory.
Dilligard was the only double-digit scorer in the game, as he fired in 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting. He also collected eight rebounds, while Plank added eight points. The Bulldogs shot 19 percent from the floor in the second half and Stewart, Brooks and Aliou Keita all led Drake with eight points apiece.
Illinois State renews the Interstate-74 rivalry on Saturday, when the Redbirds host Bradley for a 4:05 p.m. tip-off.
