Dec. 29, 2007
OMAHA, Neb. -
Senior center Levi Dyer scored 16 first-half points to lead visiting Illinois State to a 42-29 lead over host Creighton at Qwest Center Omaha Saturday evening. ISU's 42 points are the most since scoring 44 points in the opening stanza against Southeast Missouri State on Nov. 18.
The Redbirds came out firing, jumping out to an 11-2 lead at the first media timeout (15:33). The surge started with a 6-0 run, with Dinma Odiakosa contributing two field goals and Boo Richardson tallying a runner in the lane. With ISU holding onto a 9-2 edge, Osiris Eldridge hit the floor hard with an apparent ankle injury, but walked off the floor on his own.
Creighton trimmed the Redbird advantage to 16-10 with 11:31 remaining in the first stanza after recording an 8-7 spurt. P'Allen Stinnett had four points in the stretch, but Dyer kept ISU in the commanding lead by scoring seven-consecutive points. The Redbirds extended their advantage to 11 points, 24-13, at the 7:43 mark. Odiakosa had five more quick points before picking up his second foul, and Emmanuel Holloway and Brandon Sampay added field goals in the spree.
ISU forced Creighton into its first timeout with 4:26 left in the frame after going on an 8-3 run to claim a commanding 32-16 advantage. Dyer had two threes in the spurt, and Richardson added two transition layups off a pair of Creighton turnovers.
Dyer's 16 points lead all scorers, while Odiakosa chipped in nine points for ISU. Creighton was led by P'Allen Stinnett's 13 points. The Redbirds hold a 13-9 rebounding advantage, and shot 56.7 percent from the field.
Sead Odzic made his ISU debut with 13:30 remaining, replacing Holloway in the Redbird lineup.
