Jan. 19, 2008
DES MOINES, Iowa -
Anthony Slack has a game-high 11 points, and Osiris Eldridge added 10 in the opening frame, to lead Illinois State to a 30-28 halftime lead over host Drake in a Missouri Valley Conference first-place battle at the Knapp Center Saturday. The effort highlighted a 60 percent first-half shooting percentage for the Redbirds. Jonathon Cox has led a balanced effort with six points for the Bulldogs.
Illinois State jumped out to an early 4-3 lead at the first media timeout (15:29), as Slack and Dom Johnson both converted field goals. But Drake answered with a 6-1 run to take a 10-4 lead, and force the Redbirds into their first timeout. ISU countered with a 4-0 spree out of the break, and pulled within 10:33 remaining in the opening stanza.
Eldridge scored eight of ISU's next 10 points on two three-pointers and a driving runner in the lane. Brandon Holtz, playing his first game since Dec. 22 at Ball State, also added a trey to give the Redbirds a 25-23 edge at the half's final media timeout (3:16). ISU claimed its largest lead of five points (30-25) after Slack converted a conventional three-point play. The effort followed a thundering putback dunk by Eldridge on the previous possession.
