Dec. 6, 2008
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MBB Gameday Blog
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State guard Lloyd Phillips scored a career-high 16 points, all in the second half, and keyed the Redbirds to a 78-65 win over Bowling Green on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena Saturday. Illinois State's Osiris Eldridge led all scorers with 19 in the contest, as the Redbirds improved to 8-0 on the season.
Phillips hit 5-of-6 shot attempts in the second half and was 5-for-5 from the free throw line while helping the Redbirds turn an eight-point halftime advantage into a 25-point lead near the midway point of the second half. Phillips added a career-high six rebounds, and the Redbirds produced a 48-39 edge in rebounds during the game.
Eldridge made 7-of-13 from the field, including a pair of three pointers and tied for the game-high with eight rebounds. Emmanuel Holloway also reached double figures for Illinois State, scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Both teams traded three-pointers to begin the contest, and Illinois State built an early 9-3 lead. The Falcons kept it close, thanks in large part to five blocks in the first five minutes of the game, and trailed 13-12 midway through the first half. Eldridge and Holloway combined for 17 first-half points and helped Illinois State to a 30-22 lead at the break.
In the second half, the Redbirds used a 17-4 run to distance themselves from Bowling Green and shot 60 percent in the second half while maintaining the lead throughout. The Falcons continued to block shots at a torrid pace in the second half and set a new Redbird Arena record with 11 total rejections in the game.
The previous Redbird Arena blocked-shots record was nine, set by Illinois State Feb. 8, 1995, against Evansville.
Illinois State outshot the Falcons, 46.3 percent to 34.7 percent in the contest, but trailed Bowling Green in most statistical categories. Both teams tied with 32 points in the paint and contributed 13 assists each, but the Falcons led in points off turnovers (12-8), second-chance points (13-7) and steals (8-4).
The Redbirds close their current five-game homestand when they welcome Morehead State to Redbird Arena next Sunday (Dec. 14) at 2:05 p.m.
