Jan. 21, 2009
Box Score 
Second-Half Droughts Sink Redbirds; WSU Wins 64-58
WICHITA, Kan. - The Illinois State men's basketball team held Wichita State without a three-point basket in the first half, but the Shockers sank three in the final 20 minutes, including two decisive treys in game's final two minutes, as the Redbirds suffered a 64-58 Missouri Valley Conference loss Wednesday night at Charles Koch Arena.
The loss proved to be ISU's third-straight road defeat and dropped the Redbirds' record to 16-3 on the season and 5-3 in conference play. WSU improved to 8-11 and 2-6, respectively, while shooting 72.7 percent in the second half.
It took just over a minute for Wichita State to erase Illinois State's seven-point halftime lead. The Shockers opened the second half with a 12-0 run and took a 33-28 lead with 17:07 on the clock. Emmanuel Holloway's three-pointer at the 16:38 mark provided the first ISU points of the second half and the Redbirds trailed, 33-31. Holloway ended the game with 13 points.
WSU led until the 11:52 mark, when Lloyd Phillips drilled a deep three from the top of the key to give the Redbirds a 39-38 lead. Phillips finished with 14 points for ISU. The Redbirds pushed the lead to 44-38, thanks to five points from Holloway and another trey by Phillips. WSU countered with a 10-0 run and claimed a 48-44 lead with 6:25 on the clock.
The Redbirds again responded with four-straight points on baskets by Dinma Odiakosa and Phillips to tie the game at 48-48 with 5:25 remaining. WSU's Aaron Ellis added two of his 14 points and the Shockers held a 50-48 lead with 4:52 left. After Osiris Eldridge made the backend of a pair of free throws, Phillips sank a pair of charity tosses to give ISU a 51-50 lead with 2:43 left.
WSU's A.J. Hawkins forced the fifth lead change in the game with a three-pointer and Toure' Murry pushed the Shocker lead to five points, at 56-51, with deep triple. The back-to-back threes not only got the Koch Arena crowd back into the game, but sent the Redbirds reeling. Wichita State secured the win with a 6-for-8 effort from the line down the stretch.
Eldridge buried his first shot attempt of the night with a three-pointer deep in the left corner. Eldridge, who finished with a game-high 16 tallies, went on to score 10 of ISU's first 14 points, with Odiakosa tossing in the other four. The Redbirds trailed 10-9 at the 13:43 mark in the first half, before erupting with a 10-0 run that including five points apiece by Eldridge and Champ Oguchi.
The Redbirds' nine-point lead was short-lived as Wichita State responded with an 8-0 run and ISU led, 19-18, with 6:43 on the clock. However back-to-back slam dunks from Odiakosa and Brandon Sampay, along with a three-point basket from Holloway gave the Redbirds a 7-0 run and a 26-18 lead with four minutes remaining. Wichita State added a basket and a free throw, while Phillips made his first field goal of the half for the Redbirds to account for the 28-21 score at the intermission.
Murry led Wichita State with 16 points and Ramon Clemente added 15 points, including 11 in the second half.
Illinois State is back in action Saturday when the Redbirds host Southern Illinois at 4:05 p.m. The game will also serve as a tribute to former ISU head men's basketball coach Will Robinson, who was the first NCAA Division I African-American basketball coach. Tickets for the game are available at the Redbird Arena Ticket Office by calling (309) 438-8000 or by visiting GoRedbirds.com online.
