Jan. 3, 2009
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NORMAL, Ill. - Osiris Eldridge led five Redbirds in double-figures as the Illinois State men's basketball team rolled to its 14th-consecutive win, 86-64, over Creighton on Doug Collins Court at a sold out Redbird Arena Saturday night. Illinois State (14-0, 3-0 MVC) is one of only five remaining unbeaten NCAA Division-I teams.
Eldridge scored a game-high 20 points - his third game with 20 or more points this season - and led all players with nine rebounds. Champ Oguchi (14), Lloyd Phillips (13), Dinma Odiakosa (13) and Emmanuel Holloway (11) joined Eldridge in double-digit scoring for Illinois State. The Redbirds shot 50 percent (29-of-58) from the field as a team and out-rebounded the Bluejays (12-3, 2-1 MVC), 45-27.
For the second-consecutive game, the opposing team scored the opening basket before the Redbirds gained the lead and never looked back. Illinois State led by as many as 11 in the first half, before a Creighton rally pulled the Bluejays within four, 35-31, at the half.
Illinois State pushed the lead back to double-figures at the 13:56 mark with a free throw by Phillips. Back-to-back three-pointers from Eldridge made sure the Redbirds wouldn't relinquish their lead.
Kenny Lawson scored 12 points and was one of four Bluejays to reach double-figures. The 22-point loss marked the greatest margin of defeat for Creighton this season.
The Redbirds begin a two-game road swing at Bradley Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Illinois State then travels to Indiana State (Jan. 10), before returning home for a match-up with Drake (Jan. 14).
