Nov. 15, 2009
Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Osiris Eldridge tossed in a game-high 19 points and was one of five Redbirds to score in double figures as Illinois State opened the 2009-10 season with a 82-60 win over SIU Edwardsville at the Vadalabene Center Sunday afternoon.
Eldridge scored less than five seconds into the game on a dunk off the opening tip and finished 7-of-12 from the field to pace the Redbirds (1-0). Lloyd Phillips (14), Kellen Thornton (12), Tony Lewis (10) and Dinma Odiakosa (10) joined Eldridge in double figures as Illinois State shot over 50 percent from the field. Lewis grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to record a double-double. Thornton grabbed seven rebounds and added three blocked shots.
Illinois State jumped out to a 21-9 lead in the first nine minutes before a three-pointer by LeShaun Murphy put SIU Edwardsville (0-2) in double figures and sparked a small run. The Cougars pulled within seven before Phillips hit a pair of back-to-back three pointers, part of a first-half best 12 points for the senior guard. Illinois State led 43-22 at the break.
The Cougars hit the first two shots out of the break and scored 13 of the first 19 points of the second half to cut the 21-point halftime deficit to 14, but was unable to pull any closer for the rest of the game. Illinois State sunk 24-of-31 (77.4 percent) free throw attempts while the Cougars only attempted nine foul shots in the game. The Redbirds out-rebounded SIU Edwardsville 42-26.
Mark Yelovich (14), LeShaun Murphy (13), Aamir McCleary (11) and Denykco Bowles (10) scored in double figures for the Cougars.
Sunday's win marked the 50th win for the Redbirds under head coach Tim Jankovich. The third-year ISU head coach became the second-fastest Redbird skipper to win 50 games.
Illinois State returns to Redbird Arena Saturday when it opens the home portion of its schedule against North Florida on Doug Collins Court at 4:05 p.m. Illinois State will hit the road again for a match-up with UIC in Chicago (Nov. 23) before beginning a five-game home stand, starting with the Basketball Travelers Classic at Redbird Arena (Nov. 27-29).
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