Jan. 20, 2010
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NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State overcame a 10-point halftime deficit, thanks to a career-high 13 points from freshman Justin Clark, and rallied to defeat Creighton, 71-62, Wednesday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
With the win, the Redbirds (14-5, 5-3 MVC) took sole possession of third place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, moving ahead of the Bluejays (9-10, 4-4 MVC) in the process. With the win, ISU improved to 12-0 this season when scoring 70 points or more and are now 10-2 at home.
Clark finished the game 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from three-point range to finish with a new career high, while also pulling down a career-high five rebounds for the Redbirds. He was joined in double figures by four of his teammates, including a game-high 17 points from Osiris Eldridge. Dinma Odiakosa recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds and Tony Lewis and Lloyd Phillips each chipped in with 12 points for the Redbirds in the win.
Creighton jumped out to an 11-0 lead, thanks to nine-straight points from Darryl Ashford, and held the Redbirds scoreless until the 16:31 mark, when Phillips connected on his first three-pointer of the game to make the score 11-3. The Bluejays would extend that lead to as many as 12 points at 17-5 after a tip-in by Kenny Lawson, Jr., before Illinois State answered with a 10-0 run over the next six-plus minutes to cut the lead to 17-15.
Eldridge kick-started the run with a three-pointer and after a Lewis layup, Eldridge scored the next four points to cut the lead to 17-14. Lewis then connected on a layup to bring the Redbirds within two points, before Antoine Young gave the Jays their first basket in over six minutes to make the score 19-15 with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.
The Redbirds fought back to within two points with just under four minutes left in the first half after a pair of free throws by Clark, but Creighton rallied to finish the half on a 12-4 run to take a 10-point lead into the locker room at halftime at 38-28. ISU wasted no time erasing that double-digit halftime lead, as the Redbirds came out of the break on a 17-6 run to take their first lead of the game. A pair of three-pointers by Eldridge and six points from Odiakosa in the paint highlighted the streak, but it was Clark's second three-pointer of the game that made the score 45-44 in favor of ISU at the 13:52 mark.
Creighton regained the lead soon after and took a 49-47 after a free throw by Lawson, but Illinois State answered with a 10-1 run to take a 57-50 lead. Lewis tied the game at 49-49 with a layup and Jackie Carmichael gave ISU the lead back with a dunk with 10:40 left on the clock. After a free throw by Lewis, Clark hit his third trey of the game and a jumper by Phillips with 8:25 left to play gave the `Birds a seven-point lead.
The Bluejays clawed back to within three points at 59-56 after a jumper by Wayne Runnels, but a jumper by Phillips and a layup by Lewis extended the lead back to seven points at 63-56 with just under three minutes to play. That margin would eventually grow to 10 points after a pair of free throws from Eldridge with two minutes to play and the Redbirds cruised to the victory the rest of the way.
The Redbirds return to action Saturday, Jan. 23, when they start a two-game road trip with a matchup against Southern Illinois. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m. at SIU Arena in Carbondale, Ill.
