Feb. 19, 2011
Final Stats
Post-Game Interview
Play-by-Play Highlights
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Illinois State appeared to be headed to another win on Sears BracketBusters Saturday, but Western Michigan used a 19-7 run in the second half to erase an 11-point Redbird lead and claim a 68-65 non-conference win, at University Arena Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Illinois State suffered its sixth-straight defeat and fell to 11-17 on the season. Western Michigan improved to 15-10 overall. The Redbirds had three players in double figures led by Austin Hill's 12 points. Justin Clark added 11 and Jon Ekey finished with 10. WMU had four players in double-digits, including Matt Stainbrook, Demetrius Ward and Alex Wolf each with 12 points apiece.
Illinois State pushed its lead to 11 points, at 39-28, with 17:01 left in the game, but Western Michigan utilized a six-point play to crawl back into the game. WMU's Nate Hutcheson sank a three, but John Wilkins committed an ISU foul away from the ball. The Broncos were given possession and Wolf drained another three.
The six-point play was on the front end of a 19-7 Broncos' run that gave Western Michigan a 49-48 lead with 8:53 left, its first lead since the 6:14 mark of the first half. The two teams traded baskets for the next seven minutes before WMU took a four-point lead, 65-61, with 2:05 left.
The Redbirds were limited to free throws down the stretch, as the last ISU field goal came with 5:45 left in the game. ISU took advantage of the free throw line, sinking 10-of-12 tries in the final minutes, and trailed, 66-65 with 44 seconds remaining. WMU's Ward was fouled with 18.8 seconds left and he missed both free throws. ISU headed up the court for the potential game-winner, but Hill lost the handle under the basket and WMU's Mike Douglas came away with the ball in the scrum and called a timeout with 5.5 seconds left on the clock.
Ward again was immediately fouled, but this time sank both free throws and the Broncos led, 68-65. Anthony Cousin dribbled up the court, but was double-teamed and by the time the ball found ISU's Clark time had expired.
Western Michigan took an early 5-0 lead, but the Redbirds responded with their own 7-0 spurt. Trailing 14-11, ISU used a 13-4 run, which included two three-point baskets by Clark and another from Wilkins, as the Redbirds held a 24-18 edge at the 4:09 mark in the first half.
After another Clark three-point bucket, the Redbirds pushed the lead to 31-21 with 1:58 left in the half. WMU's head coach Steve Hawkins was whistled for a technical foul, but Wilkins was unable to convert either of the two free throws. The Broncos responded with five-straight points, but ISU maintained a 33-26 advantage at the intermission
Illinois State concludes its regular-season home schedule Tuesday, when the Redbirds host Interstate-74 rival Bradley, at 7:07 p.m., on Doug Collins Court. The game will be televised as part of the Valley's television package.
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