Aug. 9, 2011
MONTREAL, Canada -
Illinois State led 36-32 at the half, thanks to 10 first-half points by sophomore Jon Ekey, including a thunderous put-back dunk, but the Montreal All-Stars, a compilation of mostly local professional players, got hot in the second half and claimed a 76-68 win over the Redbirds Tuesday night at Collège Brébeuf in the opening game of the four-game tour.
"This was a great game for us," head coach Tim Jankovich said. "The team we played was very physical and comprised of many older players who play professionally. We had 12 guys play at least 10 minutes apiece. I couldn't be more pleased with our effort and the level of competition we faced."
Ekey finished the game with 10 points and was the only Redbird in double figures. Junior college transfer Tyler Brown tossed in eight points.
"This was a great game to start the trip with," Jackie Carmichael said. "We played against a lot of guys who play for money. They were tough and physical. They were bigger, stronger and more experienced than most Valley schools, but didn't run as many sets."
The Redbirds started a veteran lineup, as Carmichael, Ekey, Anthony Cousin, Trey Blue and Zeke Upshaw were the first five players on the floor.
Illinois State will return to action Wednesday night, when the Redbirds travel to Ottawa, Canada, to face Carleton, the 2011 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champions. The game at the Ravens' Nest tips off at 6 p.m., CT.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
