Jan. 15, 2012
Box Score 
Postgame Interview with Tim Jankovich
Play-by-Play Highlights
DES MOINES, Iowa -
Illinois State held a short 2-0 lead, but never led again as the Redbirds suffered their third-straight defeat with a 77-60 loss to Drake at the Knapp Center Sunday night.
Illinois State fell to 11-7 on the season and 3-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Drake improved to 11-7 and 4-3, respectively. The Bulldogs finished the game shooting 56.3 percent from the field, marking the fourth of ISU's last six opponents to shoot over 50 percent in a game.
Nic Moore led all Redbird scorers with 12 points, Tyler Brown and Jon Ekey each added 11.
After ISU's Jackie Carmichael scored the first points of the game off a dunk, Drake jumped out to a 12-4 lead with six points coming from Rayvonte Rice. At the 13:17 mark in the first half, Rice drew his second foul, but the Redbirds weren't able to get any closer than six points.
Ben Simons dropped in 15 first-half points, including nine on threes, and Kurt Alexander chipped in 11 points in the first half to keep Illinois State at bay. Drake also shot 57.7 percent from the field in the first half, including 6-for-13 on threes.
In the second half, Drake led by as many as 16 points. Simons paced Drake with a game-high 21 points and Rice finished with 14. Alexander added 13 and Kraidon Woods posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Illinois State is back in action Wednesday night, when the Redbirds host Indiana State on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. The game is scheduled to tipoff at 7 p.m., and will be televised as part of the Missouri Valley Conference television network.
