Final Stats | Video Highlights
Dan Muller Postgame Interview | Quintin Brewer Postgame Interview
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Illinois State led No. 1 Kentucky by six points in the first half, forcing the Wildcats to face their largest deficit of the season, but UK overcame a tied game at halftime to pull away for a 75-63 win over the visiting Redbirds Monday night in front of 21,894 fans at Rupp Arena.
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell led ISU (3-5) with 22 points, marking the third time he has netted 20 or more points this season. He also matched a season high with six rebounds. MiKyle McIntosh and Roland Griffin joined Akoon-Purcell in double-figures with 14 points apiece, and Quintin Brewer collected a team-best eight rebounds. Isaiah Briscoe led Kentucky (7-0) with 18 points and seven boards.
Illinois State went 25-for-70 (35.7 percent) from the field, while Kentucky shot 22-for-51 (43.1 percent). The Wildcats were 29-for-46 (63.0 percent) at the free throw line, and the Redbirds were 8-for-10 (80.0 percent).
The Redbirds held Kentucky without a field goal for the first 3:35 while building a 7-1 advantage with a jumper by Akoon-Purcell and a layup and 3-pointer by McIntosh. Kentucky responded to pull within 7-5 at the 15:51 mark, but an Akoon-Purcell jumper and a Tony Wills steal followed by an Akoon-Purcell dunk extended ISU's lead to 11-5 at the 14:34 mark.
Kentucky tied the game for the first time, 13-13, with 12:59 remaining in the first half on a layup by Briscoe. A free throw by Marcus Lee gave UK its first lead, 16-15, at the 10:42 mark, and the Wildcats extended their advantage to 23-19 with 6:18 remaining. However, Illinois State answered with an 8-1 run, capped by a Griffin layup, to take a 27-24 Redbird lead with 3:30 to play in the first half.
After Kentucky regained a two-point advantage, Akoon-Purcell netted a layup with four seconds remaining to tie the game, 31-31, marking the first time that UK did not lead at the half this season. Illinois State held a 20-12 rebounding advantage at the intermission.
The Wildcats outscored the Redbirds, 16-9, to start the second half en route to a 16-point lead, 56-40, at the 12-minute mark. Illinois State manufactured a 12-4 run to pull within 60-52 on a pair of Akoon-Purcell free throws with 6:44 remaining. A layup by Griffin at the 3:49 mark trimmed UK's lead to seven. But, Kentucky's final 8-2 run put the game out of reach in a 75-63 Wildcat victory.
Illinois State returns to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena to host UAB this Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. CT.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
