FINAL STATS
DAN MULLER INTERVIEW | DeVAUGHN AKOON-PURCELL INTERVIEW
DES MOINES, Iowa – Illinois State overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell poured in a career-best 28 points with a season-high nine rebounds as the ISU men's basketball team improved to 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 67-62 road victory over Drake Sunday afternoon at the Knapp Center.
Sunday's victory marked the Redbirds' (8-7, 2-0 MVC) best start in league play since the 2008-09 season, while the Bulldogs (5-9) fell to 0-2 in the MVC. Winners in five of their last six contests, the Redbirds have earned three-straight victories. ISU has now won six in a row against the Bulldogs, including four-straight in Des, Moines, Iowa.
After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half, Illinois State overcame a 10-point halftime deficit by outscoring Drake, 19-8, to start the second half en route to a 41-40 Redbird advantage at the 10:48 mark. ISU permanently took the lead on a Tony Wills 3-pointer with 1:22 remaining following six ties and eight lead changes.
Akoon-Purcell led all scorers with his 28 points on 13-for-21 shooting. He was joined in double figures by Paris Lee (15 points) and Deontae Hawkins (12 points). Reed Timmer led Drake with 16 points and five rebounds.
Roland Griffin hit a fade-away jumper to start the game, but Drake answered with seven-straight points to pull ahead, 7-2. A Hawkins baseline jump hook stopped the scoring drought and sparked a 6-2 Redbird run which included two Akoon-Purcell layups and reestablished a one-point ISU lead at 9-8.
DU responded with nine-unanswered points, including five by Timmer, as the Bulldogs built an 18-8 advantage at the 9:17 mark. A Griffin baseline 3-pointer stopped the run, making the score 18-11. Later in the half, the Redbirds manufactured a 6-3 run to pull within 26-19 at the 2:53 mark. However, Drake outscored ISU, 6-3, to end the half and secure a 32-22 halftime advantage.
Illinois State started the second half by outscoring Drake, 11-2, including a 360-degree Akoon-Purcell dunk at the 17:20 mark to pull within 34-26. ISU then trimmed its deficit to 34-33 on a Lee 3-pointer with 16:12 remaining. After Drake extended its lead to 38-33, the Redbirds trimmed their deficit to 38-37 at the 13:20 mark with a layup by Lee. Akoon-Purcell's hook shot gave ISU its first lead since early in the first half, 41-40, with 10:48 remaining. Drake then regained the advantage at the 9:11 mark, and the game was a seesaw affair for the next seven minutes.
After Karl Madison's jumper tied the game for the sixth time, 60-60, with 2:16 remaining, Akoon-Purcell drove into the lane, drawing the defense away from a wide open Wills who buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key, lifting the Redbirds ahead permanently, 63-60, at the 1:22 mark. Lee clinched ISU's victory by going 4-for-4 at the free throw line in the final 38 seconds, as ISU held off the Bulldogs.
With Illinois State's first Missouri Valley Conference road game of the season complete, the Redbirds return to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena to host Loyola Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000, or by navigating to GoRedbirds.com/Tickets.
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