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NORMAL, Ill. – Deontae Hawkins netted 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and DJ Clayton scored a career-high 15 points with seven rebounds, as the Illinois State men's basketball team topped Drake, 72-58, Saturday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena in front of 8,123 fans – including Doug Collins – who was honored at halftime for his recent induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
ISU (16-4 overall) is 8-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since starting 9-0 in 1982-83. The Redbirds – who remain in sole possession of first place in the MVC – are also 10-0 at home this season, and they have won 16-straight on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena dating back to last season. ISU is one home-court victory away from matching its longest winning streak at Redbird Arena – 17-straight games – which was achieved between the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.
The Redbirds held Drake (6-14, 4-4 MVC) – a team that entered the game shooting 43.7 percent from the field – to a 30.5 percent effort, which was the Bulldogs' second-lowest percentage this season. Illinois State shot 43.6 percent from the field, outrebounded Drake, 40-37, and totaled a program-record 11 blocks compared to two by DU. MiKyle McIntosh recorded a career-high five blocks in the winning effort. The Bulldogs were led offensively by Reed Timmer's 13 points.
Hawkins started the game by draining a 3-pointer from the left wing, but De'Antae McMurray answered with a trifecta on the other end to tie the game, 3-3. Timmer then lifted the Bulldogs ahead, 6-3, with yet another three. A Phil Fayne dunk pulled Illinois State within 6-5 before T.J. Thomas made the score 9-5 by burying a 3-pointer from the left baseline.
After the Bulldogs extended their lead to 14-5 on a Casey Schlatter jumper at the 12:54 mark, the Redbirds responded with a 15-0 run to gain a 20-14 advantage on a pair of Paris Lee free throws at the 4:56 mark. Illinois State held Drake scoreless from 12:53 until two Ore Arogundade free throws at the 4:42 mark which sparked an 8-2 run to tie the game, 22-22, with 2:23 to play. Illinois State outscored Drake, 8-4, to end the half, and the Redbirds led 30-26 at halftime. Clayton topped all first-half scorers with seven points.
The teams exchanged baskets to start the second half until a 7-2 run by Drake pulled the Bulldogs within 41-39 on a C.J. Rivers tip-in at the 12:23 mark. Illinois State answered with a 15-3 run, which included eight points by Clayton to extend the Redbird advantage to 56-42 with 6:25 remaining. With the Redbirds ahead, 65-47, the Bulldogs manufactured a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to 65-56 on a Schlatter 3-pointer at the 2:11 mark. But, Illinois State outscored Drake, 7-2, to end the game and secure the victory.
Illinois State returns to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena Wednesday to host Indiana State at 7 p.m. For tickets to Illinois State home games, navigate to GoRedbirds.com/Tickets, call (309) 438-8000 or visit the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office at the north entrance to Redbird Arena.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
