ST. LOUIS – The vaunted Illinois State defense took its game to a different level Friday in the quarterfinals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, as the Redbirds (26-5, 17-1 MVC) set a school and tournament single-game record with 14 blocked shots in an 80-69 win over Evansville (16-17, 6-12) at Scottrade Center.
The 14 blocked shots break the previous school single-game record of 11 set earlier this season against Drake. Deontae Hawkins set a career-best with four blocks, Phil Fayne tied his career-best with four and Daouda "David" Ndiaye added four as well in a dominant defensive effort for the Redbirds that also included 11 steals. The 14 blocks tie for ninth-most nationally in a game this season. By recording the team's 26th victory, Illinois State set a program record for single-season victories, passing the previous mark of 25.
Not only was Hawkins a threat on the defensive end, but he also led the Redbirds in scoring with 19 points to go along with five rebounds. He led a quartet of Redbirds in double figures, with Keyshawn Evans adding 16 points to tie a career high thanks to a 3-for-4 effort from long range. MVC Player of the Year Paris Lee added 13 points, 11 of which came in the second half, and dished out seven assists to keep the offense going, and DJ Clayton finished with 12 to round out the scoring for the Redbirds.
Evansville jumped out to a 9-4 lead at the first media time out of the game and led 17-12 after a pair of free throws from Jaylon Brown with 10:21 to play in the first half. The Redbirds answered with a three-pointer from Evans and a fastbreak layup by Clayton to tie the score at 17-17, before the Aces took the lead back quickly at 19-17. A second trey from Evans gave the Redbirds the lead at 20-19 and the Redbirds would not trail for the remainder of the half.
A 3-pointer by Hawkins extended the lead to eight for the Redbirds at 28-20 with 6:24 remaining in the first half and Evans pushed the lead to nine with his third make from long distance to make the score 33-24. Evansville trimmed the Illinois State lead back to five points at the under-four minute timeout, but Hawkins took control and made four-straight baskets and MiKyle McIntosh threw down an alley-oop dunk to cap off a furious offensive attack for ISU to give them a 43-33 lead at the break.
Three-pointers from Lee and Tony Wills to start the second half staked the Redbirds to a 12-point lead three minutes in. A jumper by Lee two minutes later would give ISU its largest lead of the game at 51-37, before the Aces answered with an 8-1 run to trim the deficit to seven points at 52-45 at the 13:14 mark. The two teams traded baskets for six-plus minutes, before the Redbirds increased the lead back to double digits at 11 points on a pair of free throws by McIntosh with 4:17 remaining in the game.
Evansville fought back and cut the ISU lead to just four points after a 10-3 run with just under a minute remaining, however free throws by Wills, Evans and Lee iced the game and the victory for the Redbirds. Illinois State will play No. 4 seed Southern Illinois Saturday in the semifinals at 2:30 p.m.
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