NORMAL, Ill.  – The Illinois State Redbirds held Southern Illinois without a field goal for the final 4:25 of the game, which helped ISU withstand a seven-minute scoreless stretch of its own, as the Redbirds held on late for a 59-58 Missouri Valley Conference win.
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How It Happened
Southern Illinois jumped out quickly, leading by six at 13-7 with 11:19 to play before the Redbird defense began to tighten. Illinois State reeled off a 7-0 run, and after an SIU basket, ran off a subsequent 6-0 run to lead by five at 20-15. The first-half Redbird lead grew to as many as 13 at 33-20 after a pair of free throws by Phil Fayne which capped a 26-7 Redbird run. Southern Illinois closed strong, cutting the gap to eight heading into the locker room at halftime.
An Armon Fletcher lay-in out of the break closed the gap to six, before a Zach Copeland three-pointer kicked off an ISU 10-0 run, as he also closed the streak with a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead by 16 at 45-29 with 16:27 to play in the game. Holding onto a 15-point lead with 12:55 to play in regulation, the Redbird offense went cold, failing to convert on each of their next 16 shots. At the same time, the SIU offense began clicking, and ran off 18 straight points to take a three-point lead with 6:19 to play in the contest. A Milik Yarbrough lay-in snapped the cold spell, but a Marcus Bartley three-pointer gave the visitors a four-point lead with 4:25 to play in the game.
The three-pointer would prove to be the final basket of the game for the Salukis, as ISU got a three-pointer from Copeland, a free throw from Yarbrough, and another three-pointer by Keyshawn Evans to put ISU back ahead by three with 1:42 to play. Three Saluki free throws over the final minute and a half knotted the score at 58 points apiece, before Fayne gave ISU its final lead with a free throw with five seconds left in the game. The Salukis were unable to get a shot off in an attempt at the win, as the Redbirds held on for the 59-58 win.
Key Moment
ISU's late 7-0 run turned a four-point deficit into a three-point lead, and the Redbirds would not trail again in the game.
Inside the Box Score
- Copeland scored a team-high 14 points, making 4-of-8 from long range and both of his free throw tries. He also had three rebounds, three assists and a steal.
- Fayne filled up the box score with 13 points, eight rebounds, three blocks (tied for the game-high), three steals (a game-high) and two assists.
- Yarbrough scored 11 points with four rebounds and two assists.
- Illinois State and Southern Illinois each had 34 rebounds, the second time this season ISU has ended a game with the exact rebound total as its opponent.
- The win runs Illinois State's MVC home win streak to nine games, the second-longest such streak currently active in the conference.
Stat of the Game
The game was the sixth consecutive in the series where the final margin was within four points at the end of regulation, including a pair of overtime games last season.
What's Next
The Redbirds will travel to Evansville, Indiana, and face off against the Aces on January 19 in a 1 p.m. tip-off.
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