NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State used a 22-point, 5-steal effort from freshman DJ Horne as the Redbirds overcame a 15-point first-half deficit to top the UNI Panthers, who were receiving votes in the most recent AP Top-25 poll, by a 76-70 final score.
How it Happened
For Illinois State (6-7, 1-0 MVC) the first half started with a Horne three-pointer that put the hosts ahead by one, and a three-pointer by Antonio Reeves knotted the score at six points apiece with 14:30 to play in the half. UNI (11-2, 0-1 MVC) followed by scoring the next 14 points and pushed its lead to as many as 15 at 23-8 with 8:36 to play in the opening 20 minutes. The Redbirds started chipping away at the deficit and closed the gap to 10 with a Horne three-pointer at the buzzer, sending the Panthers into the locker room with a 30-20 lead.
The margin remained at 10 through the first minute of the second half, but the Redbirds pushed to keep the momentum gained at the end of the first half, and a 7-0 Redbird run – capped by a Horne jumper from outside of the paint – to cut the gap to two with 14:54 to play in the contest. After a UNI basket, the Redbirds ran off seven more points as Zach Copeland converted a three-point play to put ISU ahead for the first time since the early portion of the game.
The Illinois State lead grew to as many as six but UNI closed the gap and took a one-point lead with 5:52 to play. The Redbirds responded with back-to-back three-pointers, the first from Horne, the second from Reeves to put the Redbirds back ahead by five points 36 seconds later. UNI used a 5-0 AJ Green run to tie the score at 70, but ISU scored the final six points of the game to secure the MVC-opening win.
Key Moment
After UNI took a one-point lead with just under six minutes to play, ISU got big three-pointers from Horne and Reeves to push ISU ahead by five 36 seconds later.
Inside the Box Score
- Horne scored a career-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
- His 22 points is a Dan Muller-era record for freshman, topping the previous era record of 20 set by Taylor Bruninga at BYU on Dec. 6, 2017.
- Copeland scored 15 points and was 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the win.
- Reeves scored 13 points, including making half of his six three-point tries, while tying for a team-high with three rebounds.
- Jaycee Hillsman made three three-point baskets, including two over the first three and a half minutes of the second half, scoring 11 points while adding 11 rebounds and an assist.
Stat of the Game
The 15-point deficit is the largest deficit overcome since the team rallied from being down 15 at Bradley on Dec. 26, 2011.
What's Next
Illinois State takes to the road on Saturday, Jan. 4, when the 'Birds travel to Carbondale, Illinois, to take on the SIU Salukis in a 3 p.m. tip-off.
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