NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Redbirds never trailed against the Morehead State Eagles, jumping out to a 5-0 lead and never looking back in the 11-point non-conference victory.
How it Happened
The Redbirds got a three-pointer from DJ Horne and a jumper by Antonio Reeves to jump out to a five-point lead through the first three and a half minutes of the game. The margin fluctuated between three and nine points for the remainder of the half as the Redbirds took a 29-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Illinois State's lead grew to double-digits at 38-28 on a Ricky Torres three-point basket with 14:12 to play and peaked at 18 points after a Zach Copeland three-pointer with 7:59 remaining in the game. The margin never dipped into the single digits again in the game, as the Eagles got a pair of late three-point baskets to cut a 17-point ISU lead to 11 at the final horn in the 61-50 win.
Key Moment
The Redbirds held Morehead State without a field goal for the first 3:54 of the game, and never trailed for the first time this season.
Inside the Box Score
- Copeland scored a game-high 16 points, making 4-of-14 of his shots from the field and 2-of-6 from long range.
- Horne scored a career-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from long range, while pulling down a career-high five rebounds.
- Keith Fisher III scored 10 points, his third game of double-digit points, while also grabbing a season-high nine rebounds.
- Torres narrowly missed double-digit scoring with eight points, making 2-of-3 from long range, while also dishing out two assists, pulling down three rebounds, and blocking a career-high two shots.
- Illinois State held Morehead State to just 19-of-57 shooting in the game (33.3%), tied for the lowest percentage this season (UIS also made 19-of-57 shots from the field).
Stat of the Game
Illinois State's bench was out-scored 26-24 in the game, the first time this season that ISU's bench was out-scored in the game.
What's Next
The Redbirds take a week off for finals, before trekking to Highland Heights, Kentucky, to take on the NKU Norse in a 1 p.m. tip-off on Sunday, Dec. 15.
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