NORMAL, Ill. – A career-high scoring output from Illinois State forward Dusan Mahorcic could not overcome a cold shooting night from the Redbirds, as the hosts made just 20 percent of its three-point shots and 40 percent overall from the field, as ISU fell 70-56 in the first game of a two-game series with the UNI Panthers on Friday night.
Mahorcic scored a career-high of 18 points, while also pulling down eight rebounds, tied for the most in the game. Antonio Reeves scored 10 for Illinois State, with Howard Fleming Jr. and DJ Horne each pulling down seven rebounds – Horne's tying his career-high. Fleming also dished out four assists, most on the squad.
Illinois State's 5-of-25 from long range (20.0 percent) is the team's second-lowest percentage in a game this season, and the 40 percent from the field (20-of-50) is the fourth lowest in a game this season for the Redbirds.
The Redbirds jumped out quickly, scoring the first four points of the game – all from Josiah Strong – and led 7-3 following a Reeves fast break lay-up two and a half minutes into the game. Illinois State kept its lead until UNI converted a three-point play with 14:35 to play in the first half. ISU re-took the lead on a DJ Horne three-pointer with 12:13 to go in the opening period; however, UNI answered with a 15-2 run to take a 12-point lead, a lead it would not give up for the remainder of the game. Trailing by 13 with 2:44 to play in the half, ISU out-scored UNI 8-4 over the last two and a half minutes of the half to close the gap to nine heading into the locker room at halftime.
Coming out of the locker room into the second half, Illinois State closed the gap to three after a Harouna Sissoko dunk and trailed by four at 45-41 with 12:15 to play on a second dunk in as many possessions for Sissoko. UNI answered with 10 straight points to lead by 14, and the margin didn't reach single-digits again in the 14-point, Panther win.
The Panthers got 15 points from Trae Berhow to lead the team, while Bowen Born and Noah Carter each scored 12 and Austin Phyfe scored 11.
The two teams return to Redbird Arena on Saturday, February 27 in a 5 p.m. tip-off.
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