INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Despite four players in double-figure scoring including a career-high-tying 14 points from Malachi Poindexter, the Illinois State Redbirds fall in the opening game of the inaugural Indy Classic on Saturday afternoon by a 83-69 score to the Ball State Cardinals.
Poindexter scored 14 points while pulling down a career-high six rebounds and dishing out two assists. Kendall Lewis and Darius Burford each scored 13 points for ISU while Colton Sandage added 11. Lewis grabbed a game-high seven rebounds with the Redbirds out-rebounding Ball State 36-to-28 in the contest. Three Redbirds – Lewis, Burford and Luke Kasubke had two steals in the losing effort.
The Redbirds have a quick turnaround before returning to action on Monday, December 19 with a 7 p.m. tip-off against the Chicago State Cougars inside of CEFCU Arena.
The teams traded the lead eight times in the opening half with five tie scores, with the largest lead gained by either team over the opening 20 minutes was seven points. Behind a first-half-high 13 points from Jaylin Sellers, Ball State took a 41-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Redbirds trimmed the deficit to as few as three points in the second half, but could not overtime the Ball State halftime lead, and was out-scored by seven over the final 20 minutes in the 14-point loss.
Ball State was led by Sellers who scored 24 points with Jarron Coleman and Demarius Jacobs each scoring 16.
TEAM NOTES
- Today's game is part of the inaugural Indy Classic
- Illinois State is now 5-7 on the season while Ball State is 7-4.
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 3 Seneca Knight, 10 Darius Burford, 15 Colton Sandage, 22 Kendall Lewis, and 23 Harouna Sissoko
- This is the first time that this lineup has been used this season.
- Today's game is the 23rd time these two teams have met on the basketball court.
- Ball State leads the all-time series 12-11.
- Illinois State won the opening tip.
- The first Illinois State points of the game came with 18:36 to play in the first half on a Harouna Sissoko put-back lay-up.
- Illinois State's first subs were Alex Kotov and Luke Kasubke with 16:26 to play in the first half.
- Ball State led 41-34 at halftime.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Malachi Poindexter
- Pulled down a career-high six rebounds.
- Hit for double-figure points for the fourth time this season.
- Darius Burford
- Scored in double-figures for the seventh time this season and his third consecutive game.
- Colton Sandage
- Reached double-figure scoring for the third straight game and fifth time this season
- Kendall Lewis
- Reached double-figure scoring for the fifth time in the last six games, and for the eighth time this season.
- Harouna Sissoko
- Earned his first start of the season, and 14th of his career.
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