NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Redbirds got 14 points off the bench from Luke Kasubke and a 12-point, eight-rebound, five-assist game from Seneca Knight, as the 'Birds picked up a 66-52 win in the teams' final scheduled non-conference game of the season over Chicago State.
Kasubke was 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from long range for his 14 points, while Knight's five assists tied a season-high for the fifth-year guard. Kendall Lewis scored 11 points with five rebounds and two steals. Darius Burford and Malachi Poindexter each finished a point shy of double digits, as Burford added three rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Poindexter three assists and a steal.
Chicago State (3-11) struck first in the game on a lay-in nearly two minutes into the contest; however, Illinois State (6-7) struck back 19 seconds later with a Burford mid-range jumper, starting a 9-0 ISU run, giving the hosts a seven-point lead, one they would not give up for the remainder of the contest. The 'Birds stretched their lead to 10 and took a 33-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Redbirds held their lead for the entire second half, despite the Cougars climbing within two at 41-39. After seeing the margin trimmed to just two, Illinois State ran off an 11-2 run to push the lead to 11, eventually stretching it to as many as 14, including at the final buzzer after a pair of Lewis free throws at 66-52.
ISU was 26-of-55 from the field (47.3 percent), 9-of-27 (33.3%) from beyond the arc, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line, pushing the Redbird season free throw percentage back to 80%. Chicago State was held to a 37.7 field goal percentage (20-of-53), the first time ISU has held an opponent under 40 percent in a game since Rhode Island made 33.3 percent of their shots in the Cayman Islands. The Cougars converted on 4-of-19 long range shots and 8-of-15 from the free throw line.
The 'Birds out-rebounded the Cougars 36-to-28, the fifth consecutive game this season that the Redbirds have out-rebounded their opponent.
The Redbirds take a nine-day break between games to celebrate the holiday, and return to play on December 28 when the team travels to Chicago to take on the UIC Flames in a 7 p.m. tip-off.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State is now 6-7 on the season while Chicago State is 3-11.
- 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 second time that this lineup has been used this season.
- Today's game is the 26th time these two teams have met on the basketball court.
- Illinois State leads the all-time series 25-1.
- Chicago State won the opening tip.
- The first Illinois State points of the game came with 17:43 to play in the first half on a Darius Burford pull-up jumper.
- Illinois State's first subs were Liam McChesney, Malachi Poindexter, and Luke Kasubke with 11:59 to play in the first half.
- Illinois State led 33-23 at halftime
- After Chicago State scored the first points of the game, ISU ran off nine straight points and did not trail again in the contest.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Luke Kasubke
- Reached double-figure scoring for the fourth time this season
- Malachi Poindexter
- Tied a career-high with three made three-point baskets and is 19-of-41 on the season from long range.
- Seneca Knight
- Scored in double-figures for the seventh game this season and 51st of his career.
- Tied a season-high with five assists
- Darius Burford
- Dished out three assists, the fifth time this season, and 30th of his career, where he dished out at least three assists in a game.
- Colton Sandage
- Pulled down a season-high six rebounds
- Kendall Lewis
- Scored in double-figures for the ninth time this season and 33rd time in his career.
- With his two steals, a block, and assist, he now has 23 steals, 18 assists, and 15 blocks on the season, and is one of just three players in the country with 15 steals, assists, and blocks while scoring 165+ points.
- Harouna Sissoko
- Pulled down a season-high five rebounds.
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