NORMAL, Ill. – Led by a career-high 34 points from junior guard Antonio Reeves, the Illinois State Redbirds overcame a double-digit deficit to win, topping the Valparaiso Beacons, who led by 16 points with 15:47 to play in the game, before ISU rallied to tie the score in regulation, and never trail in overtime in a 78-75 victory.
The overtime game was Illinois State's sixth of the season, now tied for the NCAA lead this season, alongside Valparaiso who has a matching overtime total. The NCAA record for overtime games in a season is eight, tied by three different schools.
The game was also the fourth time this season that ISU has rallied from a 10-point deficit to win, with ISU winning over Bucknell (15), Missouri State (10), Bradley (20), and now Valparaiso (16). The 16-point Valparaiso comeback is tied for the eighth-largest single-game comeback in program history, as the Redbirds now have the No. 2 and No. 8 single-game comebacks in program history during the season.
Reeves' 34 points came on 13-of-21 shooting from the field, and a 5-of-8 mark from long range. Liam McChesney recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Josiah Strong also reached the double figure scoring plateau with 10 points.
The win capped a two-game homestand, as ISU will take to the road to Terre Haute, Indiana, to face off against the Indiana State Sycamores in a noon tip-off in the Hulman Center.
Illinois State struck first and scored the first five points of the game on the first of five Reeves three-pointers, before Ryan Schmitt hit a lay-in, putting the 'Birds ahead 5-0. The Redbirds kept the advantage following a McChesney jumper to give the hosts a 19-17 lead, before Valparaiso ran off 11 consecutive points to turn the two-point deficit into a nine-point Beacon lead. The Redbirds chipped away at the deficit and cut the gap to four heading into the locker room at halftime on Reeves' fourth three-pointer of the game with three seconds left in the first half.
After ISU closed the gap to one point on a Reeves three-point play, before Valparaiso went on a 17-2 run to stretch the lead to its widest margin at 16, 54-38, with 15:47 to play in the contest. Trailing by 16, the Redbirds immediately ran off nine consecutive points, and used a 15-2 run to climb back within three points just six minutes later. The teams traded 6-0 runs, before the Redbirds began to slowly chip away at the deficit, and eventually tie the score on a Reeves jumper with 38 seconds left in regulation.
A pair of Strong free throws 12 seconds into the overtime gave Illinois State its first lead since the first half. Reeves' final two points on a jumper put the Redbirds ahead by four. The overtime lead grew to as many as six with six seconds to play before Valparaiso drained a three-pointer to give the game its 78-75 final margin.
Illinois State out-rebounded Valparaiso 42-to-31 in the game, the Redbirds' second consecutive double-digit rebounding margin. ISU made 45 percent of its shots (28-of-62) from the field and 7-of-19 from long range. Valparaiso was 28-of-64 from the field, with an 8-of-18 shooting mark from long range.
The Beacons were led by Kevion Taylor who scored a season-high 26 points, while Kobe King scored 14, with Ben Krikke and Sheldon Edwards each scoring a dozen points.
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