NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Redbirds raced out to a three-point halftime lead and never trailed in the second half, topping the MVC-leading Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday afternoon by a 72-66 final score inside CEFCU Arena.
The Redbirds got a season-high 24 points from Seneca Knight, as he made 6-of-8 shots from the field, 3-of-4 from long range, and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. For the first time in his career, Kendall Lewis had a double-double in back-to-back games, as he followed up his 16-point, 12-rebound effort against Bradley with 18 points and 10 rebounds against the Salukis. Luke Kasubke made each of his last four three-point attempts of the game, scoring 12 points with four assists in the winning effort.
ISU struck first in the game on a Knight three-pointer before the visitors answered back with six straight points to push ahead to a three-point lead – their largest lead of the game. The Redbirds pushed back to lead by four, and eventually led in the first half by six at 26-20. A 9-2 Southern Illinois run put the visitors ahead by one at 29-28 before ISU ended the half on an 8-4 run to take a three-point, 36-33 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After the Salukis opened the half with a lay-in, ISU ran off nine straight points to push the hosts' lead to 10, and the Redbird advantage was stretched to as many as 12 with 10:51 to play in the game; however, Southern Illinois fought back and eventually tied the score at 60 apiece with 4:36 remaining in the contest. The teams traded three-pointers and with the game tied at 66 points apiece, the 'Birds closed the game by scoring six straight, including icing the game with four consecutive free throws down the stretch to secure the six-point win.
The Redbirds made 46.8 percent of their shots in the game (22-of-47), while Southern Illinois was 26-of-55 (47.3 percent). ISU's 57.9 percent from long range (11-of-19) and 17-of-18 at the free throw line (94.4) were the highest in the contest, as SIU was 11-of-27 (40.7%) beyond the arc and 3-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Southern Illinois was led by Marcus Domask who scored a game-high 32 points – the most scored against ISU this season – while Lance Jones scored 15 points, as the pair had 47 of the team's 66 points in the loss.
ISU returns to action on Wednesday, February 1 when the squad hosts the UIC Flames in a 7 p.m. tip-off inside CEFCU Arena.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State is now 9-14 (4-8 MVC) on the season while Southern Illinois is 17-5 (9-2 MVC).
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 0 Luke Kasubke, 1 Malachi Poindexter, 3 Seneca Knight, 13 Liam McChesney, and 22 Kendall Lewis
- This is the first time this lineup has been used this season, and the 11th different lineup combination for the Redbirds.
- Tonight's game is the 166th time these two teams have met on the basketball court
- Southern Illinois leads the all-time series between the schools 87-79
- Illinois State leads the all-time series 49-25 in Normal.
- Illinois State won the opening tip.
- The first Illinois State points of the game came with 19:33 to play in the first half on a Seneca Knight three-point basket.
- Illinois State's first sub was Harouna Sissoko with 15:16 to play in the first half.
- Illinois State led 36-33 at halftime
- Illinois State was 17-of-18 at the free throw line, for a percentage of 94.4, the highest free throw percentage this season for ISU
- The Redbirds came into the game ranked third in the country in free throw percentage
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Luke Kasubke
- Scored in double-figures for the third time in the last four games
- His four three-pointers tied a career-high
- Seneca Knight
- Scored a season-high 24 points
- Reached double-figure scoring for the second straight game, the 13th time this season and 57th
- Kendall Lewis
- Had his second consecutive game scoring in double-figures, his 12th of the season and 36th of his career
- Pulled down 10 rebounds for the fifth time this season and his ninth time as a Redbird
- Had his second-consecutive double-double of the season
- It is the first time he has had double-doubles in back-to-back games in his career
- Made all six of his free throw tries, and is now 25-of-25 at the free throw line in MVC games this season.
- Alex Kotov
- Set a career-high in assists with four
- Set a career-high in rebounds with six
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