NORMAL, Ill. – A season-high 26 points from Seneca Knight and a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double from Kendall Lewis helped the Illinois State Redbirds to a 72-53 win over the Evansville Aces on Sunday afternoon on senior day for the 'Birds.
With the win – coupled with Valparaiso's loss to Murray State – the Redbirds ended the season as the MVC's ninth seed and will face off against eighth-seeded UNI on Thursday afternoon at noon.
Knight made 9-of-17 field goals on the game and made a career-high-tying five three-point field goals. Darius Burford scored 15 points, hitting on half of his eight shots from the field and all six of his free throw tries, as Lewis' 13 points off the bench came from 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from long range. The 11 rebounds pulled down by Lewis is the ninth time this season he has pulled down double-digit rebounds, in addition to ending with his eighth double-double this season.
The Redbirds out-rebounded the Aces 36-to-21 in the game, as Knight added five boards, while also leading the team with four assists with no turnovers.
The Aces started strong, making three of their first four three-point baskets and led by as many as five points after a Yacine Toumi three-pointer 4:28 into the contest. The Redbirds responded with a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the game; however, Evansville fought back and re-took its five-point lead with 5:16 to play in the opening half before the Redbirds closed the first period on a 14-6 run to lead by three heading into the locker room at halftime.
ISU jumped out with a 7-3 run to open the second half and stretched the margin to double-digits halfway through the period, pushing the lead to as many as 21 points after a Colton Sandage three-pointer with 27 seconds left in the contest before the margin settled on its final total at 72-53.
Kenny Strawbridge scored a team-high 12 points for the Aces, while Gabe Spinelli added 10 points off the bench in the loss.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State is now 11-20 (6-14 MVC) on the season while Evansville is 5-26 (1-19 MVC).
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 3 Seneca Knight, 10 Darius Burford, 15 Colton Sandage, 23 Harouna Sissoko, and 25 Alex Kotov
- This is the first time this lineup has been used this season
- It is the 14th different starting lineup for the Redbirds this season
- Tonight's game is the 87th time these two teams have met on the basketball court
- Illinois State leads the all-time series 66-21
- Illinois State leads in games played in Normal by a 25-4 margin
- Illinois State won the opening tip.
- The first Illinois State points of the game came with 17:13 to play in the first half on a Seneca Knight turn-around jumper.
- Illinois State's first subs were Malachi Poindexter and Kendall Lewis with 18:36 to play in the first half
- Illinois State led 31-28 at the half
- The Redbirds closed the season as the ninth seed for the MVC Tournament and will face Northern Iowa in the first game of Arch Madness on Thursday, March 9 at noon.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Seneca Knight
- Scored a season-high 26 points, while setting a season-high with five made three-point baskets
- For the fourth time in his last five games Knight reached double-figure scoring
- The double-figure game was his 18th of the season and 62nd of his career
- Reached 20+ points for the third time in his last five games, and for the sixth time this season
- Darius Burford
- Has scored in double-figures in each of his last eight games (all since wearing his protective facemask)
- The game is his 22nd game in double-figures this season, and 49th of his college career
- Kendall Lewis
- Reached double-figure scoring for the fifth time in the last six games.
- Has scored 10+ points in 18 games this season and 42 over his career.
- Pulled down double-digit rebounds for the ninth time this season
- Recorded his eighth double-double of the year
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