NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men's basketball team got a game-high 18 points from newcomer Landon Wolf, while Johnny Kinziger, Dalton Banks, and Malachi Poindexter each reached double figures in a 72-65 exhibition win against Lewis.
The Redbirds made 52.9 percent of their shots in the game, and 34.4 percent from long range, while overcoming 23 turnovers in the seven-point win.
Wolf was 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from long range, while Kinziger was 5-of-12 from the field and 3-of-9 from distance en route to his 13 points. Banks scored 11 points while pulling down a game-high seven rebounds and dishing out a game-high six assists in the ISU win. Poindexter made 4-of-10 shots from the field for his 10 points. Ty Pence added seven points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Brandon Lieb had a half-dozen points.
The Redbirds open their 2024-25 regular season on Monday, November 4, when the team hosts the UT Martin Skyhawks in a 7 p.m. tip-off inside CEFCU Arena.
ISU's defense came out strong to open the game, as the Redbirds scored the first eight points of the game and holding the Flyers scoreless until the visitors' first basket with 12:32 to play in the first half. The Redbird lead extended to as many as 13 points following a Jack Daugherty three-pointer with 9:19 to play in the opening period. Lewis chipped away at the Illinois State advantage and took a two-point lead with four minutes to play in the opening period; however, the hosts closed the first half on a 17-7 run to take a 40-32 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Lewis came out of the gate to open the second half, out-scoring ISU 13-3 to take a two-point, 45-43 lead. Trailing by one at 46-45 with 14:02 to play in the game the Redbirds ran off a 19-4 run, opened by a Pence three-pointer and capped by a Wolf triple. The Redbird lead grew to as many as 15 points, as ISU held off a late surge by the Flyers to secure the seven-point win.
ISU was 27-of-51 from the field in the game (52.9%), and 11-of-32 (34.4%) from long range. The Redbirds out-rebounded Lewis 35-to-33 on the game, as ISU had 14 assists, seven steals and a pair of blocked shots. Lewis was 21-of-60 (35.0%) from the field and 8-of-22 (36.4%) from beyond the arc.
Lewis was led by Eastern Illinois transfer Jaylin Gibson who scored 15 points, while Rob Stroud scored 13 and Devon Vanderheydt 12.
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