SAINT THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – Despite having six players reach double-figure scoring, the Illinois State men's basketball team could not out-duel the McNeese Cowboys, falling 76-68 in the opening day of the 2024 Paradise Jam.
The six in double-figures is the first time that ISU has had that many double-figure scorers since the Birds had 10 reach the plateau against Greenville on December 2, 2020.
The Redbirds were led by Ty Pence, who scored 14 points, while Malachi Poindexter scored 13, and Landon Wolf 11, while Dalton Banks, Johnny Kinziger, and Chase Walker each scored 10. Pence led the team with six rebounds, while Banks and Walker each added five. Banks led the team with four assists in the contest.
ISU returns to the court tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. (CT) for the second-round of the Paradise Jam, where the Birds will face off against the UAB Blazers, who fell 89-81 to Longwood in the first game of the tournament.
McNeese – who was receiving votes in the preseason AP Top-25 Poll – came into the game after winning 30 games and advancing to the NCAA Tournament last season scored first and led for 34 total minutes in the game. The first 10 minutes had 10 lead changes and three tie scores, as ISU led by as many as three points at 18-15 with 10:09 to play; however, the Cowboys answered with 10 straight points over the next three minutes to take a seven-point lead, one that the Southland Conference preseason favorite would not relinquish for the remainder of the game. Despite trailing by as many as 15, ISU closed the first half strong, using an 8-0 run – all from Ty Pence – to close the gap to seven at 43-36 heading into the locker room at halftime.
ISU cut the gap to five twice early in the second half; however, a McNeese 8-0 run stretched the margin to its high-water mark at 15 with 11:40 remaining in the game. The Redbirds chipped away at the deficit, using a 7-0 run to close the gap to just six, and trailed by six with 13 seconds remaining in the game before the Cowboys made a pair of free throws to give the game its 76-68 final score.
The Redbirds made 44 percent of their shots in the game (22-of-50) and converted on 11-of-26 three-point field goals (42.3%) in the game and had a 14-to-7 assist-to-turnover ratio in the game. McNeese was 24-of-54 (44.4%) from the field, and 8-of-20 (40.0%) from beyond the arc in the contest.
Javohn Garcia scored a game-high 16 points for McNeese, while Brandon Murray scored 13, Sincere Parker 13, and DJ Richards 10.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 3 Dalton Banks, 4 Landon Wolf, 11 Johnny Kinziger, 22 Ty Pence, and 35 Chase Walker
- It was the fourth consecutive game the Redbirds have used this lineup.
- The Cowboys won the opening tip
- The first points of the game came from Dalton Banks on a three-pointer with 18:55 to play in the first half.
- The first sub off the bench for Illinois State was Caden Boser with 17:32 to play in the first half.
- McNeese led 43-36 at halftime
- It was ISU's first first-half deficit of the season
- Illinois State had six players reach double-figure scoring, the first time that the squad has had that many in a single game since the team had 10 reach the plateau against Greenville on December 2, 2020
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Malachi Poindexter
- Scored in double-figures for the first time this season, and 28th time over his career
- Also set season-highs in rebounds (four), tied assists (two), three-pointers made (three) and attempted (eight), field goals made (five) and attempted (11)
- Dalton Banks
- Scored in double-figures for the third time this season and 28th time in his career
- Recorded his first block of the season and had an assist.
- Led the team in assists for the fourth time this season, while also tying for the team-high in steals (third time) ad blocks (first time)
- Landon Wolf
- Scored 11 points for his third double-figure scoring game of the season, and 17th of his career
- The game was his fourth consecutive double-figure scoring game
- His four rebounds tied a season-high, while his three assists tied a career-high
- His three three-point makes and six attempts each tied his season-high
- Johnny Kinziger
- Scored 10 points for his fourth double-digit scoring game of the season and 17th of his two-year Redbird career.
- Fouled out of a game for the first time in his ISU career
- Made all four of his free throw tries, and is now 18-of-19 from the charity stripe this season (94.7%)
- Ty Pence
- Scored a team-high 14 points, leading ISU in scoring for the first time in his career.
- Also led the team with six rebounds – the first time he has led the team in that category as well.
- Tied a career-high with three assists
- Had his first blocked shot of the season, and led the team in steals for the first time this season
- Chase Walker
- Scored 10 points for his fourth double-digit scoring game of the season, and fifth of his career
- Tied a career-high with two assists
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