NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State made a season-high 13 three-point baskets on Sunday afternoon, picking up an 86-79 win on senior day over the Evansville Aces inside CEFCU Arena.
Malachi Poindexter scored a game-high 27 points for the Redbirds, making 6-of-10 shots from long range and 7-of-11 overall while also converting on 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Myles Foster scored 20 points on 10-of-15 shooting with eight rebounds and four assists. Freshman Johnny Kinziger scored 18 points for the 'Birds while dishing out seven assists and grabbing two steals.
Luke Kasubke also finished in double-figure scoring with a dozen points, while Kendall Lewis scored seven points with a game-high nine rebounds. The Redbirds out-rebounded Evansville 32-to-27, while setting season-highs in points (86), three-point field goals (13), and three-point percentage (54.2%).
Illinois State made 53.7 percent of its shots in the game, and 13-of-24, as the 13 made three-pointers is tied for the 18th-best single-game total in program history and tied for 15th-most in a game in CEFCU Arena / Redbird Arena history. ISU also made 15-of-18 free throws in the game, a percentage of 83.3. The team had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (19 assists, 10 turnovers)
The Redbirds stay at home to battle the Northern Iowa Panthers on Wednesday night, hosting their MVC foe in a 7 p.m. tip-off.
After missing their opening shot of the game, the Redbirds caught fire and made each of their next 11 baskets, including the squad's first six three-point baskets, racing out to a 30-15 lead nine minutes into the game. Illinois State would keep its lead, taking a 44-36 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
Evansville came out strong from the locker room, and out-scored ISU 23-11 over the first 10 minutes of the second half to push ahead to a four-point, 59-55 lead. The lead traded hands two more times, as the Aces led 66-64 with 6:02 to play in the game before the 'Birds ran off 10 straight points, including three-pointers from Kasubke and Poindexter, to put Illinois State back on top in the contest. Evansville would only get to within as few as three at any point the rest of the way, as ISU made each of its six free throw attempts down the stretch to ice the game.
The Aces were led by Ben Humrichous, who scored 21 points, while Yacine Toumi and Kenny Strawbridge each scored 13 and Cameron Haffner 11.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 1 Malachi Poindexter, 3 Dalton Banks, 4 Myles Foster, 11 Johnny Kinziger, and 22 Kendall Lewis
- This is the fourth consecutive game that this lineup has been used to open a game
- Illinois State won the opening tip
- The first Illinois State points of the game came from Malachi Poindexter with a lay-up with 18:09 to play in the first half
- Poindexter has scored the first points of the game six times for the Redbirds this season
- The first subs for Illinois State were Luke Kasubke and Jordan Davis with 13:03 to play in the first half
- Illinois State led 44-36 at halftime
- The 44 points in the first half is a new season-high over the first 20 minutes of action, and the third-highest scoring half of the year
- The Redbird set season-highs in points in a game (86), three-point field goals (13) and three-point field goal percentage (54.2%)
- With the win, Illinois State improves to 13-14 on the season and 7-9 in MVC play
- ISU improves to 48-22 all-time against Evansville, and are now 26-4 when playing in Normal
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Luke Kasubke
- Scored in double-figures for the second consecutive game, the sixth time this season, and 15th time in his career
- Malachi Poindexter
- Made his 20th start of the season and 45th start of his collegiate career
- Reached double-figure scoring for the second time in the last three games, the 10th time this season, and 23rd of his college career
- Scored a career-high 27 points, eight more than his previous career-best of 19 at Saint Louis earlier this season
- Made a career-high six three-point baskets
- Dalton Banks
- Has started all 27 games for the Redbirds this season, and 42 games during his career
- Myles Foster
- Has started 26 of the team's 27 games this season, and has 60 career starts in 113 games played
- Scored in double-figures for the ninth consecutive game, and the 18th time this season
- Reached 20 point scoring in a game for the second time this season, making a career-high 10 field goals in the win
- Johnny Kinziger
- Made his fourth collegiate start
- Reached double-figure scoring for the third consecutive game, and the ninth time this season for the Redbirds
- Dished out a career-high seven assists for the Redbirds
- His four three-point field goals tied a career-high
- Kendall Lewis
- Started his 21st game of the season, and 105th of his collegiate career
- Pulled down nine rebounds, his 13th game this season where he has grabbed at least seven rebounds in a game.
- He has 64 rebounds over his last seven games
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