CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In the first of two preseason exhibition games this season, the Illinois State Redbirds got 16 points from Jack Daugherty and nine from both Brandon Lieb and Ty'Reek Coleman, as the Redbirds fell to 17th-ranked Illinois by a 92-65 score on Sunday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The early portion of the game was one of runs, as Illinois opened play by scoring six straight, before former Illinois student-athlete, and Redbird forward Brandon Lieb scored the first unofficial points of the season for the Birds. With ISU trailing 9-2, the Redbirds scored seven consecutive, four coming from Ty Pence and three from Jack Daugherty. The Illini answered right back with runs of 10-0 and 7-0 before the Redbirds rattled off six straight; however, Illinois re-upped its double-digit first-half lead, taking a 47-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Redbirds came out battling in the second half; however, the first half deficit proved too much to overcome in the exhibition loss.
KEY STATISTICS
- Lieb scored the first points of the exhibition season for the Redbirds
- Jack Daugherty was the first Redbird in double-figure scoring in the game, ending with 16 including 5-of-11 from long distance
- Mason Klabo and Landon Moore each gave out a team-best three assists, as three others (Daugherty, Brandon Lieb, and Boden Skunberg) each had two
- Each of ISU's four freshmen: Ty'Reek Coleman (nine), Nick Allen (seven), Klabo (six), and Isaac Ericksen (four) reached the scoring column against the Illini
- Ty Pence scored eight points for the Redbirds in 22 minutes of action
- Coleman pulled down a team-high four rebounds in the game
- The Redbirds were without Chase Walker, Johnny Kinziger, Cameron Barnes, and Ty Blake who were all inactive due to injury
NEXT UP
The Redbirds have a second exhibition scheduled on October 29 at Northwestern, with a 7 p.m. tip-off. The regular season opens on November 6 when the Redbirds travel to Athens, Ohio, for a Thursday evening contest with the Ohio Bobcats.
