NORMAL, Ill. – Landon Wolf scored a career-high 24 points, as the Illinois State Redbirds picked up their first National Invitational Tournament win since 2016-17, topping the Kent State Golden Flashes on Wednesday night by a 79-58 final score inside CEFCU Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams combined for four lead changes over the first five minutes of the game, and the teams were tied at seven before ISU ran off 10 consecutive points to stretch out to a 17-7 advantage. Kent State closed the gap to as few as seven; however, Illinois State runs of 6-0, 7-0, and 4-0 helped push the Redbirds ahead by 20 with a 45-25 halftime lead.
The Golden Flashes cut the gap to as few as 14 by scoring 11 of the first 16 points of the second half; however, the Redbirds came back by scoring 13 of the next 14 points to push ahead to a 26-point lead halfway through the second half. The visitors would only get as close as 20 the rest of the way in the 21-point victory.
KEY STATISTICS / NOTES
- The Redbirds opened with the starting lineup of 3 Mason Klabo, 4 Landon Wolf, 11 Johnny Kinziger, 14 Boden Skunberg, and 35 Chase Walker
- This is ISU's seventh game with this starting lineup
- The Redbirds are playing in and hosting their first NIT game since the 2016-17 season
- ISU wore its throwback white uniform
- Illinois State won the opening tip
- ISU's first points of the game came from Landon Wolf on a dunk at 19:14 on the first half clock
- This game was the third time that he scored the Redbirds' first points this season
- Illinois State led 45-to-25 at halftime
- ISU's 10-0 run in the first half was the Redbirds' 17th run this season of at least 10 consecutive points
- Landon Wolf scored a career-high 24 points for the Redbirds, 18 of which came in the first half
- It was his 10th double-digit scoring game this season, the 34th of his career, and his second career 20-point game
- He also tied a career-high with five three-point baskets
- His seven rebounds tied for the team lead, the seventh time this season he has led or tied for the Redbird lead in rebounds
- Wolf's five three-point baskets are tied for the fourth-most in a NIT game by a Redbird in program history
- For the 21st time this season, Chase Walker scored in double-digits, scoring 19 points, 10 of which came in the first half
- He tied a career-high by making two three-point field goals
- His seven rebounds tied for the team lead, the ninth time this season he has led or tied for the Redbird lead in rebounds
- Johnny Kinziger reached double-figure scoring for the 23rd time this season and 67th of his career by scoring 11 points
- His seven assists are the 20th time this season that he has given out at least three assists in a game
- With his 10 points, Ty'Reek Coleman moved into fifth place in school history by a freshman with 329, passing Ron Jones (323, 1976-77)
- It is his 13th double-figure scoring game of his career
- Illinois State had a 21-to-4 assist-to-turnover ratio in the win
- The 21 assists are tied for the second-most in a game this season, and the +17 assist to turnover margin is also the second-most in a game (ISU's 30 assists against 12 turnovers against Chicago State is the only other game with better numbers)
- ISU's four turnovers are the fewest given up in a NIT game in Redbird basketball history, while the 21 assists are tied for the fifth-most, and the 43 rebounds are the fourth-most
NEXT UP
The Redbirds will face off against Wake Forest in the second round of the NIT, traveling to take on the Demon Deacons on Sunday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. (CT).
