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With the loss, the Redbirds fell to 8-3
on the season and 0-1 in league play, while Southern Illinois
improved to 9-2 and 1-0, respectively.
The Redbirds trailed by as much as 13
points in the second half but closed within six points twice with
less than six minutes in the game. Gordon hit a jumper at the 5:24
mark to close within 51-45, but a pair of free throws by Darren
Brooks and a jumper by Jamal Tatum pushed the lead back to 10 points
at 55-45. Gordon scored four straight ISU points to make the score
55-49, but SIU closed out the game with six straight points to close
the game.
For the third time in the last three
games the Redbirds fell behind by double digits in the first half.
With the game knotted at 6-6, SIU went on a 11-0 run, including five
points by Tony Young, to take a 17-6 lead with 12:34 left in the
initial stanza. The Redbirds were able to get within five points at
27-22, but the Salukis closed out the half with a 6-1 spurt to take
a 33-23 lead at the intermission.
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this article]
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 In addition to the turnovers,
Illinois State shot 4-for-17 (.235) from the free-throw line but was
still able to make it close in the second half by holding SIU to
39.3 percent shooting in the second stanza.
Gordon finished with 13 points,
while Trey Guidry and Nedu Onyeuku each finished with 10 points.
Brooks led the Salukis with a
game-high 16 points and Young chipped in 12 off the bench.
The Redbirds return to action on
Dec. 30 when they host Southwest Missouri State at Redbird Arena.
[Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations,
Illinois
State University]
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