Eldridge Leads Redbirds to Eighth Straight in Win Over Evansville

[January 14, 2008]  NORMAL -- Sophomore Osiris Eldridge scored a team-high 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 on 3s as the Illinois State men's basketball team won its eighth-straight game, 74-66, in defeating the Evansville Purple Aces in a Missouri Valley Conference tilt Saturday night on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. With the win, the Redbirds (13-3 overall, 5-0 MVC) clinched their first eight-game winning streak since the end of the 1991-92 campaign.

Eldridge, who was also 6-for-7 from the free-throw line, led three Redbirds in double figures and scored 10 of his points in the final three minutes and 39 seconds of regulation. Senior Boo Richardson chipped in with 11 points, while Dom Johnson poured in 10 points, all in the second half, on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting from the field.

Junior Brandon Sampay was also a force from the bench, scoring six points while notching career highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (four).

Evansville was led by junior Shy Ely, who tallied a game-high and career-high 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 on 3s.

Illinois State and Evansville both started the game hot from the floor, with the Redbirds connecting on four of their first six shots. But Evansville's Ely single-handedly kept the Aces in the ballgame, scoring the team's first eight points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field. ISU was able to grab its first lead courtesy of a 17-6 scoring spurt after the second media timeout. Sophomore Dinma Odiakosa led the 'Birds during the run, scoring four points, as Illinois State held a 28-16 advantage with 6:12 remaining in the first half.

However, Evansville ended the half and closed the gap by going on its own run, a 7-3 spurt that gave the Redbirds a 34-25 advantage heading into the locker room. Junior Jason Holsinger led the Aces during the spurt, scoring four points in the final four minutes and 53 seconds. But with the Redbirds holding the lead at intermission, it marked the eighth time in the last nine games that ISU has led at the half.

Both teams battled for position in the opening minutes of the second half, and ISU held a 42-35 margin at the second media timeout, with 11:57 left in the final period. Evansville was able to cut the lead to three, 47-44, after Darin Granger hit a 3-pointer off a missed free throw by teammate Nate Garner at the 8:57 mark in the second half. Granger's 3 capped off an 11-5 scoring run that spanned just over three minutes and brought the Purple Aces back into the game.

Illinois State was able to regroup and widen its margin back to eight at 55-47 after junior Sead Odzic found an opening and fed Sampay for an easy layup with 5:11 left. After Garner made 1-for-2 free throws, Eldridge brought the 7,117 fans to their feet when he drove to the basket and threw up an acrobatic shot as he was fouled. The shot found the bottom of the net and Eldridge made the free throw for the conventional 3-point play, putting the Redbirds up 10 points, 58-48, with under four minutes in regulation.

The Redbirds never looked back, as ISU controlled the game by hitting 13-of-16 free throws in the final three minutes and 41 seconds of the game. It was the deciding factor for the Redbirds, who were shooting only 62.3 percent as a team from the charity stripe heading into Saturday's game.

The Redbirds will wrap up their four-game homestand on Wednesday, when ISU hosts Wichita State in a Missouri Valley Conference tilt. Tipoff on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena is slated for 7:05 p.m.

[Text from file received from John A. Sandberg, Illinois State University]