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 Akoon-Purcell score 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field
and had a 3-for-4 effort from behind the arc. Paris Lee added 12
points, 11 of which came in the first half, and Daishon Knight
scored 11 points in the loss to the Rams.
The Redbirds jumped out to an 11-1 lead, thanks to three-consecutive
three-point field goals from Deontae Hawkins, Akoon-Purcell and Lee
to start the game. Lee added a basket a minute later to extend the
lead to 10 points, before the Rams made their first field goal of
the game at the 16:20 mark to cut the lead to 11-3. Lee immediately
answered with his second three-pointer in the first four minutes of
action to give the Redbirds a 14-3 lead.
Three minutes later, the lead grew to 12 points at 20-8 after a
layup by Akoon-Purcell. VCU would chipped away at the lead, and a
three-pointer by Melvin Johnson cut the Redbird advantage to single
digits at 22-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.
Akoon-Purcell answered with a three-pointer of his own to widen the
lead back out to 25-14, before five-straight points from VCU cut the
ISU advantage to just six points at 25-19.
 The two teams traded baskets until the under four minute time out,
when a jumper by Treveon Graham and a three-pointer from Johnson off
a turnover by the Redbirds, cut the lead to 30-28 with just over
three minutes left in the half. VCU would then tie the game for the
first time at 30-30 on a second-chance tip-in by Jordan Burgess.
A pair of free throws from Lee and a jumper by Hawkins gave the
Redbirds a four-point cushion at 34-30, before Johnson nailed his
fourth three-pointer of the half to cut the lead back to one at
34-33. A late free throw by Lee put the Redbirds back up 35-33, and
a strong defensive effort on the opposite end of the court kept the
score there headed into the half.
The two teams traded shots, until a three-point play by Burgess gave
VCU its first lead of the game with 16:18 left on the clock. The
lead would be short-lived, as Bobby Hunter nailed a three-pointer
from the corner to put the Redbirds back up by two points a minute
later. The Redbirds maintained a three-point lead, until Johnson
connected on his fifth three-pointer of the game to knot the score
at 47-47 with 12:42 left on the clock.
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Two minutes later, the Rams would re-gain the lead at 51-49 after a
steal and layup by Burgess, resulting in a full court press from the
Rams. A pair of free throws by Knight tied the score for the seventh
time during the game before a layup by Graham gave VCU the lead
right back at 53-51. Illinois State answered back, as Akoon-Purcell
scored on a layup and Knight converted a three-point play to give
the Redbirds a 56-53 with eight minutes left.
VCU rallied back to tie the game at 58-58 with 5:33 left in the
game, but a free throw from Knight 20 seconds later changed the lead
for the for the fourth time in the game in favor of the Redbirds at
59-58. The game was then tied at 60-60, before a jumper in the lane
by Graham gave the Rams a 62-60 lead with three minutes to go. Akoon-Purcell
had an opportunity to tie the game at the free throw line and made
his first shot, but missed the second to leave the Redbirds down by
one at 62-61.
Two free throws from Johnson gave VCU a three-point lead at 64-61
with 46 seconds left in the game. Illinois State had a pair of
attempts, with Reggie Lynch fouled on the second shot. Lynch missed
the first free throw, but connected on the second to cut the Rams’
lead to 64-62. ISU immediately fouled on the in-bounds pass, sending
Mo Alie-Cox to the line. He missed both shots and the Redbirds
retrieved the ball, with a chance to tie the game, but a layup
attempt by Lee missed. Briante Weber was fouled after the rebound,
resulting in two made free throws from Weber with 4.5 seconds left
on the clock to ice the game for the Rams.
The Redbirds return to action Sunday, Dec. 7, when they travel to
Birmingham, Alabama, to take on the UAB Blazers. Tipoff is scheduled
for 2 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet
Chicago.
[Michael Williams, Illinois State
University]
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