No. 16 Wichita State Holds Off Illinois State

[January 05, 2015]  WICHITA, Kan. – A 3-pointer by Daishon Knight at the 3:52 mark pulled Illinois State within two points, but No. 16 Wichita State outscored ISU, 13-7, over the final 3:25, and the Shockers held on for a 70-62 Missouri Valley Conference win Sunday evening at Charles Koch Arena.

Knight led Illinois State (8-6, 0-2 MVC) with a game-high 24 points on a career-best 10 field goals. MiKyle McIntosh collected a game-best seven rebounds while scoring eight points, and Reggie Lynch recorded three blocks, lifting him into sole possession of No. 4 on ISU’s career-blocks list. Wichita State (12-2, 2-0 MVC) featured four players in double figures.

The Redbirds outrebounded Wichita State, 32-27, but the Shockers shot 52.3 percent from the field compared to ISU’s 36.5 percent. Illinois State made 20-of-24 free throws.

Lynch scored the game’s first field, and after WSU took a 5-2 lead, Paris Lee netted a 3-pointer to tie the contest. Another trifecta by Knight pushed ISU ahead 8-7. Although the game remained close throughout, the Redbirds never regained the lead.

The Shockers responded with a 7-0 run to pull ahead, 14-8. However, Lynch’s block of Tekele Cotton’s shot allowed the Redbirds to break their scoreless stretch, as McIntosh netted one free throw after drawing a foul on the other end. A Lynch layup pulled ISU within 18-13, and a Will Ransom three-point play cut Illinois State’s deficit to 20-16 at the 7:52 mark. Ransom finished the game with a career-best seven points.

A 5-2 Redbird run trimmed WSU’s advantage to 27-23 with 46 second remaining on a Knight 3-pointer, and Wichita State led at halftime, 29-23. Illinois State shot 38.1 percent from the field in the first half, while the Shockers shot 47.8 percent.

Ron Baker – who led WSU with 15 points – buried a 3-pointer to start the second half, but Lynch answered with two free throws. A two-handed dunk by Ransom followed by two Bobby Hunter foul shots made the score 34-29 in favor of WSU with 16:35 remaining. Knight then converted a three-point play to pull within 36-32 at the 16:01 mark.

McIntosh’s layup followed by a Lee basket trimmed WSU’s lead to 38-36, and the Redbirds pulled within 40-38 on a pair of Hunter free throws. A deep jumper by Knight cut WSU’s lead to one, 41-40, with 12:24 to play. Two more McIntosh free throws again trimmed WSU’s advantage to one, 43-42, with 11:47 remaining. A 6-0 Wichita State run extended the Shocker lead to 49-42 on a Cotton layup at the 10:18 mark.

Another Knight layup, followed by a Lynch block and two Tony Wills free throws, pulled the Redbirds within 49-47 with 7:51 remaining. A 3-pointer by Cotton increased Wichita State’s advantage to 55-48, but Knight answered with a layup followed by a Ransom two-pointer to make the score 55-52. Another Knight 3-pointer edged the Redbirds within 57-55 at the 3:52 mark.

However, a 7-1 Shocker run extended WSU’s lead to 64-56 with 1:29 left. Two Tony Wills free throws pulled ISU within 64-58, but with time running out and ISU forced to foul, Wichita State went 6-for-8 at the free throw line in the final 1:16 to secure the victory.

Illinois State returns to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena to host Drake this Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting or calling the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office at [phone], or by purchasing them online at GoRedbirds.com.

[John Twork, Illinois State University]

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