Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State's Harry Marshall secured a steal with less than three seconds left to go along with his team-best 13 points as the Sycamores notched a 68-65 victory over Southern Illinois in front of 4,179 fans at Hulman Center.
ISU broke a four-game skid to improve to 12-9, 4-6 MVC while SIU fell to 12-8, 4-6 MVC. With the victory, ISU improved to 5-1 on the season in games decided by five points or less.
Marshall led ISU with 13 points, hitting 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Reed also scored 12 points and Richard added 11. Dwayne Lathan returned to action after an injury forced him to the sidelines earlier this month to score nine. Aaron Carter added nine points as well off the bench.
With 18.6 seconds left SIU's Kevin Dillard found himself at the free throw line with the Sycamores ahead 66-63. Dillard missed both free throws attempts and Isiah Martin came down with a key rebound and was fouled immediately. In the double bonus, Martin missed both attempts setting up with Salukis for another attempt. Bogut hit a running lay-up with 3.5 seconds left which cut the ISU lead down to 66-65.
Out of a timeout, Aaron Carter was fouled and he converted the first free throw to make it 67-65 and then hit another to make it 68-65. Marshall's steal on the Saluki inbounds pass secured the win.
ISU was held to just 38.9 percent shooting (21-of-54) but converted 20-of-27 attempts from the free throw line.
The Sycamores were able to grow their six-point halftime lead up to 35-28 with 17:23 left in the second half on a jumper by Carl Richard and then the lead reached eight when Jordan Printy drilled a 3-pointer with 13:32 to go which gave the Sycamores a 42-32 advantage and helped cap a 7-2 ISU spurt.
SIU was able to put together the game's next seven points to cut into the ISU lead at 42-41 before Lathan extended the Sycamore lead back out to 45-41 on a triple by Dwayne Lathan, who returned to action for the first time since being injured at Bradley on January 6.
Kevin Dillard answered with a 3-pointer on the Salukis' end of the floor to make it 45-44 and Richard struck back with a conventional 3-point play on a second chance opportunity as ISU kept SIU at arm's length by retaking a 48-44 advantage with 8:42 on the clock.
Rashad Reed kept ISU on a hot streak with a deep 3-pointer with seven and a half remaining to make it 51-45. Dillard drained a 3-pointer for ISU but Printy had the answer with a triple of his own as the Sycamores took a 54-48 lead over a possession for possession exchange with seven minutes left.
Leading 55-50 the Sycamores' had Reed on a fast break and he was fouled. Reed converted both free throws with six minutes on the clock as the Sycamores gained a 57-50 cushion. After another Sycamore steal on the Salukis' next offensive possession, Aaron Carter made it 60-50 with a 3-pointer which forced SIU to take a timeout.
SIU scored three points to make it 60-53 before Carter added a free throw with four minutes left to make it 61-53. SIU cut the game down to a two possession margin on a bucket by Tony Freeman just before the final media timeout as the score became 61-55. Freeman added a free throw on SIU's next possession to make it 61-56 as the clock ticked towards three minutes left.
Carter continued his tough play inside as he fouled hard on tough drive inside. He hit 1-of-2 charity tosses with 2:52 to go to give the Sycamores a 62-56 advantage. Gene Teague countered with a lay-up inside on the next possession and ISU got its six-point lead right back with a jumper by Richard for the 64-58 cushion.
Jordan Printy created a steal on the defensive end with two minutes to go and Reed went to the free throw line after behind fouled from behind. Reed gave the Sycamores a 66-58 advantage with his two charity tosses following the steal.
SIU scored the game's next five points after creating a steal in the press to make it 66-63 with just under a minute left. Reed was whistled for a traveling violation with 30 seconds left before Dillard was fouled on the drive with 18.6 seconds on the clock.
Indiana State fell behind 6-0 before roaring back with four consecutive points as they closed the gap to 6-4 with 17:23 left in the opening stanza. After SIU countered with a pair of free throws by Gene Teague to build back its four point cushion.
Another charity toss by Teague gave SIU a 10-3 lead and led ISU to embark on a nine point spurt for a 19-13 lead with 9:26 to go before half. Marshall and Crawford hit back-to-back lay-ups to make it 14-13 and then Reed got things cooking with his first 3-pointer of the game for a 17-13 lead. The run was capped on a jumper by Carl Richard.
With 5:23 to go in the first half, Aaron Carter's lay-up on a second chance opportunity reestablished the Sycamores' 23-17 lead. The game swayed between a three and five point game for the remainder of the first half until Marshall connected on a pair of free throws with 22 seconds left and ISU was able to hold on one final SIU possession for a 32-26 cushion.
Marshall led ISU at the half with 11 points.
Indiana State takes to the road and battle in-state Valley rival Evansville on Sunday, January 31 at Roberts Stadium. The game will begin at 3:05 p.m. (ET) and can be heard live in the Wabash Valley on The Crock 92.7FM as well as online at GoSycamores.com. The game will also be televised live on WTWO-TV locally.
