Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
LAS VEGAS -- Indiana State saw its streak of four wins in multi-team events come to an end as the Sycamores fell to Illinois by the score of 88-62 at the Las Vegas Invitational on Thanksgiving afternoon at the Orleans Arena.
The Sycamores fell to 3-2 overall while Illinois improved to a perfect 5-0. Indiana State is now 2-1 in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational heading into Friday's matchup with either Baylor or Memphis. This meeting in Vegas was just the second all-time between Indiana State and Illinois.
Grant Prusator exploded in the second half to score 17 points as he hit four 3-pointers following the break. Brenton Scott also added 10 points for the Sycamores off the bench.
Illinois raced out to score each of the game's first seven points before Jake Kitchell drained an open 3-pointer less than two minutes into the contest to make it 7-3. After five more from the Illini, Tre' Bennett hit a 3-pointer which got Indiana State within 12-6 with 16:24 remaining.
A second-chance tip-in from Kitchell with just over eight minutes left in the opening half cut the lead down to 30-10. A steal and fastbreak lay-up from Khristian Smith drew the Sycamores within 34-12. A 3-pointer from Devonte Brown as the clock ticked towards three minutes made it 37-15.
Bennett hit a 3-pointer at the first half buzzer to score his sixth point of the game and cut the Illini advantage down to 41-20. Both Bennett and Brown led the Sycamores with six points at the break.
Gant scored an early bucket before Kitchell converted a free throw to get the Sycamores within 43-23 with 17:59 on the clock in the second half. The Sycamores continued to battle as Brenton Scott converted a 3-pointer at the 13:57 mark to draw Indiana State within 25. Scott would hit another with just over 12 minutes on the clock to cut the Illinois lead down to 60-35. Grant Prusator hit a 3-pointer to answer an Illini lay-up with 11:35 on the clock.
Prusator hit his second trifecta on the game with just over 10 minutes remaining to get the Sycamores within 64-41. His big second half continued with his third 3-pointer in as many possessions to get the game to a 22 point margin. Prusator then made it 14 second half points at the 7:31 mark when he hit his fourth trifecta to cut the Illinois cushion down to 68-50.
Illinois was paced by 21 points from Rayvonte Rice -- once a member of the Missouri Valley Conference with Drake. Five different members of the Fighting Illini reached double figures scoring.
Indiana State returns to action on Friday, November 28 when they take on the loser of Baylor and Memphis at 8:00 p.m. (ET) at the Orleans Arena. The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Sports 1.
