Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- A balanced scoring attack that saw three different Sycamores reach double figures scoring led Indiana State to a 78-58 victory over visiting Southern Illinois today (Feb. 21).
The Sycamores improved to 14-14, 10-6 MVC while the Salukis fell to 10-19, 3-13 MVC. Indiana State recorded its second Valley victory of 20 or more points this season and its 25th in the history of the program. The Sycamores won for the sixth consecutive time over Southern Illinois inside Hulman Center and improved to 7-1 in conference play on its home court. Indiana State now has won four in a row over the Salukis -- its longest stretch of success against SIU since the 1978-80 seasons.
Brenton Scott led the way with 17 points, as he scored 14 points in the second half. Scott went 7-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Also in double figures was Justin Gant, who finished with 16 points after scoring the team's first eight points. Devonte Brown added 10 points to go with five assists and four rebounds.
Other outstanding performances for the Sycamores included nine points and seven rebounds from Khristian Smith as well as eight points and a career-high nine rebounds by Tre' Bennett as well as five assists. Grant Prusator added eight points while T.J. Bell added six points and three rebounds.
The Sycamores hit 49.1 percent of their shots (26-of-53) and were 9-of-18 from distance. Indiana State was hit 17-of-25 attempts from the free throw line and won the rebounding battle 38-26. Southern Illinois was limited to a 20-of-48 shooting performance (41.7 percent) to improve the Sycamores to 63-7 under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing in games in which they limited the opposition to 63 points or less.
Justin Gant and Jake Kitchell had the mojo working early as Gant scored the Sycamores' first eight points and Kitchell had assists on three of those four made field goals. A Tyler Smithpeters' 3-pointer with 16:10 on the clock staked Bradley to an 11-8 lead. Brown answered with a lay-up to begin a 7-0 run which was capped by a Gant dunk with 11:08 remaining for the 15-11 advantage. Anthony Beane trimmed the advantage down to two points, but a conventional 3-point play by Brown at the 9:17 mark pushed Indiana state ahead 20-13.
Beane struck again with 5:22 remaining to cut the Sycamore cushion down to 25-17, but Bennett responded with a 3-pointer and then Brown found T.J. Bell for a lay-up as the clock ticked under the four minute mark for the 30-19 advantage. The Sycamore run reached 9-0 on a jumper from Bell with 2:30 to go and the Sycamores led 34-19. Beane scored again, but Brenton Scott answered with a trifecta and the Sycamores led 37-21 with 1:28 on the clock. Two free throws by Deion Lavender gave the Sycamores a 37-23 lead at the half.
Southern Illinois scored the first two points out of halftime to cut the lead down to 11, but Scott got going with a jumper to restore a 13-point advantage. Deng Leek scored inside at the 13:44 mark to cut Indiana State;s lead down to 10 points, but the Sycamores responded with five in a row, capped off by a Bell lay-up for a 54-39 advantage. Jordan Caroline hit a jumper for the Salukis but Scott grabbed the momentum back with another shot from distance and Indiana State led 57-41 with 10:20 to go.
The Sycamores ground out a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to 65-44 on a pair of Brown free throws as the clock neared the eight minute mark. Grant Prusator answered a Saluki score with 7:07 remaining for a 68-46 lead.
Prusator's 3-pointer with 3:18 to go gave the Sycamores their biggest lead of the game at 76-50 with 3:18 remaining.
Anthony Beane scored 22 points to lead the Salukis in scoring.
Indiana State now turns its attention to nationally-ranked Wichita State on Wednesday, February 25. Tip-off against the Shockers is set for 7:05 p.m. (ET) inside Hulman Center.
