TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men's basketball got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon, defeating the visiting Redbirds of Illinois State, 85-76. The Sycamores improved to 13-14, 7-9 MVC while Illinois State fell to 15-12, 7-9 MVC.
 
The Sycamores and Redbirds were tied at seven points apiece about 3 1/2 minutes into the game, and in the following four minutes both teams made only two field goals each. Samage Teel scored seven of the first nine points for Indiana State, but it was Illinois State that held a 15-11 lead with 12:16 left in the half.
 
The Redbirds jumped out to a 19-13 lead, but two Bruno Alocen three-pointers started and ended a 10-2 Sycamore run that put the Trees ahead 23-21 with 7:22 left in the first half.
 
After Illinois state took a three-point, 29-26 advantage with just over four minutes left, Indiana State scored eight unanswered points, highlighted by a Derek Vorst poster that put the Trees ahead once again. Indiana State lead 34-29 at the end of the run with 1:27 on the clock.
 
With under a minute to play, Vorst drained a triple to extend the Sycamores' lead, and Teel capped off his stellar first half by drilling a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Sycamores had to go the full length of the court in just about five seconds. Alocen drove the ball down the court and pitched the ball back to Teel who made the three-pointer, sending Indiana State into the locker room with a 40-33 lead.
 
Through the first 20 minutes, Teel scored 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting and 3-for-5 from deep. The Sycamores shot 55.6% from the field and 50.0% (7-for-14) from beyond the arc, assisting on 9-of-15 made field goals.
 
Opening the second half, Illinois State used a 13-4 run to pull ahead 46-44 in just under three minutes of action. The four points came from Camp Wagner knocking down a three-pointer, getting fouled, and completing the four-point play.
 
Both teams alternated buckets, but it was Jaden Daughtry that scored six-straight Sycamore points to keep his team within a possession at the 13:52 mark, 53-50.
 
After nine minutes had gone by in the second half, the Sycamores had scored 16 points all from Daughtry, Wagner, and Teel; Daughtry led the way with eight points in the span.
 
Illinois State grew to its largest lead of the game with 10:47 left on the clock, an eight-point, 64-56 lead from outscoring the Sycamores 11-6 in 3:18 of play.
 
Indiana State fought their way all the way back, finding themselves down 68-66 with 7:09 remaining. In that span from 10:47 to 7:09, Indiana State made all four free throw attempts (two from Alocen, two from Jayan Walker) and Vorst capped the offensive push by rattling the rim with a massive two-handed slam.
 
After one Redbird free throw, the Sycamore defense held Illinois State scoreless for the next 3:37 to take a 76-69 lead while Teel went on a personal 10-0 run. The senior made 4-of-5 in the run with two triples, a block, and a steal.
 
Illinois State cut the lead down to a 77-74 ballgame with 1:45 on the clock, but Teel drilled another three-pointer and Walker and Daughtry made three total free throws to extend the lead back to seven points, 83-74, with 24 seconds left in the game.
 
A Redbird layup was made before Wagner made a pair of free throws, giving the Sycamores the 85-76 Saturday afternoon victory.
 
Samage Teel led all scorers with 36 points on 14-for-23 shooting from the floor and 6-for-9 shooting from deep, also dishing out four assists, recording two steals and a block. Jaden Daughtry finished with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting and 4-for-4 from the line, grabbing five rebounds in the afternoon. Derek Vorst and Camp Wagner each finished with 11 points. Vorst shot 4-for-6 and pulled in five rebounds, while Wagner made two threes and 5-of-5 free throw attempts, also recording five rebounds and two steals and a block. Bruno Alocen chipped in 10 points with two frees, three rebounds, and two assists.
 
News & Notes

• Samage Teel broke his collegiate high in points with 36 on 14-for-23 shooting. He scored 26 points twice earlier this season, but his collegiate high was 28 points set on March 24, 2024. His six three-pointer set a new high after making five in this season's opener. His one block marked only his fifth of the season.
  • His 36 points are the most scored since December 30, 2006 when Marico Stinson scored 37 points against Drake.
  • In the last 10 seasons entering Saturday, February 15, 17 players in the MVC have scored 36+ points, and Teel is now the 18th player to accomplish the feat.
• Derek Vorst set a new career high with 11 points and recorded the most minutes played in MVC action (17:08).
• Bruno Alocen finished with double-digit points (10) since the last Illinois State game on January 21, when he also scored 10. In the last 17 games, these two contests were the only ones Alocen finished with 10+ points, but he's made at least two three-pointers in six of those games.
• The Sycamores made 28 field goals in the game (28-for-55), the fourth time in the last five games the Trees finished with exactly 28 made field goals.
• Indiana State shot 50.9% from the field, tying their best shooting game since December 21 (50.9% at Drake on February 8).
• Going 11-for-23 from downtown, the Sycamores shot 45.8% which is the best performance of the season.
• The Trees made 18-of-21 attempts from the free throw line, marking the fourth-straight game shooting better than 80% from the line.
  • The Sycamores made 15-of-18 in the second half.
• Assisting on 14-of-28 made field goals, it's the third time in the last five games Indiana State assisted on 50% or more of made baskets.
  • Five Sycamores recorded 2+ assists.
• The 38 points off the bench is the most since the Belmont game on January 11 (41). It's the eighth time this season the bench has scored 38+ points.
• The Sycamores won the turnover battle for the second time in three games (Indiana State 13, Illinois State 15). The Trees forced 15 Redbird turnovers, the most for them since January 5 versus Southern Illinois.

Postgame Press Conference Presented by Team Green Law


Up Next
Indiana State stays in Hulman Center for the next game, hosting Evansville on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. ET. This game is the Porter Cancer Research Center Night; more information to come. At halftime, the Terre Haute South Dance Team will perform.

Follow the Sycamores
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