FORT MYERS, Fla. – Offenses were on full display on Saturday afternoon, as the Illinois State Redbirds dropped their season opener against Florida Gulf Coast by a score of 98-87.
How It Happened
The teams battled back and forth to start the game, as there were seven ties and eight lead changes through the first 20 minutes of the game. Trailing by three, seven minutes into the game, Illinois State rattled off an 11-2 run to take a six-point lead – Illinois State's largest advantage of the half. After that point, the largest lead either team could grab was five points, as Florida Gulf Coast took a 45-42 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The visitors struck quickly to start the second half, as a three-pointer by Taylor Bruninga gave Illinois State a three-point lead. The Redbirds led 56-54 with 14:32 to play in the game after a Madison Williams three-pointer; however, Florida Gulf Coast ran off 10 straight points to take a lead that the team would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
Key Moment
A jumper by Milik Yarbrough with 4:33 to play in the game cut the Eagle advantage to just one at 83-82. The basket capped a 17-8 run to slice the Redbird deficit from 10 to one.
Inside the Box Score
- Keyshawn Evans scored a career-high 28 points, making 10-of-17 shots from the field, and 7-of-13 from long range.
- His seven made three-pointers are tied for the sixth-most in a game in school history.
- His point total eclipsed his previous career-high of 16 points.
- Phil Fayne set a new career-high by scoring 24 points
- Milik Yarbrough flirted with a triple-double with eight points, eight rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists.
- The team's 14 three-point field goals are tied for the seventh-most in a game in program history
- In his Redbird debut, Taylor Bruninga scored 14 points, making 5-of-8 shots from the field, and 4-of-7 from long range.
- Yarbrough, William Tinsley, Isaac Gassman, Jerron Martin, and Bruninga each made their Illinois State debut in the game.
- Evans' and Fayne's point totals make them the first Redbird duo to each score 20 or more points in the same game since Tyler Brown and Jackie Carmichael accomplised the feat on February 23, 2013 at Utah State.
Stat of the Game
10 –Yarbrough's 10 assists in the game smashed the previous record of six assists in an Illinois State debut game.
What's Next
The Redbirds return to action on Thursday, November 16 when the squad travels to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off at Myrtle Beach.
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