Creighton University
Illinois State
Redbirds Stay Unbeaten, Top Men's Basketball 86-64
1/3/2009 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NORMAL, Ill. -- In a battle of two of the nation's longest winning streaks, it was Illinois State defending its home court with an 86-64 victory on Saturday night at a sold out Redbird Arena. The unbeaten Redbirds were paced by a game-high 20 points from Osiris Eldridge, including 14 in the first half.
Illinois State improved on its best start in school history and is now 14-0 (3-0 MVC), while Creighton's nine-game win streak came to an end as the Jays fell to 12-3 (2-1 MVC).
CU's Booker Woodfox hit two free throws to open the scoring, but that would be the Jays only lead of the night. Illinois State took the lead on a trey by Champ Oguchi and short jumper by Dinma Odiakosa and would not look back. Preseason MVC Player of the Year Eldridge then scored eight points in less than a minute as ISU quickly assumed a 13-5 lead.
Facing its biggest deficit since the season opener at 23-14, Creighton scored seven in a row while holding the 'Bird scoreless for a span of 4:45. CU's run began with P'Allen Stinnett's three-point play, two free throws from Kenton Walker and a steal and lay-in from Woodfox helped CU draw within two. ISU then accumulated its largest first half margin, up 11 with nine consecutive points to go ahead 34-23 at the 2:34 mark. Creighton would end the first half on an 8-1 run to close within 35-31 at the intermission.
With ISU up four early in the second half, Emmanuel Holloway drained a three-pointer from the top of the key, then converted an old-fashioned three-point play as the Redbirds took a 52-42 lead at the 13:57 mark. CU answered with a Kaleb Korver trifecta, only to see as the hosts countered with two consecutive treys from Eldridge and basket by Odiakosa to take a 60-45 just past the midpoint of the second half. The lead would remain in double-digits the rest of the way for ISU.
Eldridge led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds. All five Redbird starters finished in double-figures, which also included Odiakosa (13), Oguchi (14), Holloway (11) and Lloyd Phillips (13). ISU owned a 45-27 whopping advantage on the glass and shot 11-of-22 from three-point range.
Creighton got 11 points each from Stinnett and Woodfox, 10 from Cavel Witter, and sophomore big man Kenny Lawson Jr. scored all 12 of his points after intermission. Coming off a game in which it hit 15-of-24 three-pointers, CU was held to 5-of-18 from downtown.
Creighton returns home to play Northern Iowa on Tuesday night at 7:05 pm. The game will be broadcast on KXSP (Big Sports 590 AM) and televised by KMTV. For tickets, call (402) 422-1212.
NOTES: This marked just the second meeting in MVC history of two league teams with a winning streak of nine or more entering the game ...Dana Altman had entered the game 2-0 at Creighton in games that were undefeated after seven games or more, including a win over 8-0 Dayton earlier this season ...The game was televised by FSN Midwest ...Tonight's game was the first sellout for a non-Bradley or Southern Illinois game in the 21-year history of Redbird Arena ...Creighton's 11-point deficit in the first half was its largest since trailing by 16 in the season-opener against New Mexico ...Illinois State entered the game as one of five unbeaten teams nationally ...Booker Woodfox set the CU record for consecutive free throws, passing Michael Lindeman on a pair at the line with 6:27 to play. He was 6-for-6 and has now made 34 in a row at the stripe ...Kenton Walker fouled out with 6:14 to go ...Both of Creighton's previous losses had come by two points ...Booker Woodfox had his streak of 19 straight halves with a three-pointer end when he was held without a trey in the second half ...This was the third time this year all three ISU starters reached double-figures.
