KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Illinois State defeated Furman 72-65 in the championship game of the Creativity Bracket at the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events invitational on Friday at State Farm Field House. The Redbirds overcame a first-half deficit with a strong shooting performance in the second half, holding the Paladins to 29 points after halftime.
Illinois State’s victory caps a successful run through the invitational, showcasing their ability to adjust and close out games against competitive opponents.Furman’s loss halts a recent surge,despite promising performances from their freshman class.
A tie at 52-52 with under 10 minutes remaining dissolved as Illinois State whent on an 8-0 run, fueled by key jumpers from tournament MVP Ty Pence. Despite a late rally led by Asa Thomas and alex Wilkins, the Paladins couldn’t overcome the Redbirds’ lead.
Pence led Illinois State (6-2) with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Walker added 14 points and Boden Skunberg and Ty’Reek coleman contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively. Illinois State finished the game shooting 45.6% from the field and held a 35-30 rebounding advantage, including a 12-4 edge in second-chance points.
Furman began the game strong,closing the first half on a 10-0 run to take a 36-33 lead into the locker room. Freshman Alex Wilkins scored eight points, and Collin O’Neal added four three-pointers during the Paladins’ first-half surge.
Wilkins finished with a game-high 25 points, marking his fourth 20-point performance of the season. O’Neal and Cooper Bowser each scored 12 points for Furman (4-4).
Furman will resume play on Wednesday, december 6, at 7 p.m. against Elon at the Schar Center in Elon, N.C. The game will be streamed on Flo College Sports.
