By WJBC Staff
FORT WORTH, Tex. – Illinois State led for 29 minutes – by as many as seven points in the second half – but TCU outscored the Redbirds, 11-1, in the final 71 seconds to secure an 80-71 come-from-behind victory Monday night at Schollmaier Arena.
ISU (1-2) was led in both scoring and rebounding by MiKyle McIntosh who netted 20 points and collected nine rebounds. Paris Lee and DJ Clayton joined McIntosh in double-figures with 13 points apiece. The Horned Frogs (4-0) were led by Vladimir Brodziansky who scored a game-best 24 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field and a 10-for-13 effort at the free throw line.
The Redbirds shot 22-for-51 (43.1 percent) from the field and 10-for-25 (40.0 percent) from beyond the arc, while TCU shot 26-for-56 (46.4 percent) overall and 6-for-14 (42.9 percent) from three-point range. TCU outrebounded ISU, 37-28.
Illinois State outscored TCU, 7-2, to start the game with layups by Phil Fayne and Lee followed by a McIntosh 3-pointer. Back-to-back McIntosh baseline jumpers then lifted the Redbirds ahead, 11-6, at the 14:38 mark. Keyshawn Evans extended ISU’s lead to 14-8 with a 3-pointer.
TCU manufactured a 7-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 15-14, on a Jaylen Fisher layup with 9:25 remaining. After the Horned Frogs extended their lead, 18-16, on a pair of Kenrich Williams’ free throws, McIntosh responded with back-to-back 3-pointers. A 7-3 Redbird run pushed Illinois State’s advantage to 33-27, and Illinois State led at halftime, 36-31, thanks to an Evans trifecta with five seconds remaining.
Early in the second half, TCU pulled within 45-43 at the 15:19 mark with a 7-2 run capped by a Fisher 3-pointer. Illinois State soon regained a six-point advantage; however, the Horned Frogs scored five-unanswered to pull within 51-50, prompting a Redbird timeout. When play resumed, McIntosh converted a three-point play to lift Illinois State ahead, 54-50, at the 10:33 mark. TCU responded with an 8-1 run to take a 58-55 lead on another Fisher 3-pointer.
Illinois State then forced a shot-clock violation, and Clayton scored a runner to pull the Redbirds within one point. Illinois State took the lead, 63-62, at the 5:20 mark on a baseline 3-pointer by Clayton. TCU responded with a 6-2 run, with all six points by Brodziansky to give the Horned Frogs a 68-65 advantage at the 3:45 mark. A Lee pull-up 3-pointer tied the game again, 68-68, and two McIntosh free throws pushed the Redbirds in front, 70-69, at the two-minute mark. However, that proved to be ISU’s final lead of the game.
Williams answered by throwing down a dunk with 1:11 remaining, and Lee tied the game for the seventh time, 71-71, by making one of two free throws with 54 seconds to play. TCU then scored the final nine points to secure the 80-71 victory, as Fisher netted a 3-pointer at the 42-second mark. After Deontae Hawkins missed a three with 31 seconds to play, ISU was forced to foul. TCU went 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the final 29 seconds to seal the win.
After playing two of their first three games on the road, the Redbirds return to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena for three-straight games – including six of the next seven – starting Sunday, Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. versus Ferris State. For tickets, navigate to GoRedbirds.com/Tickets, call (309) 438-8000 or visit the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office at the north entrance to Redbird Arena.
