GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman – Illinois State got 18 points from Seneca Knight and 16 from Darius Burford; however, a second-half Western Kentucky run helped propel the Hilltoppers to a 78-66 win on Tuesday morning.
Knight scored a game-high 18 points with a game-high eight rebounds, while Burford scored 16 with four boards. Colton Sandage added nine points with a team-best three assists while Knight also led the team with two steals. Liam McChesney and Kendall Lewis had three and two blocked shots, respectively in the loss.
The Redbirds found themselves trailing 11-2 with 15:41 left in the first half before ISU ran off nine straight points, on three-pointers from Knight, McChesney, and Sandage to knot the score at 11 points apiece.