NORMAL, Ill. (AP) — Zach Lofton scored 18 points and Illinois State pulled away from Southern Illinois in the second half for a 66-48 win on Sunday.
Leading 38-36 early in the second half, Illinois State (8-6, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference) used a 20-4 run to open a big lead, led by seven points from Bobby Hunter during the stretch.
Southern Illinois (4-11, 0-2) scored the first nine points of the game before the Redbirds responded by scoring 15 of the game’s next 19 points to take a 15-13 lead. Illinois State did not surrender the lead from that point forward.
Hunter scored 15 points and had four steals for Illinois State.
The Redbirds held Southern Illinois to 32 percent shooting from the field, including just 25 percent in the second half. Desmar Jackson was the lone Southern Illinois scorer to reach double figures, leading the Salukis with 19 points.
