MURRAY, Ky. – The Illinois State Redbirds never trailed against the Murray State Racers in each program's first game of the 2025 calendar year, as ISU had three players – Malachi Poindexter, Johnny Kinziger, and Caden Boser – each score 17 points as the Birds secured a 74-68 win.

Boser was 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from long range for his 17 points, as Kinziger made 6-of-11 of his shots from the field while dishing out a game-high-tying four assists. Poindexter was 5-of-9 from the field, 2-of-4 from deep while making all five of his free tries.

Ty Pence tied a career-high with eight rebounds as he also scored seven points with an assist, as the Redbirds out-rebounded Murray State 28-to-27. Jordan Davis had a pair of blocked shots for a new career-high in the game.

The Redbirds return to CEFCU Arena for a Sunday, January 5 battle with the Southern Illinois Salukis in a 3 p.m. tip-off.

ISU scored the first five points of the game on a Dalton Banks jumper and one of Boser's three three-point baskets, and never gave up the lead for the remainder of the game. The first-half lead grew to double-digits five and a half minutes into the contest, reaching its peak at 15 following a Pence jumper in the paint that pushed ISU to a 30-15 lead. Murray State fought back and closed the gap to eight at 33-25 heading into the locker room at halftime.

The Redbird second-half lead grew to as many as 13 with 10:07 to play when Cameron Barnes dropped in a lay-up, putting ISU ahead 56-43 before the hosts started to chip away at the deficit, closing to within as few as one point; however, every time the margin reached a single point, the Redbirds answered, including icing the game down the stretch at the free throw line.

ISU made 53.1 percent (26-of-49) of its shots from the field in the game, the teams' eighth game of the season making at least half of its field goal tries. The Redbirds also made 8-of-20 (40%) from beyond the arc, the 11th time ISU has made at least 40 percent from long range and was 14-of-16 (87.5%) from the charity stripe. Murray State was held to 41.7 percent from the field (20-of-48) and 8-of-23 (34.8%) from beyond the arc.

The Racers got a game-high 21 points from JaCobi Wood, while Kylen Milton scored 18 and AJ Ferguson 15. Milten pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, as Wood gave out four assists to tie for the team lead.

TEAM NOTES

• Illinois State used a starting lineup of 3 Dalton Banks, 4 Landon Wolf, 11 Johnny Kinziger, 22 Ty Pence, and 33 Caden Boser
  • It was the first time this season ISU has used this starting lineup, and is the fourth different starting lineup used by the Redbirds this season
• The Racers won the opening tip
• The first points of the game came from Dalton Banks on a jumper with 19:13 to play in the first half
  • It was the third time he scored ISU's first points of the game this season
• The first subs for Illinois State were Jack Daugherty and Malachi Poindexter with 16:35 to play in the first half
• Illinois State led 33-25 at the half
• Illinois State did not trail in the game
• The Redbirds have won three in a row against Murray State, including two in a row at the CFSB Center
• ISU and Murray State will not meet again this season
• Illinois State out-rebounded Murray State 28-to-27 in the game
• ISU has made 50 percent of its shots or better in eight games this season, and has made at least 40 percent from long range 11 times in 14 games.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Malachi Poindexter
  • Scored 17 points – his second consecutive game of scoring more than 15 points
  • Has scored in double-figures three times this season, and 30th time in his career
• Cade Norris
  • Made the first two free throw attempts of his college career with 6:35 to play in the game
• Jordan Davis
  • His two blocked shots in the game are a new career-high

• Johnny Kinziger
  • Came back after missing ISU's last game and scored 17 points to tie for the team lead
  • The 17 points are his 11th game this season with double-figure points, and 24th of his career
• Ty Pence
  • Tied a career-high with eight rebounds, while scoring seven points
• Caden Boser
  • Tied his season-high with 17 points, the second time this season he has led the team in scoring
  • Has now scored 989 career points over his career at UMKC, Valdosta, and Illinois State

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