NORMAL, Ill. (AP) -Champ Oguchi scored a game-high 17 points, including 10 straight in the first half, to lead Illinois State to a 70-63 victory over Southern Illinois Saturday night.
Three other Redbirds were in the double digits. Lloyd Philips had 15, Osiris Eldridge added 12 and Emmanuel Holloway chipped in 11 for Illinois State (17-3, 6-3 Missouri Valley).
Southern Illinois (9-11, 4-5) scored the first five points of the game and the score was tied three times in the first half. But Dinma Odiakosa connected on a jumper at 14:06, giving the Redbirds an 11-9 lead. Illinois State never trailed again.
Illinois State led 42-31 at halftime.
The Redbirds had a game-high lead of 18 points in the opening minutes of the second half, which the Salukis cut to the single digits, to 53-44, on a jumper by Anthony Booker with 12:16 remaining.
Justin Bocot had 14 points and eight rebounds and Tony Boyle added 11 points for the Salukis.
