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McLean County Times

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Kinziger leads Redbirds to victory over Bruins with crucial three-pointer

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Redbird Track & Field Complex | Illinois State University Athletics

Redbird Track & Field Complex | Illinois State University Athletics

Johnny Kinziger's decisive three-point shot in the final seconds led Illinois State University (ISU) to an 81-78 victory over Belmont at CEFCU Arena. Both Kinziger and Chase Walker scored 22 points for the Redbirds, with Landon Wolf contributing 11 points. Jack Daugherty and Jordan Davis added seven and six points respectively. Walker also led with six rebounds, while Wolf grabbed five.

Dalton Banks was instrumental in holding Belmont's top scorer, Carter Whitt, to just six points. The Redbirds recorded 15 assists and committed only four turnovers, marking one of their best performances in program history.

The Redbirds maintained control for most of the first half, entering halftime with a 35-31 lead after scoring the last six points of the period. They extended their lead to 13 early in the second half before Belmont narrowed the gap. A three-pointer from Belmont tied the game with just 42 seconds left, but Kinziger's shot secured ISU's win as they prevented any further scoring from Belmont.

Jonathan Pierre led Belmont with a game-high 27 points. Sam Orme contributed 20 points off the bench, while Isaiah Walker added ten points and nine rebounds.

Illinois State used a starting lineup featuring Dalton Banks, Landon Wolf, Jordan Davis, Johnny Kinziger, and Chase Walker. The game marked ISU's third instance this season where two players scored over 20 points each. The team improved their record against Belmont in Normal to 4-0.

Notable individual performances included Dalton Banks leading in assists for the 13th time this season and helping limit Carter Whitt's scoring impact. Johnny Kinziger set career highs with five made three-pointers on eleven attempts and reached double figures for his sixth consecutive game.

The Redbirds will host Valparaiso Beacons next on February 1st, where they will honor basketball legend Doug Collins during halftime for his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

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