Illinois State rallies to beat Drake 67-62

By foxsports
Published

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell scored a career-high 28 and Illinois State rallied to beat Drake 67-62 on Sunday.

Akoon-Purcell scored 12 points and Paris Lee seven when the Redbirds (8-7, 2-0 Missouri Valley) outscored the Bulldogs 21-6 over the first 10 minutes of the second half to lead by three.

After that, the lead changed hands six times and the game tied five times before Tony Wills' 3-pointer with 1:22 put Illinois State in front 63-60. Lee made four free throws from there while the Bulldogs (5-9, 0-2) missed a pair of 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds.

Drake led 32-22 at halftime as the Redbirds shot just 26.5 percent before intermission.

Lee had 15 points and Deontae Hawkins 12 for the Redbirds, who shot 61 percent in the second half.

Drake's Reed Timmer scored 16 points and had Graham Woodward 15.

Illinois State is 2-0 in the MVC for the first time since 2008-09.