Nov. 14, 2015
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Illinois State-San Diego State Final Box 
SAN DIEGO (AP) Jeremy Hemsley scored 20 points in his college debut to lead San Diego State to a 71-60 victory against Illinois State on Friday night.
Dakarai Allen scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half for the Aztecs. It was a sloppy season-opener for both teams in the renewal of the Mountain West Conference-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge.
Illinois state is the alma mater of Steve Fisher, who is in his 17th season as SDSU's coach.
Before the game, the Aztecs raised a banner commemorating their 2015 Mountain West regular-season championship, which they shared with Boise State.
Roland Griffin led the Redbirds with 13. DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Paris Lee had 10 apiece.
Illinois State stayed close in the second half thanks to two 3-pointers by Griffin, including one that pulled the Redbirds to 55-52 with 7:25 left.
San Diego State scored the next 7 points to get some breathing room. Allen hit the second of two free throws and Hemsley, a freshman from Rancho Cucamonga, made a layup but failed to convert the 3-point play. Skyler Spencer scored off a rebound and Winston Shepard made a layup to give the Aztecs a 62-52 lead.
Allen made a 3-pointer and Hemsley a jumper in the final minutes.
SDSU led 37-34 at halftime. Its biggest lead was 23-14 after a 3-pointer by Hemsley.
SDSU held Illinois State without a field goal for the first 4:01. That didn't keep the Redbirds from taking a 10-8 lead on Nick Banyard's 3-pointer. SDSU scored the next 7 points, including a 3-point play by Allen.