Halftime Report
Fortunes may be turning around for Illinois State after losing three in a row. They have jumped out to a quick 35-29 lead against Indiana State.
Illinois State came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Illinois State Redbirds @ Indiana State Sycamores
Current Records: Illinois State 11-14, Indiana State 22-3
How To Watch
What to Know
If the oddsmakers’ predictions hold true, the near future looks bright for Indiana State. They and the Illinois State Redbirds will face off in a Missouri Valley battle at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Hulman Center. Illinois State is crawling into this game hobbled by three consecutive losses, while Indiana State will bounce in with nine consecutive wins.
Indiana State proved they can win big on Wednesday (they won by 40) but on Saturday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 73-71 win over the Bears. Winning is a bit easier when you drain eight more threes than your opponent, as Indiana State did.
Indiana State’s victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ryan Conwell, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 24 points and 2 assists. Julian Larry was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with seven assists and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Illinois State suffered their closest loss since November 21, 2023 on Saturday. They fell just short of the Salukis by a score of 69-66. The close contest was extra heartbreaking for Illinois State, who almost overcame a 19 point deficit.
The loss doesn’t tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Malachi Poindexter, who scored 16 points. He didn’t help Illinois State’s cause all that much against the Flames on Wednesday but the same can’t be said for this matchup. Another player making a difference was Kendall Lewis, who scored 13 points along with six rebounds.
Illinois State struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. That’s the fewest offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.
The Sycamores have been performing incredibly well recently as they’ve won 11 of their last 12 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 22-3 record this season. As for the Redbirds, they have not been sharp recently as the team’s lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 11-14 record this season.
This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: Indiana State just can’t miss this season, having made 50.8% of their shots per game (they’re ranked second in field goal percentage overall). It’s a different story for Illinois State, though, as they’ve only made 41.7% of their shots this season. Given Indiana State’s sizable advantage in that area, the Redbirds will need to find a way to close that gap.
Indiana State strolled past the Redbirds in their previous matchup back in February of 2023 by a score of 80-64. Does Indiana State have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Redbirds turn the tables on them? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Indiana State is a big 18.5-point favorite against Illinois State, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Sycamores as a 18-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 143.5 points.
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Series History
Indiana State has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Illinois State.
- Feb 18, 2023 – Indiana State 80 vs. Illinois State 64
- Jan 04, 2023 – Indiana State 76 vs. Illinois State 67
- Mar 03, 2022 – Illinois State 58 vs. Indiana State 53
- Feb 26, 2022 – Illinois State 86 vs. Indiana State 66
- Feb 12, 2022 – Indiana State 60 vs. Illinois State 57
- Jan 17, 2021 – Indiana State 74 vs. Illinois State 68
- Jan 16, 2021 – Indiana State 73 vs. Illinois State 65
- Feb 08, 2020 – Illinois State 74 vs. Indiana State 67
- Jan 11, 2020 – Indiana State 65 vs. Illinois State 52
- Feb 20, 2019 – Indiana State 73 vs. Illinois State 50
