FARGO, N.D. – Playing in its second overtime game of the 2026-27 season, the Illinois State men's basketball team fell at North Dakota State 82-81 on Friday evening, despite 26 points from Malik Messina-Moore, and three other Redbirds in double-figures.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Redbirds and Bison traded baskets early, and the teams were tied at 8 before ISU scored eight consecutive points to push out to a 16-8 lead with 12:39 to play in the opening period. The Birds would hold onto their advantage until 6:56 to play in the opening half when the Bison used a 12-0 run to give the hosts a five-point, 26-23 lead. The Redbirds answered back with an 8-0 run to re-capture the lead, before the Bison knotted the score at 31 heading into the locker room at halftime.

The host Bison inched ahead at 38-36 four and a half minutes into the second half before the Redbirds scored 13 of the next 19 points to stretch to a 49-44 lead following a Zaxton King three-point basket with 11:43 remaining in the game. The Bison – which made 14-of-28 shots from long range in the contest – clawed back, taking a five-point, 64-57 lead. Trailing by five, ISU ran off seven consecutive points, capped by a Deng Garang three-pointer, giving the visitors a two-point, 69-67 lead. A pair of NDSU free throws tied the game, sending the contest to an extra period.

Overtime started with a Mason Klabo three-pointer, and the Redbirds held onto the lead for the first three and a half minutes of the extra period; however, the Bison took the lead back on a three-pointer with 1:34 to play in the extra period. A Garang lay-in put the Birds back ahead; however, a Max Iverson put-back jumper with two seconds remaining on the clock gave NDSU 82-81 win.

KEY STATISTICS

• The Redbirds opened with the starting lineup: 0 Noah Cleveland, 3 Mason Klabo, 5 Demarion Burch, 9 Malik Messina-Moore, and 11 Johnny Kinziger
  • This is the third time that this group has started together this season
• The Redbirds go to 1-3 through four games in the season, and 2-1 all-time against North Dakota State
• ISU wore its black uniform for the second time this season
• North Dakota State won the opening tip
• ISU's first points of the game came from Demarion Burch on a lay-up with 19:15 on the first half clock
• The teams were tied 31-31 at halftime
  • This game is the ninth time in head coach Ryan Pedon's career that his team is tied heading into the locker room at halftime
    • ISU is now 4-5 in those games
• The game is ISU's second overtime game this season, the first season with multiple overtimes since 2022-23
  • ISU is one of two schools – along with Saint Mary's – to have played in multiple overtime games through the first two weeks of the season
• Malik Messina-Moore scored a season-high 26 points, his fourth game this season with double-digit points, and the 58th time of his career
  • The 20-point game was his first this season, and ninth of his college career
  • He set career-highs with 10 free throw makes and 12 free throw tries
• For the second consecutive game Demarion Burch reached double-figure scoring, as he had a season-high 12 against the Bison
  • His second double-figure scoring game as a Redbird is his 22nd of his college career
• Noah Cleveland tied his season-high with two blocked shots and five rebounds
• Johnny Kinziger reached double-figures for the fourth time in four games this season, as he scored 11 points in the game
  • Kinziger climbed from 26th to 22nd in the school record books in career points. The senior now has 1,272 points as a Redbird, and he passed Jarrod Coleman (1,262, 1986-90), Tony Holifield (1,266 – 1984-88), Steve Arends (1,267 – 1965-68), and Paris Lee (1,268 – 2013-17)
• Chase Walker recorded his season high with 12 points, his second double-digit scoring game this season
  • The game was his 54th career double-digit scoring contest
  • He climbed from 44th to 41st in the school record books for career points, and his 1,057 points saw him climb past Tyler Brown (1,046 – 2011-13), LeRoy Watkins (1,048 – 1995-99), and Jim Ringel (1,051 – 1959-63)

NEXT UP

The Redbirds get back to CEFCU Arena for back-to-back home games, the first of the two on Tuesday, November 17 against Bellarmine at 7 p.m.