PEORIA, Ill. – Led by five players with at least seven points, the Illinois State Redbirds trimmed an 18-point second-half deficit to just three, but could not overcome the full deficit, falling on Saturday night by a 74-60 final score.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Redbirds jumped ahead early, scoring six of the first eight points, and the Birds led 7-5 through the first three and a half minutes before the hosts scored seven consecutive points to stretch to a 12-7 lead. From there the Braves would hold onto their first half lead, stretching the advantage to as many as 15, as BU took a 12-point, 43-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Braves pushed out of the gate, extending the lead to as many as 18 with 10:58 to play, before ISU ran off 14 straight points, cutting the margin to seven over a four-minute span. A Jack Daugherty three-pointer with 6:07 to play in the game brought the Birds back within three at 60-57; however, that would be as close as ISU would come in the rivalry loss.
KEY STATISTICS / NOTES
- The Redbirds opened with the starting lineup of 3 Mason Klabo, 4 Landon Wolf, 11 Johnny Kinziger, 12 Brandon Lieb, 14 Boden Skunberg
- This is ISU's third game with this starting lineup this season
- ISU wore its throwback red uniform for the 12th time in 2025-26
- Illinois State won the opening tip
- ISU's first points of the game came from Brandon Lieb on a dunk with 19:48 on the first half clock
- This game was the third consecutive game that he has scored ISU's first points – and the third game this season
- Bradley led 43-to-31 at halftime
- With two three-point baskets, Landon Wolf scored 12 points, as the game was his ninth since December 29 with multiple three-point makes
- He reached double-digit points for the sixth time in his last seven games, and the ninth time this year
- Wolf led the Redbirds in scoring for the first time this season, and is the ninth different Redbird to lead the team in scoring, tied for the highest such total in the NCAA this season
- Mason Klabo scored 12 points, five at the free throw line, setting a career high with his free throw makes
- He set a career high with seven rebounds, and led the team in the category, the first time in his career he has led or tied for the team lead in rebounds
- Ty Pence scored 11 points, making 5-of-8 shots from the field
- The game was his 12th game scoring in double-figures this season, and his second straight contest
- Johnny Kinziger dished out five assists, his 17th game this season with 3+ assists, and his third straight such contest
NEXT UP
ISU takes back to the road after a four-day break between games, when the Birds travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on the Northern Iowa Panthers in a 6 p.m. tip-off on ESPNU.
