Rematch of the I-74 Rivalry Doesn’t Go Redbirds Way

Image Courtesy of Illinois State University

NORMAL, Ill.- The Illinois State Redbirds traveled to Peoria on Saturday night to face off with rival Bradley in a crucial Missouri Valley Conference battle, but the Braves controlled the rhythm throughout and came away with a 74-60 victory. Bradley asserted themselves early and never relinquished the lead, building momentum with an efficient first half that saw them jump out in front and set the tone for the contest.

From the opening whistle, Bradley’s offense clicked on all cylinders. Jaquan Johnson led the way for the Braves with 23 points, using a balanced mix of mid-range scoring and free-throw accuracy to keep Illinois State in chase mode. Johnson’s performance was bolstered by Ahmet Jonovic, who added a strong 14 points and six rebounds, providing gritty toughness on both ends of the floor. Timoty van der Knaap contributed 11 points and six boards, helping Bradley maintain its edge on the glass.

Illinois State battled throughout but struggled to keep pace with Bradley’s first-half scoring surge. The Redbirds stayed within striking distance by sharing the ball and attacking inside, but could never cut the margin to single digits. Mason Klabo led Illinois State with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Landon Wolf also finished with 12 points and Ty Pence added 11 points and six rebounds. Their efforts kept the Redbirds competitive, but falling behind early proved too difficult to overcome.

Defensively, Illinois State fought hard, but Bradley’s early offensive execution forced the Redbirds into an uphill battle. Bradley outscored Illinois State 43-31 in the first half, giving them enough cushion to manage the second half with controlled possession and smart decision making. Despite the loss, Illinois State showed flashes of resilience down the stretch and got solid contributions from multiple players.

The defeat drops the Redbirds to 18-11 overall and 10-8 in MVC play, while Bradley improves to 19-10 and 12-6 in league action. Illinois State now turns its focus toward its next conference matchup, looking to bounce back and finish strong as postseason aspirations continue to take shape.