Bradley Braves Edge Illinois State Redbirds in Thrilling Missouri Valley Showdown

PEORIA, Ill. — The Bradley Braves narrowly defeated the Illinois State Redbirds 28-26 in a tightly contested Missouri Valley Conference matchup Saturday at Carver Arena. The game marked the 139th meeting between the two schools, separated by just 40 miles along Interstate 74.

Bradley (17-3, 8-1 MVC) extended their winning streak to four games, maintaining their position atop the conference standings. Illinois State (12-8, 4-5 MVC) entered the game on a two-game winning streak but fell short despite a strong start.

The Braves’ Darius Hannah delivered a crucial dunk with 40 seconds left in the first half, giving Bradley a 28-25 lead. Illinois State’s Chase Walker split a pair of free throws with 1.4 seconds remaining, sending the teams into halftime with Bradley ahead by two points.

“It was a physical battle from the start,” said Bradley head coach Brian Wardle. “Our guys showed resilience, especially after a slow start. Darius made a big play when we needed it.”

Illinois State opened the game with a flurry of 3-point attempts, hitting two early shots from Landon Wolf to take a 12-6 lead. Bradley responded with a 7-3 run, capped by a layup from freshman JaQuan Johnson, to close the gap to 15-13 and force an Illinois State timeout.

The Redbirds struggled with turnovers, committing five in the first half, while Bradley capitalized on second-chance opportunities. Christian Davis tied the game with a putback layup at the 8:46 mark, and Hannah followed with a go-ahead layup despite taking contact to the face and neck.

Bradley’s defense held strong in the closing minutes, with 7-foot-1 center Ahmet Jonovic forcing a key traveling violation on Illinois State’s Chase Walker. The Braves outscored the Redbirds 22-14 in the final 16 minutes of the half.

Illinois State head coach Ryan Pedon praised his team’s effort but acknowledged the challenges. “We had some good looks early, but Bradley’s physicality and rebounding made the difference,” he said. “We need to clean up the turnovers and stay aggressive.”

Bradley entered the game as an 8.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 140 points. The Braves have now won seven of their last 10 meetings against Illinois State.

The game was streamed live, drawing significant attention from fans of both teams. Bradley, receiving votes in the latest Associated Press poll, continues to build momentum as they push for a conference title.