McLean County Times

Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger led the Illinois State Redbirds with 22 and 21 points, respectively, but their efforts were not enough to secure a victory against the Indiana State Sycamores. The game ended with an 85-76 win for Indiana State on Saturday afternoon in Terre Haute.

Walker achieved his second double-double of the season, adding 11 rebounds to his point tally and leading the team with four assists. Kinziger contributed by making four out of nine attempts from long range and seven out of fifteen overall, alongside four rebounds and six assists.

Landon Wolf added 12 points for the Redbirds, hitting five out of six shots from the field and two out of three from beyond the arc. He also recorded two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Ty Pence scored six points while grabbing four rebounds and tying for a game-high with two steals.

The match was characterized by multiple shifts in momentum during the first half, which included eight ties and seven lead changes. Despite strong performances by Illinois State players, Indiana State held a 40-33 lead at halftime. In the second half, Illinois State managed to take a brief lead thanks to a 24-10 run but could not maintain it as Indiana State responded with a decisive 10-0 run that secured their victory.

Illinois State's shooting performance saw them make 49.1% of their field goals (27-of-55), while they converted only 33.3% from long range (8-of-24) and excelled at free throws with an accuracy of 87.5% (14-of-16). Meanwhile, Indiana State shot slightly better overall at 50.9% (28-of-55) from the field and made 45.8% (11-of-24) from three-point range.

Samage Teel was instrumental for Indiana State with a standout performance scoring 36 points. Other contributors included Jaden Daughtry with 14 points, Camp Wagner and Derek Vorst each adding 11 points, while Bruno Alocen chipped in with ten.

The Redbirds will next face Bradley at CEFCU Arena on Wednesday, February 19th.