Halftime Report

Illinois State needs a win to get to even, but right now it's anybody's game. They have jumped out to a quick 37-33 lead against N. Iowa.

Illinois State came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

N. Iowa Panthers @ Illinois State Redbirds

Current Records: N. Iowa 15-12, Illinois State 13-14

How To Watch

What to Know

Illinois State will be in front of their home fans on Wednesday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They and the N. Iowa Panthers will face off in a Missouri Valley battle at 8:00 p.m. ET at CEFCU Arena. Illinois State has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.

Illinois State scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Sunday. They walked away with an 86-79 victory over the Aces. The final score was a far cry from the score of their previous head-to-head, which saw the teams combine for 112 points.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Illinois State to victory, but perhaps none more so than Malachi Poindexter, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 27 points and 1 assist. It was the first time this season that Poindexter scored 20 or more points. Myles Foster was another key contributor, scoring 20 points along with eight rebounds and two steals.

Meanwhile, the Panthers earned a 74-63 win over the Braves on Sunday. The win made it back-to-back wins for N. Iowa.

N. Iowa's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tytan Anderson, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Jacob Hutson, who scored 14 points along with seven rebounds.

The Redbirds' victory bumped their record up to 13-14. As for the Panthers, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 15-12 record this season.

The two teams pleased both fans and bettors in their last matches by winning and covering the spread. Looking forward, N. Iowa is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. Bettors picking Illinois State against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a three-game streak of failing to cover when playing as the underdogs at home.

Illinois State came up short against the Panthers in their previous meeting back in March of 2023, falling 75-62. Will Illinois State have more luck at home instead of on the road?

Odds

N. Iowa is a slight 1-point favorite against Illinois State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The line on this game has moved a bit since it opened, as it started out with the Redbirds as a 1-point favorite.


The over/under is 132.5 points.

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

N. Iowa has won all of the games they've played against Illinois State in the last 4 years.

  • Mar 02, 2023 - N. Iowa 75 vs. Illinois State 62
  • Jan 18, 2023 - N. Iowa 65 vs. Illinois State 63
  • Dec 31, 2022 - N. Iowa 66 vs. Illinois State 60
  • Mar 04, 2022 - N. Iowa 78 vs. Illinois State 65
  • Feb 15, 2022 - N. Iowa 72 vs. Illinois State 70
  • Jan 29, 2022 - N. Iowa 79 vs. Illinois State 64
  • Mar 04, 2021 - N. Iowa 65 vs. Illinois State 60
  • Feb 27, 2021 - N. Iowa 94 vs. Illinois State 87
  • Feb 26, 2021 - N. Iowa 70 vs. Illinois State 56
  • Feb 12, 2020 - N. Iowa 71 vs. Illinois State 63