Halftime Report

Fortunes may be turning around for Valparaiso after losing 11 in a row. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Illinois State 44-31.

If Valparaiso keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 7-24 in no time. On the other hand, Illinois State will have to make due with a 15-16 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Illinois State Redbirds @ Valparaiso Beacons

Current Records: Illinois State 15-15, Valparaiso 6-24

How To Watch

What to Know

Illinois State is 1-9 against the Beacons since February of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Sunday. Both teams will face off in a Missouri Valley battle at 2:00 p.m. ET at Athletics-Recreation Center. Despite being away, Illinois State is looking at a 5.5-point advantage in the spread.

Last Wednesday, the Redbirds skirted by the Bears 75-74 thanks to a clutch jump shot from Johnny Kinziger with but a second left in the second quarter.

Illinois State got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Kinziger out in front who scored 20 points. Kinziger didn't help Illinois State's cause all that much against the Braves last Saturday but the same can't be said for this game. The team also got some help courtesy of Myles Foster, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Valparaiso's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their 11th straight defeat. They fell 68-54 to the Panthers. Valparaiso has struggled against the Panthers recently, as their matchup on Tuesday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Valparaiso struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only five offensive rebounds. They are 1-4 when they can't control their own glass like that.

The Redbirds' win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-15. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 80.7 points per game. As for the Beacons, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost 12 of their last 13 matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-24 record this season.

Illinois State came up short against the Beacons when the teams last played back in January, falling 59-50. Can Illinois State avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

Illinois State is a solid 5.5-point favorite against Valparaiso, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Redbirds as a 5-point favorite.


The over/under is 137.5 points.

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Series History

Valparaiso has won 9 out of their last 10 games against Illinois State.

  • Jan 14, 2024 - Valparaiso 59 vs. Illinois State 50
  • Feb 11, 2023 - Valparaiso 81 vs. Illinois State 76
  • Jan 21, 2023 - Valparaiso 71 vs. Illinois State 51
  • Feb 09, 2022 - Illinois State 78 vs. Valparaiso 75
  • Jan 02, 2022 - Valparaiso 81 vs. Illinois State 76
  • Jan 24, 2021 - Valparaiso 70 vs. Illinois State 66
  • Jan 23, 2021 - Valparaiso 69 vs. Illinois State 60
  • Feb 15, 2020 - Valparaiso 65 vs. Illinois State 62
  • Feb 01, 2020 - Valparaiso 80 vs. Illinois State 70
  • Feb 05, 2019 - Valparaiso 69 vs. Illinois State 53