Bradley Braves vs Illinois State Redbirds Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Illinois State vs Bradley NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Peoria.

Illinois State vs Bradley Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Redbirds versus the Braves? Tip off is at at 2:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on CBSS. The game will be played at Carver Arena in Peoria, IL. The over/under for this game is set at 139.5 points, and Bradley is favored by -8.5 vs. Illinois State in a Missouri Valley conference matchup.

Illinois State vs. Bradley Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois State Redbirds at Bradley Braves
Where: Peoria at Carver Arena
Date: Saturday, January 25th
Betting Odds BRADLY -8.5, ILLST +330 | BRADLY -430 O/U 139.5

Redbirds Preview: Can the Redbirds Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Illinois State Redbirds Recent Game/Games

Illinois State improved to 11-8 on the season with an 85-81 home win over Indiana State on Tuesday. Despite being -7.5 favorites, the Redbirds didn’t cover the spread, but they did manage to get the win.

After a 40-40 tie at halftime, Illinois State scored 45 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The game’s total points of 166 went over the pre-game O/U line of 153.5.

Redbirds Offense Breakdown

Illinois State put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 51.7% from the field and hitting 44% from beyond the arc, knocking down 11 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.1%, and they connected on 77.8% of their free throws, going 14-for-18 from the line.

Dalton Banks led the way with 21 points, shooting 6-for-7 overall and 2-for-2 from three-point range. Johnny Kinziger added 20 points and 6 assists, while Aaron Gray contributed 19 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 70% from the field.

Redbirds Team Defense

Illinois State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 51% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 57% of their two-point attempts, with 19 makes on 33 tries.

From beyond the arc, Illinois State's defense conceded 11 threes on 25 attempts, a 44% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 14 for 77%. The Redbirds limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 4.

Braves Preview: Will Bradley Find a Way to Win at Home?

Bradley Braves Recent Game/Games

Bradley improved to 16-3 on the season with an 89-77 road win over Belmont on Tuesday. The Braves entered the game as -2.5 favorites and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game reached 166, surpassing the over/under line of 155.5.

After a 43-43 tie at halftime, Bradley's defense stepped up, holding Belmont to 34 points in the second half while scoring 46 themselves.

Braves Offense Breakdown

Bradley's offense put up 89 points in their last game, shooting 47.5% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range, hitting 11 of 28 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 57.6%, and they were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 22 of 23 shots for a 95.7% rate.

Christian Davis led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Carter Whitt added 15 points and 11 assists. Jaquan Johnson contributed 17 points in just 20 minutes, and Duke Deen and Zek Montgomery each chipped in 12 points, with Deen hitting 4 threes.

Braves Team Defense

Bradley gave up 77 points while holding their opponent to 38% shooting from the field. The Braves allowed 15 two-point baskets on 31 attempts, a 48% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Bradley's defense saw 11 of 37 three-point attempts go in, a 29% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 17 times, where they hit 14 free throws, good for 82%. The Braves allowed 14 offensive rebounds.

Redbirds vs Braves Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Redbirds offense has averaged 73 points per game while allowing an average of 74. Illinois State posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 7-3 ATS.
When looking at their past ten home matchups, Bradley has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 76 per game. The team went 7-3 overall in these games.
Illinois State has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
The Braves have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.