Illinois State Redbirds vs Valparaiso Beacons Matchup

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

Valparaiso vs Illinois State Prediction

Betting on today's Beacons and Redbirds game? Catch the action at CEFCU Arena in Normal, IL, as the Redbirds hosts this showdown at 5:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Missouri Valley conference contest is set at 145.5 points, with Illinois State being favored by -8.5 at home against Valparaiso.

Valparaiso vs. Illinois State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Valparaiso Beacons at Illinois State Redbirds
Where: Normal at CEFCU Arena
Date: Saturday, February 1st
Betting Odds ILLST -8.5, VALP +310 | ILLST -400 O/U 145.5

Beacons Preview: Can The Beacons Secure a Road Victory?

Valparaiso Beacons Recent Game/Games

Valparaiso’s season record dropped to 8-12 after a 79-75 home loss to Southern Illinois on Tuesday. The Beacons entered the game as +1 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 154, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 150.5.

Valparaiso led 34-29 at halftime but allowed 50 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41 themselves, leading to the loss.

Beacons Offense Breakdown

Valparaiso put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 41.9% from the field and 34.5% from three-point range, hitting 10 of 29 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they connected on 72.2% of their free throws, going 13 for 18.

All Wright led the Beacons with 22 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Kennard Davis Jr. added 19 points despite shooting just 25% overall. Jarrett Hensley and Jorge Moreno were efficient, with Hensley shooting 75% and grabbing 9 rebounds, and Moreno going a perfect 5 for 5 from the field.

Beacons Team Defense

Valparaiso's defense gave up 79 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 41% from the field on 26 of 62 attempts. They allowed 48% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team hitting 16 of 33 shots from inside the arc.

From three-point range, Valparaiso's opponents connected on 10 of 29 attempts, shooting 34%. The Beacons also sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 72%. Valparaiso gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Redbirds Preview: Does Illinois State Stand a Chance at Home?

Illinois State improved to 12-9 on the season with an 81-78 win over Belmont on Wednesday. The Redbirds, who were -2.5 favorites, covered the spread in the victory. The game’s total points of 159 exceeded the O/U line of 154.5.

Illinois State led 35-31 at halftime and scored 46 points in the 2nd half, while allowing 47 points to Belmont.

Redbirds Offense Breakdown

Illinois State put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 51.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 59.4%, thanks in part to their 69.7% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they hit 10 of 31 threes, shooting 32.3%.

Jonathan Pierre and Johnny Kinziger both hit 5 threes, shooting 45.5% from deep. Chase Walker was dominant inside, hitting 9 of 12 shots for 22 points. The Redbirds struggled at the free-throw line, making just 5 of 14 attempts.

Redbirds Team Defense

Illinois State struggled defensively, giving up 78 points on 51% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 69% of their two-point attempts, with 23 makes on 33 tries.

From beyond the arc, Illinois State's defense gave up 10 threes on 31 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made 5, shooting 35%. The Redbirds allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Beacons vs Redbirds Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Beacons offense has averaged 67 points per game while allowing an average of 78. Valparaiso posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 4-5-1 ATS.
Across the Redbirds last ten home games, the team averaged 71 points per game while allowing 73. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 8-2, while going 4-6 straight-up.
As the betting underdog, the Beacons have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Valparaiso posted a straight up mark of 0-3 in these matchups.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Illinois State has an ATS mark of 4-6 while going 6-4 straight up.