Northern Iowa 54, at Illinois State 59

NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — In a grinding Missouri Valley Conference contest defined more by defensive pressure and missed opportunities than offensive artistry, Illinois State held off a second-half surge from Northern Iowa to secure a 59-54 victory Wednesday night at Redbird Arena. The game, played before a crowd of 4,312, saw the host Redbirds improve to 14-6 overall, while the visiting Panthers fell to 12-8. Illinois State built its winning margin at the free-throw line, converting 16 of 18 attempts, while Northern Iowa managed just 11 of 14. That disparity proved critical in a game where both teams struggled from… Read more...