NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of efficiency and defensive pressure, Illinois State delivered a decisive 88-62 victory over Bradley in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at Redbird Arena.

A season-high crowd of 7,549 watched the Redbirds (13-6, 3-3 MVC) dominate from the opening tip, building a 44-29 halftime lead and maintaining that 15-point margin throughout the second half. The win snapped a two-game conference skid for Illinois State and handed the Braves (13-7, 4-3) their most lopsided loss of the season.

The game’s defining characteristic was Illinois State’s surgical offensive execution contrasted with Bradley’s persistent struggles. The Redbirds scored 88 points on just 64 possessions, an elite offensive rating of 137.1, while the Braves managed only 62 points on 69 trips, a rating of 90.0. Illinois State shot 53% from the field, including 10 of 23 from three-point range, and committed only six turnovers. Bradley shot just 35% overall and turned the ball over 11 times, which the Redbirds converted into 22 points.

The most important sequence of the game came early, setting a tone of defensive resistance from which Bradley never recovered. After the Braves took a brief 5-2 lead, Illinois State unleashed a 19-4 run over a six-minute span in the first half. The surge was fueled by stifling defense that forced four Bradley turnovers and held the Braves to 1-of-8 shooting during the stretch. Boden Skunberg and Chase Walker were central figures, combining for 13 points in the run, which transformed a three-point deficit into a 21-9 Redbird lead. Bradley never got the margin back to single digits, as every attempt at a response was met with an Illinois State basket.

Skunberg, a junior from Jamestown, North Dakota, led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting in 31 minutes. Walker, a 6-foot-9, 275-pound force from Columbus, Ohio, added 20 points in just 22 minutes off the bench, showcasing efficiency by making 8 of 11 shots from the field. The Redbirds’ backcourt also shined, with Tyreek Coleman of Aurora dishing out a game-high eight assists and Landon Moore of Bloomington contributing 10 points.

Bradley, which entered the game with a 53.9% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, could not find any consistent rhythm. Demarion Burch led the Braves with 12 points, while AJ Smith and Jaquan Johnson each added 10. The Braves were outscored 42-24 in the paint and managed a mere three assists as a team, highlighting their offensive stagnation against the active Illinois State defense.

The Redbirds also controlled the glass, out-rebounding Bradley 39-31 and grabbing 12 offensive boards that led to 13 second-chance points. Illinois State’s balance was evident, with nine different players scoring and the bench contributing 38 points.

The victory moves Illinois State back to .500 in conference play ahead of a home matchup with Northern Iowa on Wednesday. Bradley, which had won three of its last four, looks to regroup when it hosts Indiana State, also on Wednesday. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Peoria on Feb. 21.

According to pregame betting lines, Illinois State was installed as a 5.5-point favorite. The combined score of 150 points went under the over/under line of 147.5.