NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — In a lopsided Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup Monday night, the Illinois State Redbirds delivered a commanding performance, overwhelming the visiting Indiana State Sycamores 105 to 64 at Redbird Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,622, was never in doubt as Illinois State seized control with a dominant second quarter and never looked back, improving its season record to 6-6. Indiana State fell to 4-8 with the loss.

The most pivotal stretch of the contest came in the second period, where Illinois State transformed a competitive game into a rout. Leading 24-18 after the first quarter, the Redbirds erupted for a 32-point second quarter while holding the Sycamores to just 10. A 17-2 run early in the frame, fueled by relentless defensive pressure and efficient transition offense, blew the game open. Illinois State forced nine Indiana State turnovers in the quarter, converting them into easy baskets at the other end. By halftime, the Redbirds had built an insurmountable 56-28 lead, effectively deciding the outcome before the teams headed to the locker rooms.

Illinois State’s offensive engine was junior guard Kya Hurt, who poured in a game-high 26 points in just 28 minutes of action. The Indianapolis native also dished out six assists and grabbed four steals, orchestrating the Redbirds’ attack with precision. Her backcourt mate, Trista Fayta, contributed nine points and five assists, facilitating the offense and applying constant defensive pressure.

The Redbirds’ frontcourt provided a balanced and potent scoring punch. Forward Doneelah Washington scored 16 points and collected seven rebounds, while post player Madison Austin added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench. Addison Martin also reached double figures with 12 points, showcasing the depth that overwhelmed the Sycamores.

Indiana State, which struggled to find any consistent rhythm against Illinois State’s aggressive defense, was led by Da’Naria Washington’s 12 points. Tierney Kelsey added 11 points for the Sycamores, and Samiyah Briggs chipped in nine. Center Camariyana Tavares provided a defensive presence with two blocked shots.

The statistical dominance was comprehensive. Illinois State shot 50 percent from the field for the game, compared to Indiana State’s 35 percent. The Redbirds also won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Sycamores 45 to 31, and capitalized on 24 Indiana State turnovers, scoring 33 points off those miscues.

The victory allowed Illinois State to return to .500 on the season as conference play intensifies. The Redbirds will look to carry this momentum into their next contest, a road game at Murray State on Friday. Indiana State, mired in a four-game losing streak, seeks to regroup when it hosts Valparaiso on Thursday.

The game unfolded as predicted by advanced metrics, with Interstat’s ELO system giving Illinois State a 95.7 percent probability to win. The Redbirds lived up to that expectation with a thorough and explosive performance from start to finish.