PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — It’s only been two weeks since Bradley and Illinois State last month.
They’ll meet again Wednesday in Normal, 14 days after the Braves beat the Redbirds, 79-75, in overtime in Peoria. The BU-ISU series is widely considered the top rivalry in the Missouri Valley Conference.
“This is a team that’s going to be fired up for this game,” Bradley coach Brian Wardle said of the Redbirds. “They are playing bigger, longer with (Seneca) Knight at the (wing). They can match our length and size. We have to come in and rebound a lot better and take care of the ball.”
Bradley (17-8, 10-4 in MVC) comes into the game in a four-way tie for the lead in the conference with Drake, Southern Illinois and Belmont.
“It’s going to be a physical game, like the first game was,” said first-year ISU coach Ryan Pedon. “It will mean a lot to both teams. So I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The Redbirds (10-15, 5-9 in MVC) are trying to turnaround a stretch where they have dropped five of their last seven games.
Game time at CEFCU Arena is 7 p.m.
