NORMAL, Ill. — In a thrilling matchup on Tuesday night, the Illinois State Redbirds triumphed over the Indiana State Sycamores with an 85-81 scoreline.

Leading the charge for Illinois State was Dalton Banks, who delivered a stellar performance, racking up 21 points. He exhibited remarkable efficiency, converting 6 of 7 field goal attempts and sinking 7 of 8 from the charity stripe.

Alongside Banks, Johnny Kinziger contributed significantly with 20 points and six assists, while Chase Walker added 17 points on 8 of 16 shooting from the floor.

The Sycamores kept the fight alive, with Aaron Gray stepping up as their top scorer, netting 19 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Camp Wagner also made an impact, scoring 17 points and securing two steals, while Jaden Daughtry chipped in 10 points.

As the first half concluded, both teams were locked in a tight 40-40 tie. Kinziger was instrumental during this period, scoring 12 points to help keep the game competitive.

The Redbirds surged ahead in the second half, establishing a 58-49 lead with 11:49 remaining on the clock, fueled by a swift 7-0 scoring run.

Looking ahead, both teams are set to continue their conference play on Saturday; Illinois State will travel to face Bradley, while Indiana State will host Northern Iowa.