Bennett Stirtz put on a stellar performance, scoring 25 points as the Drake Bulldogs secured an 84-77 victory over Illinois State on Wednesday night, marking their eleventh consecutive win of the season.

Stirtz contributed significantly to the team’s success, pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out six assists for the Bulldogs, who now hold a record of 23 wins and 2 losses, along with 13 wins and 2 losses in the Missouri Valley Conference. Mitch Mascari also made notable contributions by scoring 18 points on 6 of 11 shooting, which included 5 of 10 from three-point range. Kael Combs added 13 points, showing his efficiency with 5 of 6 from the field and a perfect 3 of 3 from the free-throw line.

On the other side, the Illinois State Redbirds, with a record of 15-11 and 7-8 in the conference, were led by Chase Walker, who matched Stirtz with 25 points, in addition to grabbing seven rebounds and making two steals. Johnny Kinziger also provided a strong performance for the Redbirds, scoring 22 points along with two steals, while Ty Pence contributed 10 points to the team’s efforts.

Drake took control of the game with 8:54 remaining in the first half and maintained the lead for the rest of the match. At halftime, the score stood at 40-32, with Stirtz scoring 11 points during that period. The Bulldogs extended their lead in the second half with a 7-0 run, pushing their advantage to 54-40 with 11:35 left on the clock before they completed the victory.

Looking ahead, Drake will face Bradley at home on Sunday, while Illinois State will head to Indiana State on Saturday for their next matchup.