The Bradley Braves came up short in an 88-62 loss to their I-74 rivals, the Illinois State Redbirds. The loss drops Bradley to 13-7 overall and 6-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while Illinois State improves to 13-6 on the season and 5-3 in league action.

Demarion Burch, AJ Smith, and Jaquan Johnson each scored in double figures for the Braves, combining for 33 points, six assists, and two steals. As a team, Bradley struggled offensively, shooting just 37 percent from the field, 25 percent from three-point range, and 69 percent from the free-throw line. The cold shooting contributed to Illinois State controlling the glass, as the Redbirds finished with a +11 rebounding advantage, 42-31.

Boden Skunberg and Chase Walker led the way for Illinois State, combining for 43 points, 15 rebounds, and two assists. Skunberg set the tone with a season-high 23 points after entering the game averaging just under 10 points per contest. Walker, who was limited to six points in the first half, found his rhythm after halftime, recording a second-half double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, Illinois State shot 52 percent from the floor, 33 percent from beyond the arc, and 83 percent from the free-throw line.

Illinois State did most of its damage by capitalizing on turnovers and dominating the paint. The Redbirds outscored Bradley 42-24 in the paint and held a 22-7 advantage in points off turnovers. Dietrich Richardson was a bright spot for the Braves, as the Peoria native logged a career-high 20 minutes while tallying nine points and two rebounds. Matthew Zobrist of Metamora, Illinois, and Gus Rugaard of Morton, Illinois, also saw action late in the contest.

Bradley will return to action on Wednesday, January 21, when the Braves host the Indiana State Sycamores in the final regular-season meeting between the two teams. In their previous matchup, Bradley earned a 108-99 triple-overtime victory on New Year's Day.

Bradley vs Indiana State will be available for streaming on ESPN+ and is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start time from Carver Arena. Fans can also tune into the Bradley Basketball radio broadcast with Dave Snell and Chad Kleine on 1470 WMBD.