Evansville vs Illinois State Prediction 1/1/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Illinois State Redbirds and the Evansville Purple Aces will meet on Thursday afternoon in a Missouri Valley Conference matchup at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois.

Evansville Purple Aces Betting Preview
The Evansville Purple Aces enter Thursday’s game with a 4–10 win-loss record, including an 0–3 mark in conference play and an 0–5 record on the road this season. The Purple Aces have compiled wins over Ball State and the Oregon State Beavers, while losing games to Bradley, Drake, SMU, Notre Dame and the Akron Zips. More recently, in the Evansville Purple Aces 76–68 loss to the Bradley Braves, Evansville forward AJ Casey tallied 21 points (8 of 14 shooting from the field), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, showcasing his ability to lead the Purple Aces frontcourt.

The Evansville Purple Aces average 66.8 points on 40.5 percent shooting from the field and 29.9 percent shooting from behind the arc per game. On the defensive side of the basketball, the Purple Aces are allowing opponents 77.2 points per contest.

Senior forward Connor Turnbill leads the Evansville Purple Aces frontcourt averaging 13.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists and 2.8 blocks per game. Junior forward Joshua Hughes averages 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1 assist per contest, while freshman guard Leif Moeller provides additional scoring depth contributing 7.7 points per game.

Illinois State Redbirds Betting Preview

The Illinois State Redbirds enter Thursday’s contest with an 11–3 record, including a 6–0 record at home. The Redbirds have amassed wins over Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Chicago State, Coastal Carolina and the Charlotte 49ers, while losing games to Utah State, USC and the Ohio Bobcats. In the Illinois State Redbirds 93–48 blowout victory over the Rockford Regents two days ago, Illinois State forward Brandon Lieb amassed 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist in only 16 minutes of play.

The Illinois State Redbirds average 79.5 points on 48.9 percent shooting from the field (41st in the country) and 36 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Redbirds are allowing opponents 67.9 points per game which ranks 47th in the nation.

Junior forward Chase Walker leads the Illinois State Redbirds averaging 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Junior guard Johnny Kinziger adds 12.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per contest. Senior forward Brandon Lieb provides further frontcourt versatility for the Redbirds, averaging 4.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest.

Why the Evansville Purple Aces will win

• Frontcourt production. Senior forward Connor Turnbill leads the Evansville Purple Aces frontcourt averaging 13.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists and 2.8 blocks per game. Junior forward Joshua Hughes adds 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.

• Enhanced motivation. The Evansville Purple Aces arrive at tomorrow’s game on the heels of five consecutive losses.

Why the Illinois State Redbirds will win

• Home court advantage. The Illinois State Redbirds are 6–0 at home this season.

• Balanced scoring. Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger combine for over 25 points per game.

• Quality defense. The Redbirds allow just 67.9 points per game which ranks 47th in the nation.

Evansville Purple Aces vs. Illinois State Redbirds Prediction

This matchup features an Illinois State Redbirds team that has played exceptionally well at home in 2025 (6-0) against an Evansville Purple Aces team that has been abysmal on the road (0-5). In my view, the difference in this contest will be the Redbirds elite defense that should be too much for an Evansville team that has lost five consecutive basketball games. With that said, I am backing the Illinois State Redbirds in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Illinois State Redbirds TBA