Kent State vs Illinois State Prediction 3/18/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Kent State Golden Flashes and the Illinois State Redbirds will meet on Wednesday night in an NIT First Round matchup at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois.

Illinois State Redbirds Betting Preview

The Illinois State Redbirds enter Wednesday’s contest with a 20–12 win‑loss record, including a 12–8 mark in conference play and a rather impressive 13–2 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.

Earlier this season, in the Illinois State Redbirds dominant 93–48 victory over the Rockford Regents, Illinois State forward Brandon Lieb amassed 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist in only 16 minutes of play.

The Illinois State Redbirds average 74.5 points on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 34.8 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Redbirds are allowing opponents 69.1 points per game which ranks 49th in the nation.

Junior forward Chase Walker leads the Illinois State Redbirds averaging 13.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1 steal per game. Junior guard Johnny Kinziger adds 11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. Senior guard Boden Skunberg provides the Redbirds with further backcourt depth averaging 10.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Preview

The Kent State Golden Flashes enter Wednesday’s contest with a 24–9 win‑loss record, including a 14–4 mark in conference play and a 7–5 record on the road. The Golden Flashes have compiled recent wins over Ohio, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois, while dropping games to Akron, Southern Mississippi, Central Michigan and the Purdue Boilermakers.

More recently, in the Kent State Golden Flashes 86–75 win over the Ohio Bobcats five days ago, Kent State forward Delrecco Gillespie tallied 27 points (8 of 14 shooting from the field), 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals illustrating his ability to be a strong presence in the paint.

The Kent State Golden Flashes average 83 points (27th in nation) on 43.9 percent shooting from the field 35.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. Shifting our focus to the defensive side of the basketball, the Golden Flashes are allowing opponents 80.7 points per contest.

Skenior forward Delrecco Gillespie has been a standout performer for the Kent State Golden Flashes averaging 18.1 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Senior forward Rob Whaley Jr. provides the Golden Flashes with a strong interior presence averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1 steal per game.

Why the Illinois State Redbirds Will Win

• Home court advantage. The Illinois State Redbirds have amassed a 13–2 record at home this season.

• Balanced scoring. Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger combine for over 24 points per game.

• Quality defense. The Illinois State Redbirds allow just 69.1 points per game which ranks 49th in the nation. Conversely, the Kent State Golden Flashes are allowing opponents 80.7 points per contest.

Why the Kent State Golden Flashes Will Win

 • Offensive edge. The Kent State Golden Flashes average 83 points (27th in nation) on 43.9 percent shooting from the field 35.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game.

• Momentum. The Kent State Golden Flashes have won three of the team’s last four games played this season.

Kent State vs. Illinois State Prediction

This matchup features a Kent State Golden Flashes team that relies heavily on pace and perimeter volume against an Illinois State Redbirds squad that has played significantly better at home (13-2) relative to on the road this season. With Illinois State’s strong home record and the defensive advantages that matter the most in this matchup, I am backing the Illinois State Redbirds to cover the 6.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Illinois State -6.5