Preview: Drake Bulldogs at Illinois State Redbirds NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — The Illinois State Redbirds look to solidify their position in the Missouri Valley Conference standings Friday when they host the Drake Bulldogs at Redbird Arena. Illinois State (15-8) enters the matchup coming off a defensive struggle, a 54-50 home loss to Southern Illinois on Tuesday that snapped a two-game win streak. The Redbirds will aim to rediscover their offensive rhythm against a Drake squad they defeated handily, 73-56, in Des Moines just over five weeks ago. The Redbirds are led by guard Johnny Kinziger, who has been a consistent contributor. He scored 10 points and dished four assists in the loss to Southern Illinois, marking his third straight game in double figures. Kinziger is averaging 9.9 points and 3.4 assists per game this season. Drake (12-12) seeks to level its record and gain a measure of revenge for December’s lopsided loss. The Bulldogs are looking to bounce back from a 103-90 road defeat at Belmont on Tuesday, a game in which they allowed a season-high in points. A key player for the Bulldogs is guard Jaehshon Thomas, who is coming off one of his best performances of the season. Thomas logged 26 minutes and scored 16 points with four assists in the loss at Belmont. His production will be vital for a Drake offense that has shown potency, scoring 101 points in a win over Murray State on Jan. 21, but has also been held under 70 points in three of its last five losses. The game features a contrast in recent trajectories. Illinois State has won seven of its last ten games, while Drake has gone 5-5 over the same stretch, including a 1-2 record in its last three outings. The Redbirds have been strong at home this season, boasting a 10-2 record at Redbird Arena. Friday’s contest is the only scheduled regular-season meeting between the teams in Normal. The outcome will impact the tightly contested MVC standings as the conference tournament approaches. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CST at Redbird Arena.