Preview: Valparaiso Beacons at Illinois State Redbirds NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — A Missouri Valley Conference rematch with postseason implications is set for Thursday night as the Illinois State Redbirds host the Valparaiso Beacons at Redbird Arena. Illinois State (16-9) looks to avenge a Jan. 7 road loss to Valparaiso (13-12) and solidify its standing in the conference race. The Redbirds, however, enter on a two-game skid, including an 88-80 defeat at Evansville on Monday. Landon Moore provided a spark off the bench in that loss, scoring 16 points in 22 minutes. Valparaiso arrives with momentum after a statement 81-76 road victory at Drake on Monday. The Beacons have won three of their last four, with forward JT Pettigrew leading the charge. Pettigrew erupted for 23 points in the win at Drake, part of a recent surge that includes a 17-point, 9-rebound performance in a Jan. 31 overtime win at Indiana State. In the teams’ first meeting, Valparaiso secured a 77-71 home victory. The Beacons’ current winning streak began immediately after that game. The matchup features contrasting styles. Valparaiso has shown resilience in close games, with three overtime contests in its last seven outings. Illinois State has been strong at home, boasting a dominant 88-62 win over Bradley in its last outing at Redbird Arena on Jan. 17 but seeks to rediscover that form after recent struggles. For Illinois State, consistency beyond Moore will be key. Johnny Kinziger dished out eight assists against Evansville, and Boden Skunberg added 11 points. For Valparaiso, containing the Redbirds’ home-court advantage and finding secondary scoring behind Pettigrew, such as from Rakim Chaney who had 20 points at Drake, will be critical. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Thursday. The game continues a pivotal stretch for both teams as they jockey for position ahead of the MVC tournament.