NORMAL, IL – Illinois State overcame a halftime deficit to defeat visiting Big Ten opponent Northwestern 70-64 in both teams’ first exhibition game Sunday evening. The matchup marked the first time Illinois State hosted a Big Ten opponent since Purdue visited Redbird Arena in 1999 nearly 27 years ago. The Redbirds forced 20 turnovers and held an 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass, outscoring the Wildcats 38-29 in the second half.
Illinois State was led by 6’9″ forward Noah Cleveland, a 2025-26 Division III 1st Team All-American and the D3hoops.com National Rookie of the Year at Illinois Wesleyan. The Bloomington native recorded a double-double with 10 minutes remaining and finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Senior point guard Johnny Kinziger added 15 points while controlling the tempo and helping Illinois State maintain its preferred pace.
Northwestern started the game off by attacking the paint behind 6’3″ sophomore guard Jake West, who finished with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and seven assists in 28 minutes of work. 6’6 Junior Guard Angelo Ciaravino scored six first half points and finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists. His aggressive drives and activity around the basket helped establish Northwestern’s early offensive rhythm.
Illinois State generated transition opportunities through defensive pressure. Cleveland’s fast-break dunk gave the Redbirds a 25-24 lead with five minutes remaining in the opening half. Northwestern then responded behind West’s play extending its advantage 35-29 before Illinois State 6’3 Sophomore Guard Mason Klabo’s hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to cut the halftime deficit 35-32.
The Wildcats opened the second half aggressively extending its’ lead to 44-37 following a layup by 6’7″ graduate forward Jack Karasinski. The Bellarmine transfer finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Illinois State then gradually shifted momentum through volume defensive activity and second-chance opportunities. Kinziger connected on a transition three-pointer helping the Redbirds tie the game at 44 with just over 13 minutes left to play.
The Redbirds would then reclaim the lead 50-48 with 9:47 remaining following a Klabo three-pointer. Cleveland converted a contested putback before 6’9 Senior Forward Chase Walker connected from beyond the arc and finished a transition dunk providing a comeback spark. Walker’s tough physical presence provided another productive interior option. Cleveland added another putback before Kinziger converted a turnaround midrange jumper which extended the lead further 61-54 with just over five minutes remaining.
Northwestern made a final push trimming the deficit 63-60 with 2:38 to go. West exited with cramps around this time and did not return. Illinois State maintained its composure and converted free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Cleveland was arguably the game’s most impactful player. In the first Division 1 game of his career, he shot 5-of-8 from the field and demonstrated his ability to finish against Northwestern’s size, including 6’9″ junior Okku Federiko and 7’3″ freshman Symon Ghai. His offensive rebounding, ability to establish positioning against bigger defenders, and consistent rim running activities while finishing in transition were particularly valuable during the second-half comeback.
Kinziger provided valuable perimeter shooting finishing 3-of-7 from three-point range in 34 minutes of action. He showed confidence coming off Cleveland’s and Walker’s screening actions being able to draw opposing bigs away from the basket and creating tight pocket passing opportunities for diving teammates to hit them in stride toward the rim. His ability to read defensive coverage and create separation helped generate clean offensive opportunities. Walker added 11 points and six rebounds while demonstrating continued development as a floor-spacing big option.
For Northwestern, West provided productive court vision while remaining aggressive offensively. Karasinski offered efficient perimeter scoring while Ciaravino’s 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting provided another reliable offensive option.
Despite shooting 51% from the field compared to Illinois State’s 35%, Northwestern struggled with turnovers and free throws committing 20 turnovers and converting just 8-of-17 attempts. Illinois State committed only 10 turnovers, held a 40-37 rebounding advantage, and converted on 17-of-24 from the charity stripe.
Looking ahead Northwestern will host Iowa State next Sunday in its final exhibition contest while Illinois State travels to Green Bay on Saturday to face the Phoenix in its exhibition finale.
This article was written by Michael Schneiderman of NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter. We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.