NORMAL, Ill. — Malik Yarbrough converted five straight free throws in the final minute to allow Illinois State to hold off a late rally by Northern Iowa and win 79-75 in a Missouri Valley Conference clash on Saturday night.
Illinois State entered the game tied with Drake for the No. 3 seed into the conference tournament. The Bulldogs face Missouri State on Sunday afternoon. Northern Iowa is in ninth place, a game behind Indiana State.
The Panthers took an 11-point lead into intermission, but the Redbirds hit five consecutive 3-pointers to open the second half and Yarbrough tied the game on a layup with 14:34 left.