The game progressed slowly with both teams trading baskets, turnovers and missed shots. With 11 minutes to go in the half the score was tied at 11.. At the 7:55 mark the 2 teams were knotted up at 15. With 4 minutes remaining in the half and the teams tied at 22 Bradley went on a 6-0 run to take a 28-22 lead with 2 minutes remaining in the half, but 2 straight defensive stops and 2 baskets by freshman Gregg Alexander and the Birds were back within 2, 28-26. Alexander paced the Birds with 10 first half points while Shedrick Ford added 6 off the bench.

The second half offered more of the same as the teams traded baskets, but ISU was unable to regain the lead, but managed to tie the score at 37 with 11:20 remaining in the game on a Shawn Jeppson 3 pointer, his first points of the game. ISU finally took their first lead of the half on 2 free throws by Ford. Bradley scored but that was followed by another 3 pointer by Jeppson to give ISU a 44-41 lead. Bradley once again tied the game with a 3 pointer, before ISU took the lead for good, 47-44, as Alexander nailed a 3 for his 16th point of the game. A driving lay-up by Vince Greene put the Birds up 5 with 5:37 to go. The Braves got back within 3 points, 553-50 with 1:37 remaining in the game, befroe a lay-up and 2 free throws by Boo Bojang gave ISU their biggest lead of the game, 57-50 with 1 minute remaining. Bradley scored to cut the lead down to 5, then a free throw by Jeppson gave the Birds a 6 point lead with 33.5 seconds left. Bradley hit a 3 pointer to cut the lead back down to 3, 58-55, with 22.6 seconds left. They fouled Randy Rice, who missed the front end of a 1 and 1 with 25.7 seconds left. Bradley called timeout with 16.7 seconds to go, but couldn't execute a play and launched a desperation 3 the bounced off the rim to seal the victory.

Alexander paced the Birds in scoring with 16 points, while Ford added 14. Rice scored 5 points and grabbed team highs of 7 rebounds and 9 assists.