The Illinois State men’s basketball team advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Semifinals for the first time in program history after defeating Dayton 61-55 on Mar. 25 at UD Arena.
This marks a significant milestone for Illinois State, as the Redbirds had previously reached the quarterfinals three times but never progressed further. The win also extends their postseason winning streak to six games, currently the longest active run in NCAA postseason play.
The Redbirds started strong, opening with a 13-0 run that included two three-pointers from Johnny Kinziger. Although Dayton responded and narrowed the gap before halftime, Illinois State maintained control throughout most of the game. Chase Walker became just the 48th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points and finished with a double-double—scoring 13 points and grabbing a game-high ten rebounds. Kinziger led all scorers with 16 points and moved into 28th place on Illinois State’s career scoring list after passing several former players during this game.
Other notable performances included Ty Pence’s second consecutive double-digit scoring effort with twelve points and Boden Skunberg tying his season high with four assists. The team wore throwback red uniforms for this historic occasion.
According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from resources like the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund which supports competitiveness and recruitment efforts. The men’s basketball team posted an impressive start earlier this season, going eight wins against two losses according to their official website. Student-athletes prepare at facilities such as OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center according to official information.
Illinois State is affiliated with Illinois State University according to its official site and competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions as reported by its website. Fans can access news, schedules, rosters, and other resources through their official platform.
With this victory, Illinois State will face either Auburn or Nevada in the NIT Semifinal scheduled for Thursday, April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
