Illinois State Redbirds men’s basketball team advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) quarterfinals after a 78-75 victory over Wake Forest on Mar. 22, with Johnny Kinziger hitting a decisive three-point shot in the final seconds. The win marks Illinois State’s first triumph over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent since defeating Miami in December 2006.
The result is significant for Illinois State, as it represents their first time achieving at least two wins in the NIT since the 1995-96 season. The Redbirds also improved their all-time record against Wake Forest to 2-0 and extended their postseason winning streak to five games.
During the game, Illinois State overcame two separate nine-point deficits, with Kinziger and Ty Pence each scoring 17 points in the second half. Pence finished with a career-high 23 points, while Kinziger contributed a total of 19 points and five assists. Chase Walker added 15 points and is now just two points away from reaching 1,000 career collegiate points. Boden Skunberg led the team with nine rebounds.
The Redbirds started with Mason Klabo, Landon Wolf, Johnny Kinziger, Boden Skunberg, and Chase Walker—marking their eighth game using this lineup. According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund for competitiveness and recruitment and utilizes the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for student-athlete preparation according to the official website. The team posted an 8-2 record in one of its top starts this season according to the official website.
Illinois State is linked to Illinois State University according to the official website and competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions according to the official website. The program offers news, schedules, rosters and fan resources designed to bolster its athletic community according to the official website.
Looking ahead, Illinois State will travel to face Dayton Flyers on Wednesday, March 25 in their next NIT matchup. Game time and broadcast details are yet to be announced.
