Navy Faces Wake Forest in NIT After Patriot League Title

Midshipmen look to bounce back from conference tournament upset with NIT matchup against Demon Deacons

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:49am

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After winning the Patriot League regular-season title, Navy (26-7) suffered a stunning upset in the conference tournament and will now face No. 1 seed Wake Forest (17-16) in the NIT. The Midshipmen, led by Patriot League Player of the Year Austin Benigni and Defensive Player of the Year Aidan Kehoe, are seeking to recover from their tournament defeat and continue their successful season. Wake Forest, one of four power-conference schools in the NIT, has had an uneven year but is led by ACC scoring leader Juke Harris.

Why it matters

Navy's regular-season success and tournament disappointment highlight the challenges of transitioning from a strong regular-season performance to postseason play. The NIT matchup provides the Midshipmen an opportunity to prove themselves against a power-conference opponent and potentially earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament next year.

The details

Navy was running away with the Patriot League regular-season title, setting its sights on reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. However, the Midshipmen suffered a stunning 73-72 upset loss to Boston University in the conference tournament semifinals on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Now, the unseeded Navy squad will face No. 1 seed Wake Forest, which has had an uneven season but is led by ACC scoring leader Juke Harris.

  • Navy won the Patriot League regular-season title in 2026.
  • Navy lost to Boston University in the Patriot League tournament semifinals on a buzzer-beater on March 10, 2026.
  • Navy will play Wake Forest in the NIT on March 18, 2026.

The players

Austin Benigni

The Patriot League Player of the Year, averaging 18.0 points and 4.4 assists per game for Navy.

Aidan Kehoe

The Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 15.4 points and 10.9 rebounds per game for Navy.

Jon Perry

The Patriot League Coach of the Year, who led Navy to a successful regular season after the team went 15-19 the previous year.

Juke Harris

The third-leading scorer in the ACC, averaging 21.3 points per game for Wake Forest.

Steve Forbes

The head coach of Wake Forest, who has led the Demon Deacons to the NIT three times in the last five years.

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What they’re saying

“Our players have worked incredibly hard and take great pride in representing the USNA, our program and our country. We are thankful for the chance to continue playing as a team.”

— Jon Perry, Patriot League Coach of the Year (statenews.net)

“They want to play. I like that about them. They like playing. They like each other. I like coaching them.”

— Steve Forbes, Head Coach, Wake Forest (statenews.net)

What’s next

The winner of the Navy-Wake Forest matchup will advance to the next round of the NIT.

The takeaway

Navy's regular-season success and tournament disappointment highlight the challenges of transitioning from a strong regular-season performance to the postseason. The NIT matchup against Wake Forest provides the Midshipmen an opportunity to prove themselves against a power-conference opponent and potentially earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament next year.