Illinois State, Wake Forest Battle for NIT Quarterfinal Spot

Juke Harris and Landon Wolf lead their teams in the NIT second round matchup

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:25am

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Wake Forest and Illinois State will face off in the second round of the NIT, with both teams looking to advance to the quarterfinals. Wake Forest is led by Juke Harris, who scored 26 points in their first-round win over Navy. Illinois State is led by Landon Wolf, who scored a career-high 24 points in their first-round win over Kent State.

Why it matters

This matchup features two teams looking to extend their seasons and reach the NIT quarterfinals. Wake Forest is aiming for its fourth NIT quarterfinal appearance, while Illinois State is seeking its first trip to the quarterfinals since 1996.

The details

Wake Forest shot 59.3% in the second half and made 14 of 18 dunks and layups to pull away from Navy in the first round. Illinois State built a 20-point halftime lead over Kent State behind a career-high 24 points from Landon Wolf, who hit five 3-pointers.

  • The game will be played on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
  • Wake Forest is making its fourth NIT quarterfinal appearance, having previously reached that stage in 1983, 2000 and 2022.

The players

Juke Harris

A prolific scorer for Wake Forest, Harris scored 26 points in the first round and has reached 20 points in 19 games this season.

Landon Wolf

The senior guard for Illinois State had a career-high 24 points in the first round, including five 3-pointers, to lead the Redbirds to victory.

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What they’re saying

“I don't know what else to say about (Harris), he's a hell of a player.”

— Steve Forbes, Wake Forest head coach

“Obviously, things didn't go the way we wanted to in St. Louis, and we got another chance to rewrite the ending of the season.”

— Johnny Kinzinger, Illinois State guard

What’s next

The winner of this game will advance to the NIT quarterfinals.

The takeaway

This matchup features two teams looking to extend their seasons and reach new heights, with Wake Forest aiming for its fourth NIT quarterfinal appearance and Illinois State seeking its first trip to that stage since 1996.