Illinois State men open season at Saint Mary's after first NIT semifinal run
The gist
Illinois State's men open at Saint Mary's on Nov 2, the earliest start in program history.
Coach Ryan Pedon's goal is ending a 28-season NCAA Tournament drought.
How it unfolded
- Mar 22, 2026Johnny Kinziger's three-pointer with two seconds left gave Illinois State a 78-75 win at Wake Forest, the program's first win over an ACC opponent since Dec. 5, 2006; Ty Pence scored a career-high 23.
- Mar 25, 2026Illinois State held off Dayton 61-55 to reach the NIT semifinals, with Chase Walker scoring his 1,000th career point.
- Apr 1, 2026Illinois State prepared to face Auburn for a spot in the NIT title game.