Illinois State beats Wake Forest 78-75, winning twice in NIT for first time in 30 years

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Ty Pence had 23 points, Johnny Kinziger scored 19, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with two seconds left, and Illinois State rallied to beat top seed Wake Forest 78-75 on Sunday in the second round of the NIT.

Fourth-seeded Illinois State (22-12) heads to No. 2 seed Dayton for a campus-site quarterfinal. The last time the Redbirds won twice in a NIT appearance was in 1996.

Illinois State trailed 53-44 with 11:28 remaining before rallying to tie it on Landon Wolf's 3-pointer with 6:29 to go and then taking the lead on a Pence 3-pointer on its next possession.

There were four lead changes and five ties from there — the final tie came on Tre'Von Spillers layup with 28 seconds left to set the stage for Kinziger.

Pence made 8 of 11 shots with three 3-pointers and all four of his free throws. Kinziger buried 5 of 10 from beyond the arc and added five assists. Chase Walker scored 15.

Spillers made all 11 of his shots and scored 24 to pace the Demon Deacons (18-17), adding eight rebounds. Juke Harris totaled 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Harris finished with 750 points this season — the second highest total in program history. Len Chappell set the record with 932 points during the 1961-62 season. Chappell had 745 points his prior season. Dickie Hemric scored 746 in 1954-55.

Omaha Biliew added 11 points and six boards for Wake Forest, while Myles Colvin scored 10 off the bench.

Cooper Schwieger's dunk for Wake Forest in the final minute tied it 32-all at halftime.

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