Wake Forest vs Illinois State: NIT Second Round Preview & Juke Harris’ Rise

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest’s men’s basketball team advanced in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Wednesday night with an 82-72 victory over Navy at LJVM Coliseum, setting up a second-round matchup against Illinois State on Sunday.

Five Demon Deacons scored in double figures, led by sophomore guard Juke Harris, who finished with 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting and a near-perfect 9-for-10 performance from the free-throw line. Harris also contributed six rebounds, a steal, and a team-high five assists. Senior forward Tre’Von Spillers nearly recorded a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, while also matching his career-best with four blocks and a steal. Junior forward Omaha Biliew added 15 points, and senior guard Nate Calmese, in his first start since January 27 against Pitt, scored 12 points with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Wake Forest’s defense proved pivotal, holding Navy to 43.1 percent shooting from the field (28-for-65) and 31.8 percent from beyond the arc (7-of-22). The Demon Deacons forced 11 turnovers and recorded five steals and five blocks.

The contest marks the 74th home victory for Wake Forest since 2021, tying them with Duke for the seventh-most nationally during that span and placing them second among ACC programs. Duke leads the ACC with 78 home wins in the same period, followed by North Carolina (71), Virginia (67), and Clemson (66).

Throughout the season, Wake Forest’s active defense has generated 425 turnovers, the fourth-highest total in the ACC. Florida State leads the conference with 450, followed by NC State (434) and Miami (429).

Harris’s breakout season has garnered significant recognition, including being named the second ACC Most Improved Player in program history and earning All-ACC second-team honors. He is also the fifth consecutive Wake Forest player selected to the NABC All-South Atlantic first team. Harris has scored 730 points this season, becoming only the fourth player in Wake Forest history to surpass 700 points in a single season, joining Len Chappell (twice) and Dickie Hemric. He is one of just six players nationally – and the only guard – to average over 21 points and six rebounds per game this season.

Harris’s 15.4-point increase in scoring compared to his freshman year is the largest improvement among all Division I players.

Illinois State enters Sunday’s game with a 21-12 record, having secured 20 or more wins in consecutive seasons. The Redbirds are led by Chase Walker, who averages 13.7 points per game.

Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. The all-time series between Wake Forest and Illinois State stands at 1-0 in favor of Illinois State, with the Redbirds winning the only previous meeting 81-79 on January 24, 1976.

Ticket prices begin at $70, and parking will be available for $10 in the Allegacy, Pepsi, and Starry lots. Fans can access closed captions for in-venue announcements here.