The No. 1 seed Wake Forest Demon Deacons will host the No. 4 seed Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday in the second round of the NIT.
Illinois State has the better defense and a stronger inside game. They also have as many wins in three Quad I games (1) as Wake does in 11.
That's why my Illinois State vs. Wake Forest predictions call for an upset—The Redbirds cover and threaten an outright win.
Here are my college basketball picks for this NIT game on Sunday, March 22.
Illinois State vs Wake Forest prediction
Who will win Illinois State vs Wake Forest?
Illinois State: This is a matchup nightmare for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Illinois State Redbirds shoot 54.5% on two-pointers, which ranks No. 72 in the country. Wake has had 12 games against teams ranked at least that high. They combined to shoot 61.9% against the Deacs. Overall, Wake ranks No. 273 in the country in interior defense.
Illinois State vs Wake Forest best bet: Illinois State +7.5 (-122)
In addition to getting gashed on interior shots, Wake has struggled to rebound. They rank No. 304 in defensive rebounding rate and allowed opponents to rebound 40% of their own misses in the last three games.
The Deacs have also failed to get a third of their offensive rebounding attempts in four of the last five. Illinois State has held its last four foes to under a 33% offensive rebounding rate.
Illinois State also has an efficient shutdown defense that doesn't foul. The Redbirds have won outright two of the last three times they were underdogs and will threaten Wake.
COVERS INTEL: Wake Forest has allowed its last 20 opponents to average more than a point per possession. Thirteen of them have averaged more than 1.1 points, and seven have averaged 1.2 points. Illinois State has given up 1.2 points per possession four times all season.
Illinois State vs Wake Forest same-game parlay
Illinois State plays at the No 216 pace in the country, while Wake plays at No. 127. So neither team will be pushing the ball. The Redbirds have been Under the last two and five of the last seven, including twice with a points cutoff in the 130s. Wake has been Under three of the last five.
The Redbirds will get off to a fast start. They've trailed at the half just 12 times in 33 games this season. Wake Forest, meanwhile, has gone to the half trailing 20 times in 34 games.
Illinois State vs Wake Forest SGP
- Illinois St +7.5
- Under 149.5
- Illinois State 1H +4
Our beyond the arc SGP: Redbirds Soar!
Illinois State is capable of pulling the upset in Winston-Salem, so we'll upgrade our cover to a straight-up win for our beyond-the-arc parlay.
The winning team has scored 71 points or more in Illinois State's last 10 games and in eight of Wake Forest's last nine. So the Redbirds should clear 33.5 by halftime.
Illinois State vs Wake Forest SGP
- Illinois State moneyline
- Under 149.5
- Illinois State 1H Over 33.5 points
- Illinois State 1H moneyline
Illinois State vs Wake Forest odds
- Spread: Illinois State +7.5 (-110) | Wake Forest -7.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Illinois State +260 | Wake Forest -319
- Over/Under: Over 149.5 (-110) | Under 149.5 (-110)
Illinois State vs Wake Forest betting trend to know
Illinois State has hit the Moneyline in 3 of its last 4 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for Illinois State vs. Wake Forest.
How to watch Illinois State vs Wake Forest
| Location | LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC |
| Date | Sunday, March 22, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 4:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
Illinois State vs Wake Forest key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
