- Matchup: Illinois State Redbirds vs Dayton Flyers
- Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
- Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, OH
- Broadcast: ESPN2
- Betting Odds/Point Spread: Illinois State (+5)
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The NIT Quarterfinals will feature the Illinois State Redbirds (21-12) challenging the Dayton Flyers (25-11) at UD Arena on Wednesday. As the home team, Dayton is favored by 5 points, with an over/under set at 138.
In their last outing, the Illinois State Redbirds secured a victory over Wake Forest, finishing 78-75. They achieved a field goal percentage of 41.0%, making 25 out of 61 shots, and converted 10 of their 33 three-point attempts. At the free-throw line, the Redbirds excelled, hitting 18 of 21 shots for an impressive 85.7%. On the boards, they collected a total of 30 rebounds, including 9 offensive boards, and recorded 12 assists. Defensively, they forced 10 turnovers and earned 6 steals. However, Illinois State allowed Wake Forest to shoot 50.0% from the floor, with the opponents scoring 28 of 56 attempts. Wake Forest also had 32 rebounds—7 offensive and 25 defensive—while registering 14 of 21 from the charity stripe, good for 66.7%. Both teams recorded personal fouls, with Illinois State committing 18 and Wake Forest 15.
Ty Pence was a standout performer in this game, finishing with 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting in 27 minutes of action, along with 4 rebounds and 1 assist.
Illinois State heads into this matchup with a commendable 21-12 record this season. They average 11.1 turnovers per game while committing 16.7 personal fouls. The team grabs an average of 35.9 rebounds and has dished out 453 assists, ranking 178th in Division I basketball. They are hitting 35.3% from beyond the arc (288 of 816) and are at 70.1% from the free-throw line. Offensively, they average 75.2 points per game, placing them 191st nationally, with an overall shooting percentage of 46.5%.
Defensively, the Redbirds force opponents into 11.0 turnovers per game while drawing 17.3 fouls. They rank 130th in surrendering assists, with 418 allowed this season. The team concedes a field goal percentage of 43.3% (811 of 1,874) and allows 32.6 rebounds per game. They limit opponents to 32.5% from three-point land and are 40th in points per game allowed, at 68.1.
In their most recent game, the Dayton Flyers emerged victorious, defeating UNC Wilmington 80-61. They allowed 26 rebounds to UNC Wilmington, with 9 coming from the offensive side. Dayton shot 14.3% from three-point territory, making only 3 of 21 attempts, and struggled at the free-throw line, hitting 10 of 16 for 62.5%. Defensively, they limited UNC Wilmington to 42.1% shooting from the floor, with the Flyers themselves shooting 51.8% (29 of 56). From beyond the arc, Dayton hit 9 of their 25 attempts for a 36% success rate. They also made 13 of 16 free throws for an 81.3% success rate. UNC Wilmington committed 17 personal fouls, sending the Flyers to the line 16 times. The Flyers recorded 25 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds for a total of 33.
De’Shayne Montgomery was a key contributor for Dayton, scoring 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting, alongside 2 rebounds and 2 assists during his 33 minutes on the court.
This season, the Dayton Flyers have a record of 25-11. They average 16.6 personal fouls per game and convert 75.4% of their free throws. The team assists 14.3 times per game, ranking 145th in the nation, while committing 11.7 turnovers. They have scored a total of 2,688 points this season (74.7 per game) and average 32.8 rebounds per game. Offensively, Dayton is converting 45.0% of their field goal attempts, ranking 192nd in college basketball.
On the defensive front, Dayton allows opponents to shoot 35.4% from three-point range (286 of 809) and 70.6% from the free-throw line. They give up 12.1 assists and 33.6 rebounds per game, ranking 75th and 126th in those categories, respectively. Dayton currently ranks 64th nationally in points per game allowed, with 69.5. They force an average of 14.3 turnovers and allow teams to shoot 43.6% from the field, ranking 142nd in Division I.
Who will come out on top in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Illinois State (+5)
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