Illinois State basketball fans found out Sunday night both of their team’s seasons are not over yet.
The ISU men are set to make their first trip to the NIT since 2017, while the Redbird women are returning to the WNIT, where they were a semifinalist last year.
ISU will host Kent State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at CEFCU Arena.
The Redbirds, 20-12, secured a four-seed in the Winston-Salem Region of the 32-team field. The winner will play the winner of Navy vs. top-seeded Wake Forest.
ISU, named preseason favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference this season under four-year coach Ryan Pedon, secured the third seed in the conference tournament last weekend, but dropped its quarterfinal matchup to Northern Iowa.
The Redbirds joined Bradley, Illinois-State and Murray State to set a Valley record with four NIT bids in one season.
The Redbirds made a long postseason run last season, winning the College Basketball Invitational [CBI], which announced two days ago it was canceling this year's tournament.
ISU athletics has announced tickets are on sale now.
WNIT
The Illinois State women have secured an opening round bye in the 48-team field.
The Redbirds' second round game will be between March 22-24 against the winner of a first round matchup between Austin Peay and Texas-Rio Grande Valley. The first round game will be played at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The Redbirds, 20-13, came up short in overtime to Evansville in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament in Coralville, Iowa on Saturday.
