WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by its final, frantic seconds, Ty Pence and Johnny Kinziger delivered when it mattered most, lifting Illinois State to a 78-75 victory over Wake Forest on Sunday at a sparsely attended Joel Memorial Coliseum.

The nonconference men’s basketball clash, played before a crowd of 1,933, saw the visiting Redbirds erase a late deficit and survive a last-gasp Wake Forest possession to secure a hard-fought road win. The result improved Illinois State to 22-12 on the season, while Wake Forest fell to 18-17.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the final half-minute. With the score tied at 75 and under 30 seconds to play, Wake Forest’s Tre’Von Spillers, who had been a force inside all afternoon, converted a layup off a Juke Harris assist to give the Demon Deacons a 75-73 lead. Illinois State, without a timeout, pushed the ball upcourt. Kinziger, the 5-foot-11 freshman from De Pere, Wisconsin, who played all 40 minutes, took a pass and calmly sank a 3-pointer from the wing with just two seconds remaining, putting the Redbirds ahead 76-75.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Wake Forest’s Isaac Carr attempted a long pass, but it was stolen by Illinois State’s Chase Walker. After a full timeout, Walker was fouled and made both free throws to extend the lead to three. Wake Forest’s desperation heave at the buzzer fell short, sealing the Illinois State victory.

The game was a tale of two halves and two standout individual performances. The teams were deadlocked at 32 at halftime, but the second half became a showcase for Pence and Spillers. Pence, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Saint Joseph, Illinois, scored 23 of his game-high 27 points after the break, displaying a versatile offensive arsenal with drives, jumpers, and three 3-pointers. His scoring burst was the catalyst for Illinois State’s 46-point second-half output.

Spillers, a 6-foot-7 forward from Charleston, South Carolina, was equally dominant for Wake Forest, matching Pence’s intensity with 24 points, including several key baskets in the paint to keep the Demon Deacons in front for much of the closing period. His duel with Pence was the central narrative of the half.

While the stars shone, the supporting casts provided crucial balance. Kinziger’s final line of 19 points and five assists, capped by the game-winning shot, was instrumental. Walker, a 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward from Columbus, Ohio, added 15 points and provided a physical interior presence. For Wake Forest, Harris finished with 20 points and four assists, and Omaha Biliew contributed 11 points and three blocks.

The win defied pregame expectations, as statistical models heavily favored Wake Forest, which had been installed as a 7.5-point favorite. The combined score of 153 points also went under the projected total.

Illinois State’s victory was built on timely execution down the stretch, overcoming a Wake Forest team that had led for nearly 10 minutes of the second half. The Redbirds navigated foul trouble and a hostile, if small, environment to pull out a win in the final moments, a testament to the poise of their backcourt duo of Pence and Kinziger. For Wake Forest, the loss marked another close defeat in a season with several narrow setbacks, their defensive breakdown on the final meaningful possession proving costly.