Troy will play for the Women’s NIT championship after a 99-96 come-from-behind victory over Illinois State on Wednesday night in Normal, Ill.

The Trojans trailed 45-42 at halftime and 71-64 after three quarters before outscoring the Redbirds 35-25 in the final period. Troy (24-13) will travel to Buffalo (29-7) for the WNIT championship game on Saturday afternoon.

Briana Peguero led Troy with 28 points, including six 3-pointers. Fortuna Ngnawo added 16 points and a team-best seven rebounds, while Emani Jenkins scored 15 points, Zay Dyer 13, Brianna Jackson 11 and Ashley Baez 10.

Shannon Dowell scored a game-high 37 points for Illinois State (24-13). The Redbirds lost despite making eight of 16 3-pointers and 18 of 20 free throws, but got outrebounded 38-29 by a Troy team that is also tough on the glass

Illinois State led 80-72 with 7:02 to play before Troy scored 10 straight to go up by two with 4:13 remaining. The teams traded the lead back-and-forth for the next two-plus minutes before Baez’s layup and Peguero’s 3-pointer gave the Trojans a four-point cushion at 92-88 with 1:38 left.

Troy — which shot 64% from the field in the fourth quarter — never trailed after that, and made seven of 10 free throws down the stretch to close out the win. After Shaulana Wagner stole the ball away with four seconds left and then made one of two from the stripe, Illinois State’s desperation heave at the buzzer was no good.

Troy now seeks the first postseason tournament championship of any kind in the program’s history. The Trojans also opened the season at Buffalo, losing 80-78 on Nov. 4.

The WNIT championship game tips off at 4 p.m. Saturday, with television coverage on CBS Sports Network.