1979–80 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

For the 1979-80 season, head coach Lou Henson returned everyone from a team that finished with 19 wins. The team gave the head coach his first of 11, 20-win seasons at Illinois. That year, Illinois made its first postseason appearance since 1963, finishing third in the NIT. During the course of the season, the Illini would defeat eventual NCAA Tournament Champion, Louisville

{{CBB roster/Header|year=1979|team=Illinois Fighting Illini|teamcolors=y|high_school=yes}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Reno|last=Gray|num=10|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=170|class=SR|rs=y|home=Chicago, Illinois|high_school=Hales Franciscan High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Kevin|last=Westervelt|num=12|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=165|class=SR|rs=|home=Peoria, Illinois|high_school=Richwoods High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=James|last=Griffin|num=13|pos=C|ft=6|in=10|lbs=200|class=SO|rs=|home=Grandview, Texas|high_school=Dunbar High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Kevin|last=Bontemps|num=20|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=175|class=FR|rs=|home=Morton, Illinois|high_school=Morton High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Quinn|last=Richardson|num=21|pos=G|ft=5|in=11|lbs=175|class=FR|rs=|home=Robbins, Illinois|high_school=Eisenhower High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Perry|last=Range|num=22|pos=G|ft=6|in=4|lbs=180|class=SO|rs=|home=South Beloit, Illinois|high_school=South Beloit High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Rob|last=Judson|num=30|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=175|class=SR|rs=|home=Zion, Illinois|high_school=Zion-Benton High School|link=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Neil|last=Bresnahan|num=31|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=200|class=SR|rs=|home=Oak Park, Illinois|high_school=Fenwick High School|link=n|note=C}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Levi|last=Cobb|num=32|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=205|class=SR|rs=|home=Chicago, Illinois|high_school=Morgan Park High School|link=n|note=C}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Eddie|last=Johnson|num=33|pos=F|ft=6|in=8|lbs=210|class=JR|rs=|home=Chicago, Illinois|high_school=Westinghouse High School|link=y|alt=Eddie A. Johnson (basketball, born 1959)}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Mark|last=Smith|num=42|pos=F|ft=6|in=7|lbs=195|class=Jr|rs=|home=Peoria, Illinois|high_school=Richwoods High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bryan|last=Leonard|num=43|pos=F|ft=6|in=10|lbs=210|class=SO|rs=|home=Belleville, Illinois|high_school=Belleville High School-East|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Derek|last=Holcomb|num=44|pos=C|ft=6|in=11|lbs=230|class=JR|rs=|home=Peoria, Illinois|high_school=Richwoods High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Footer

|head_coach=

• Lou Henson (New Mexico State University) (5th year)

|asst_coach=

• Tony Yates (University of Cincinnati) (6th year)
• Dick Nagy (Hardin-Simmons University) (1st year)
• Larry Lubin (University of Illinois) (1st year)

|roster_url=https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1979-80

|accessdate=

}}

{{refbegin}}

Source[http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1979.html University of Illinois Fighting Illini Statistics Summary for 1979-80] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227000634/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1979.html |date=2013-02-27 }}, FightingIllini.com

{{refend}}

{{CBB schedule start|attend=yes|rank=yes|tv=no|gamehighs=no|time=no}}

|-

!colspan=12 style="background:#DF4E38; color:white;"| Non-Conference regular season

{{CBB schedule entry | date =11/30/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes|away=yes

| opponent = BYU

|opprank=15

| site_stadium = Marriott Center

| site_cityst = Provo, UT

| gamename =

| score = 86-76

| overtime =

| attend = 23,042

| record = 1-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/4/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = Missouri

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Show-Me Classic

| score = 66-67

| overtime = OT

| attend = 14,004

| record = 1-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/6/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Kent State Golden Flashes|title=Kent State}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 74-65

| overtime =

| attend = 13,090

| record = 2-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/8/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Long Beach State 49ers|title=Long Beach State}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 77-60

| overtime =

| attend = 14,075

| record = 3-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/10/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes |away=yes

| opponent = TCU

| site_stadium = Daniel–Meyer Coliseum

| site_cityst = Fort Worth, TX

| gamename =

| score = 79-64

| overtime =

| attend = 4,110

| record = 4-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/11/1979

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=UMSL Tritons|title=Missouri-St. Louis}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 91-65

| overtime =

| attend = 13,021

| record = 5-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/14/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Kentucky State University|title=Kentucky State}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Illini Classic | score = 94-65 | overtime = | attend = 14,363| record = 6-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/15/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = Illinois State

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Illini Classic | score = 47-40 | overtime = | attend = 16,257| record = 7-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/22/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = Marquette

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 78-80 | overtime = | attend = 12,618| record = 7-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/28/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Army Black Knights|title=Army}}

|neutral=yes

| site_stadium = Neal S. Blaisdell Center

| site_cityst = Honolulu, HI

| gamename = Rainbow Classic | score = 75-48 | overtime = | attend = - | record = 8-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/29/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = Louisville |opprank=12| site_stadium = Neal S. Blaisdell Center|neutral=yes

| site_cityst = Honolulu, HI | gamename = Rainbow Classic | score = 77-64 | overtime = | attend = - | record = 9-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 12/30/1979 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|title=Hawaii}}

|away=yes

| site_stadium = Neal S. Blaisdell Center

| site_cityst = Honolulu, HI

| gamename = Rainbow Classic | score = 94-82 | overtime = | attend = - | record = 10-2}}

|-

!colspan=9 style="background:#DF4E38; color:#FFFFFF;"|Big Ten regular season

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/3/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = 20 |nonconf = no | opponent = Iowa |opprank=10

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry | score = 71-72 | overtime = | attend = 10,839| record = 10-3 |conference=0-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/5/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = 20 |nonconf = no | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Northwestern Wildcats|title=Northwestern}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =Rivalry | score = 81-71 | overtime = | attend = 9,174| record = 11-3 |conference=1-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/10/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Purdue |opprank=10

| site_stadium = Mackey Arena

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 66-74 | overtime = | attend = 12,982| record = 11-4 |conference=1-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/12/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Minnesota

| site_stadium = Williams Arena

| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 75-79 | overtime = | attend = 15,381| record = 11-5 |conference=1-3}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/17/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Michigan

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 80-69 | overtime = | attend = 14,746| record = 12-5 |conference=2-3}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/19/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Wisconsin Field House

| site_cityst = Madison, WI|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 69-64 | overtime = | attend = 10,386| record = 13-5 |conference=3-3}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/24/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Ohio State |opprank=4

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 76-79 | overtime = | attend = 16,383| record = 13-6 |conference=3-4}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/26/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Michigan State

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 74-65 | overtime = | attend = 16,490| record = 14-6 |conference=4-4}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 1/31/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Indiana |opprank=18

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN|away=yes

| gamename = Rivalry | score = 54-60 | overtime = | attend = 16,723| record = 14-7 |conference=4-5}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/2/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Michigan State

| site_stadium = Jenison Fieldhouse

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 59-68 | overtime = | attend = 10,004| record = 14-8 |conference=4-6}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/7/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 67-50 | overtime = | attend = 13,873| record = 15-8 |conference=5-6}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/9/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Indiana |opprank=20

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry | score = 89-68 | overtime = | attend = 16,614| record = 16-8 |conference=6-6}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/14/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Michigan

| site_stadium = Crisler Center

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 76-78 | overtime = | attend = 9,738| record = 16-9 |conference=6-7}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/16/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Ohio State|opprank=9

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, OH|away=yes

| gamename = | score = 57-71 | overtime = | attend = 13,591| record = 16-10 |conference=6-8}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/21/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Minnesota

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 60-58 | overtime = OT | attend = 14,592| record = 17-10 |conference=7-8}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/23/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Purdue|opprank=15

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = | score = 69-72 | overtime = | attend = 16,647| record = 17-11 |conference=7-9}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 2/28/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = McGaw Memorial Hall

| site_cityst = Evanston, IL|away=yes

| gamename = Rivalry| score = 90-66 | overtime = | attend = 5,426| record = 18-11 |conference=8-9}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 3/1/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = no | opponent = Iowa

| site_stadium = Iowa Field House

| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA|away=yes

| gamename = Rivalry | score = 71-75 | overtime = | attend = 13,365| record = 18-12 |conference=8-10}}

|-

!colspan=9 style="text-align: center; background:#DF4E38"|National Invitation Tournament

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 3/5/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank =

|nonconf = yes | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Loyola Ramblers|title=Loyola Chicago}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =NIT First round | score = 105-87 | overtime = | attend = 13,326| record = 19-12}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/10/1980

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = Illinois State

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = NIT Second round

| score = 75-65 | overtime = | attend = 16,193| record = 20-12}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 3/13/1980

| time = no

| tv = no

| rank =

| nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=Murray State Racers|title=Murray State}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = NIT Quarterfinals

| score = 65-63

| overtime =

| attend = 15,070

| record = 21-12}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/17/1980

|time = no

|tv = no

| rank =

|nonconf = yes | opponent = Minnesota|neutral=yes

| site_stadium = Madison Square Garden

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = NIT Semifinals | score = 63-65 | overtime = | attend = 11,223| record = 21-13}}

{{CBB schedule entry | date = 3/19/1980 |time = no |tv = no |rank = |nonconf = yes | opponent = {{cbb link|1979|team=UNLV Runnin' Rebels|title=UNLV}}

|neutral=yes

| site_stadium = Madison Square Garden

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = NIT Third-place game | score = 84-74 | overtime = | attend = -| record = 22-13}}

|-

{{CBB schedule end||timezone=Central Time}}

• Eddie Johnson
• Fighting Illini All-Century team (2005)
• Team Most Valuable Player{{Cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf |title=List of MVPs |access-date=2013-01-15 |archive-date=2014-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030004049/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf |url-status=dead }}

{{main|1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1979-80 Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Team}}

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Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball seasons

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