Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball
{{Short description|Collegiate basketball team}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox CBB Team
|name = Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball
|logo = Illinois State Redbirds Wordmark.png
|logo_size = 200
|current = 2024–25 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team
|university = Illinois State University
|conference = Missouri Valley Conference
|location = Normal, Illinois
|record = {{winpct|961|713|record=y}}
|coach = Ryan Pedon
|tenure = 3rd
|arena = CEFCU Arena
|capacity = 10,200
|nickname = Redbirds
|h_pattern_b=_thinsidesonwhite
|h_pattern_s=_blanksides2
|h_body= CE1126
|h_shorts= CE1126
|a_pattern_b=_thinwhitesides
|a_pattern_s=_thinwhitesides
|a_body= CE1126
|a_shorts= CE1126
|NCAAchampion =
|NCAAfinalfour = 1967*
|NCAAeliteeight=1967*, 1969*
|NCAAsweetsixteen=1967*, 1968*, 1969*
|NCAAroundof32 = 1984, 1985, 1998
|NCAAtourneys = 1957*, 1962*, 1967*, 1968*, 1969*, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1997, 1998
* at Division II level
|conference_season = 1930*, 1931*, 1932*, 1935*, 1936*, 1941*, 1942*, 1943*, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2017'''
'* Division II''
|conference_tournament = 1983, 1990, 1997, 1998
}}
The Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represents Illinois State University, located in Normal, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They are currently led by head coach Ryan Pedon and play their home games at CEFCU Arena as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. They have the distinction of earning the most National Invitation Tournament berths (14) without making the semifinals, and also have the longest current NCAA tournament drought (26 seasons) among Missouri Valley Conference members. The Redbirds have appeared in the NCAA tournament six times, most recently in 1998.
Season-by-season records
=NCAA Division I=
{{CBB yearly record start | type = name | conference = | postseason = | poll = both}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Will Robinson
|startyear=1970
|conference=Conference of Midwestern Universities
|endyear=1972
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1970–71
| name = First
| overall = 16–10
| conference = 3–5
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1971–72
| name = Second
| overall = 16–10
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Will Robinson
|startyear=1972
|conference=Independent
|endyear=1975
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1972–73
| name = Third
| overall = 13–12
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1973–74
| name = Fourth
| overall = 17–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1974–75
| name = Fifth
| overall = 16–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Will Robinson
| overall = 78–51 ({{Winning percentage|62|41}})
| confrecord = 9–7 ({{Winning percentage|9|7}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Gene Smithson
|startyear=1975
|conference=Independent
|endyear=1978
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1975–76
| name = First
| overall = 20–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1976–77
| name = Second
| overall = 22–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NIT Quarterfinal
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1977–78
| name = Third
| overall = 24–4
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Gene Smithson
| overall = 66–18 ({{Winning percentage|66|18}})
| confrecord =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Bob Donewald
|startyear=1978
|conference=Independent
|endyear=1981
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1978–79
| name = First
| overall = 20–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1979–80
| name = Second
| overall = 20–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1980–81
| name = Third
| overall = 16–11
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Bob Donewald
|startyear=1981
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=1989
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1981–82
| name = Fourth
| overall = 17–12
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 1982–83
| name = Fifth
| overall = 24–7
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1983–84
| name = Sixth
| overall = 23–8
| conference = 13–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1984–85
| name = Seventh
| overall = 22–8
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1985–86
| name = Eighth
| overall = 15–14
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1986–87
| name = Ninth
| overall = 19–13
| conference = 7–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NIT Quarterfinal
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1987–88
| name = Tenth
| overall = 18–13
| conference = 9–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1988–89
| name = Eleventh
| overall = 13–17
| conference = 6–8
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Bob Donewald
| overall = 207–122 ({{Winning percentage|207|122}})
| confrecord = 77–47 ({{Winning percentage|77|47}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Bob Bender
|startyear=1989
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=1993
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 1989–90
| name = First
| overall = 18–13
| conference = 9–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1990–91
| name = Second
| overall = 5–23
| conference = 4–12
| confstanding = T–8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1991–92
| name = Third
| overall = 18–11
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1992–93
| name = Fourth
| overall = 19–10
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Bob Bender
| overall = 60–57 ({{Winning percentage|60|57}})
| confrecord = 40–26 ({{Winning percentage|40|26}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Kevin Stallings
|startyear=1993
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=1999
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1993–94
| name = First
| overall = 16–11
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1994–95
| name = Second
| overall = 20–13
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1995–96
| name = Third
| overall = 22–12
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NIT Quarterfinal
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 1996–97
| name = Fourth
| overall = 24–6
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 1997–98
| name = Fifth
| overall = 25–6
| conference = 16–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998–99
| name = Sixth
| overall = 16–15
| conference = 7–11
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Kevin Stallings
| overall = 123–63 ({{Winning percentage|123|63}})
| confrecord = 75–33 ({{Winning percentage|75|33}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Tom Richardson
|startyear=1999
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=2003
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999–2000
| name = First
| overall = 10–20
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = T–8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2000–01
| name = Second
| overall = 21–9
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001–02
| name = Third
| overall = 17–14
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002–03
| name = Fourth
| overall = 8–21
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Tom Richardson
| overall = 56–64 ({{Winning percentage|56|64}})
| confrecord = 34–38 ({{Winning percentage|34|38}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Porter Moser
|startyear=2003
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=2007
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2003–04
| name = First
| overall = 10–19
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004–05
| name = Second
| overall = 17–13
| conference = 8–10
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005–06
| name = Third
| overall = 9–19
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = T–9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2006–07
| name = Fourth
| overall = 15–16
| conference = 6–12
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Porter Moser
| overall = 51–67 ({{Winning percentage|51|67}})
| confrecord = 22–50 ({{Winning percentage|22|50}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Tim Jankovich
|startyear=2007
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=2012
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007–08
| name = First
| overall = 25–10
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2008–09
| name = Second
| overall = 24–10
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009–10
| name = Third
| overall = 22–11
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2010–11
| name = Fourth
| overall = 12–19
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = T–9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011–12
| name = Fifth
| overall = 21–14
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Tim Jankovich
| overall = 104–64 ({{Winning percentage|104|64}})
| confrecord = 48–42 ({{Winning percentage|48|42}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Dan Muller
|startyear=2012
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=2022
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2012–13
| name = First
| overall = 18–15
| conference = 8–10
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013–14
| name = Second
| overall = 18–16
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason = CBI Semifinal
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2014–15
| name = Third
| overall = 22–13
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015–16
| name = Fourth
| overall = 18–14
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2016–17
| name = Fifth
| overall = 28–7
| conference = 17–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017–18
| name = Sixth
| overall = 18–15
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018–19
| name = Seventh
| overall = 17–16
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2019–20
| name = Eighth
| overall = 10–21
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020–21
| name = Ninth
| overall = 7–18
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2021–22
| name = Tenth
| overall = 11–15
| conference = 4–9
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Dan Muller
| overall = 167–150 ({{Winning percentage|167|150}})
| confrecord = 89–86 ({{Winning percentage|89|86}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Brian Jones
|startyear=2022
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=2022
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2022
| name = Interim
| overall = 2–5
| conference = 1–4
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Brian Jones
| overall = 2–5 ({{Winning percentage|2|5}})
| confrecord = 1–4 ({{Winning percentage|1|4}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2021–22
| name =
| overall = 13–20
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Ryan Pedon
|startyear=2022
|conference=Missouri Valley Conference
|endyear=present
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2022–23
| name = First
| overall = 11–21
| conference = 6–14
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023–24
| name = Second
| overall = 15–16
| conference = 9–11
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = postseason
| season = 2024–25
| name = Third
| overall = 22–14
| conference = 10–10
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason = CBI Champions
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Ryan Pedon
| overall = 48–52 ({{Winning percentage|48|52}})
| confrecord = 25–35 ({{Winning percentage|25|35}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = 962–713 ({{Winning percentage|962|713}})
| conference = 420–368 ({{Winning percentage|420|368}})
| poll =
| polltype =
| polltype2 =
}}
Postseason
=NCAA Division I=
The Redbirds have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–6.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Illinois State Redbirds|Year|Seed|Round|Opponent|Result}} | ||||
| align="center"
| 1983 | #6 | First Round | #11 Ohio | L 49–51 |
| align="center"
| 1984 | #8 | First Round Second Round | #9 Alabama #1 DePaul | W 49–48 L 61–75 |
| align="center"
| 1985 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 USC #1 Oklahoma | W 58–55 L 69–75 |
| align="center"
| 1990 | #14 | First Round | #3 Michigan | L 70–76 |
| align="center"
| 1997 | #11 | First Round | #6 Iowa State | L 57–69 |
| align="center"
| 1998 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 {{cbb link|year=1997–98|school=University of Tennessee|team=Tennessee Volunteers|title=Tennessee}} vs. #1 Arizona | W 82–81 OT L 49–82 |
=NCAA Division II=
Illinois State made the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament five times and had a combined record of 6–7.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Illinois State Redbirds|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} | |||
| align="center"
|1957 | Round of 32 | Evansville | L 96–108 |
| align="center"
|1962 | Regional Semifinals Region Third Place | Concordia (IL) Kentucky State | L 61–79 L 72–77 |
| align="center"
|1967 | Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Third Place | Parsons Louisiana Tech San Diego State Southwest Missouri State Kentucky Wesleyan | W 72–68 W 89–66 W 77–76 (2OT) L 76–93 L 73–112 |
| align="center"
|1968 | Regional Semifinals Regional Finals | DePauw Indiana State | W 83–81 L 93–98 |
| align="center"
|1969 | Regional Semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | North Park Valparaiso Ashland | W 87–82 W 103–87 L 35–41 |
=NIT results=
The Redbirds have appeared in 14 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 11–14.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Illinois State Redbirds|Year|Bid|Regional|Seed|Round|Opponent|Result}} | ||||||
| align="center"
| 1977 | Regional Round Quarterfinal | at Creighton vs. Houston | W 65–58 L 90–91 | |||
| align="center"
| 1978 | First Round | at Indiana State | L 71–73 | |||
| align="center"
| 1980 | First Round Second Round | West Texas State at Illinois | W 80–63 L 65–75 | |||
| align="center"
| 1987 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Akron at Cleveland State at La Salle | W 79–72 W 79–77 L 50–70 | |||
| align="center"
| 1988 | First Round | at Cleveland State | L 83–89 | |||
| align="center"
| 1995 | First Round Second Round | Utah State Washington State | W 93–87 L 80–83 | |||
| align="center"
| 1996 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Mount St. Mary's at Wisconsin at Tulane | W 73–49 W 77–62 L 72–83 | |||
| align="center"
| 2001 | First Round | at Purdue | L 79–90 | |||
| align="center"
| 2008 | At-large | Ohio State | (2) | First Round Second Round | (7) Utah State (3) Dayton | W 61–57 L 48–55 |
| align="center"
| 2009 | At-large | San Diego State | (5) | First Round | at (4) Kansas State | L 79–83 OT |
| align="center"
| 2010 | At-large | Illinois | (6) | First Round | at (3) Dayton | L 42–63 |
| align="center"
| 2012 | At-large | Arizona | (7) | First Round Second Round | at (2) Ole Miss at (3) Stanford | W 96–93 OT L 88–92 OT |
| align="center"
| 2015 | At-large | Old Dominion | (4) | First Round Second Round | (5) Green Bay at (1) Old Dominion | W 69–56 L 49–50 |
| align="center"
| 2017 | Automatic | Illinois State | (1) | First Round Second Round | (8) UC Irvine (4) UCF | W 85–71 L 62–63 |
=CBI results=
The Redbirds have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) twice. Their combined record is 5–1. They turned down a bid in the 2015–16 season and again in the 2017–18 season. They were the 2025 champion.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Illinois State Redbirds|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} | |||
| align="center"
| 2014 | First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal | Morehead State Texas A&M at Siena | W 77–67 W 62–55 L 49–61 |
| align="center"
| 2025 | First Round Semifinal Final | vs. Presbyterian vs. Incarnate Word vs. Cleveland State | W 78–70 W 78–73 W 79–68 |
Players
=Retired numbers=
{{main|List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers}}
Illinois State has retired only one number in program history, that of first-team All-American and Olympian Doug Collins.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
| colspan=5 style= "{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Illinois State Redbirds|border=0|color=white}}" | Illinois State Redbirds retired numbers | |||
| style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Illinois State Redbirds|border=0|color=white}}" width=40px | No.
! style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Illinois State Redbirds|border=0|color=white}}" width=150px |Player ! style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Illinois State Redbirds|border=0|color=white}}" width= px |Career ! style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Illinois State Redbirds|border=0|color=white}}" width= px |Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Doug Collins | 1970–1973 | [https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/goredbirds.com/documents/2019/10/31/Section_4_Records_Web.pdf All-time number roster] at 2019–20 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball media guide, page 56 |
=Redbirds drafted into the NBA=
| class="wikitable" | |||||
| align="center" style="background:#CC0000; color:#FFFFFF;"
| Draft Year | Player | Position | Round | Overall | NBA Team |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1973 | Doug Collins | SG | 1 | 1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1975 | Robert Hawkins | SF | 3 | 51 | Golden State Warriors |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1977 | Jeff Wilkins | C | 2 | 37 | San Antonio Spurs |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1999 | Rico Hill | SF | 2 | 31 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| align="center" bgcolor="" |
Redbirds in international leagues
- Jackie Carmichael (born 1990)
- Daishon Knight (born 1991)
- Nic Moore (born 1992)
- Zach Lofton (born 1992)
- DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (born 1993)
- Deontae Hawkins (born 1993)
- Nick Banyard (born 1994)
- Kaza Kajami-Keane (born 1994)
- Reggie Lynch (born 1994), for Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Basketball Premier League{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/index.aspx|title=Reggie Lynch, Basketball Player, News, Stats|website=Eurobasket LLC}}
- Paris Lee (born 1995)
- Elijah Clarance (born 1998)
Rivalries
The I-74 Rivalry is the rivalry between Illinois State and Bradley.
Plane crash
On April 7, 2015, while flying home from the NCAA Tournament Final game in Indianapolis, a plane carrying Illinois State assistant coach Torrey Ward and six others crashed just outside Bloomington, Illinois, leaving no survivors.
References
{{Reflist}}