The 2017–18 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by sixth-year head coach Dan Muller, played their home games at Redbird Arena in Normal, Illinois as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 18–15, 10–8 in conference play, to finish in a tie for the third place. As the number three seed in the MVC tournament, they defeated Missouri State in their quarterfinal game and Southern Illinois in their semifinal game before being beaten by Loyola–Chicago in the final.
Previous season The Redbrids finished the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season 28–7, 17–1 in conference play, to finish in a tie for first place. As the number one seed in the MVC tournament, they defeated Evansville in their quarterfinal game and Southern Illinois in their semifinal game before being beaten by Wichita State in the final.
Although not winning the conference tournament, the Redbirds held the tie-breaker for the regular season title and, as a result, received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament. They were awarded a number one seed where they defeated California–Irvine in their first-round game before losing to Central Florida in their second-round game.
Offseason
Departures Name # Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Comment Javaka Thompson 31 G 6'4" 191 RS Sr Chicago, IL Graduation Paris Lee 1 G 6'0" 185 Sr Maywood, IL Graduation Tony Willis 12 G 6'4" 185 Sr Indianapolis, IN Graduation Deontae Hawkins 23 F 6'8" 220 RS Jr Dayton, OH Graduation;(graduate transfer Boston College) MiKyle McIntosh 11 F 6'7" 234 RS Jr Pickering, ON Graduation;(graduate transfer Oregon) Andre Washington 15 F 6'8" 195 Fr Fort Worth, TX Hill College
Arrivals Transfers Name Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prior School Jerron Martin G 6'0" 175 RS Sr Prince George's County, MD Texas Southern Zach Copeland G 6'4" 175 Jr Oakland, CA City College of San Francisco William Tinsley G 6'6" 195 Jr Colfax, IL Lake Land College Matt Chastain G/F 6'6" 190 RS Fr Le Roy, IL Loyola–Chicago
Recruiting class
Preseason In the conference's preseason poll, the Redbirds were picked to finish in fourth place in the MVC. Junior forward Phil Fayne was named to the preseason All-MVC second team.
Roster
Schedule and results
!colspan=9 style=|Exhibition Season
!colspan=9 style=|Non-Conference Regular Season
!colspan=9 style=|Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season
!colspan=9 style=|State FarmMissouri Valley Conference {MVC} Tournament
Source
References