# 1975–76 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

The 1975–76 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by first-year head coach Gene Smithson, played their home games at Horton Field House in Normal, Illinois and competed as an independent (not a member of a conference). They finished the season with a 20–7 record.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 28, 1975* 7:30 pm | Lewis | W 129–72 | 1–0 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 3, 1975* 7:00 pm | at Long Island | W 100–78 | 2-0 | – | – | – | Arnold & Marie Schwartz Athletic Center Brooklyn, NY |
| December 10, 1975* 7:00 pm | at Butler | W 81–75 | 3-0 | – | – | – | Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN |
| December 13, 1975* 7:30 pm | Alabama–Huntsville | W 84–66 | 4–0 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 19, 1975* | vs. Eastern Illinois Bradley Invitiational [Semifinal] | W 80–77 | 5–0 | – | – | – | Robertson Memorial Field House Peoria, IL |
| December 20, 1975* | at Bradley Bradley Invitiational [Final] | W 88–83 | 6–0 | – | – | – | Robertson Memorial Field House Peoria, IL |
| December 23, 1975* 7:30 pm | No. 19 Centenary | L 72–76 | 6–1 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 27, 1975* 7:30 pm | Idaho State | W 87–77 | 7–1 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 30, 1975* 7:35 pm | at Drake | L 73–84 | 7-2 | – | – | – | Veterans Memorial Auditorium Des Moines, IA |
| January 3, 1976* 10:05 pm | at Washington State | L 71–76 | 7-3 | – | – | – | Performing Arts Coliseum Pullman, WA |
| January 5, 1976* 10:00 pm | at Idaho | L 60–61 $^{OT}$ | 7-4 | – | – | – | War Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, ID |
| January 8, 1976* 7:30 pm | Western Illinois | W 92–79 | 8–4 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 10, 1976* 7:30 pm | Oral Roberts | W 75–70 | 9–4 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 13, 1976* 7:30 pm | Northern Iowa | W 102–66 | 10–4 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 21, 1976* 6:30 pm | at Indiana State | W 72–63 | 11–4 | – | – | – | Hulman Civic University Center Terre Haute, IN |
| January 24, 1976* 7:00 pm | at No. 14 Wake Forest | W 81–79 | 12–4 | – | 20 – Wilkins | – | Winston–Salem Memorial Coliseum Winston–Salem, NC |
| January 26, 1976* 7:30 pm | Marshall | W 83–64 | 13–4 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 31, 1976* 7:30 pm | at Oral Roberts | L 75–89 | 13–5 | – | – | – | Mabee Center Tulsa, OK |
| February 2, 1976* 7:30 pm | Florida State | W 82–80 $^{OT}$ | 14–5 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| February 7, 1976* 7:30 pm | Southern Illinois–Edwardsville | W 68–59 | 15–5 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| February 12, 1976* 6:30 pm | at Florida State | L 81–109 | 15–6 | – | – | – | Bobby Tully Gymnasium Tallahassee, FL |
| February 14, 1976* 7:30 pm | at Louisiana Tech | W 76–72 | 16–6 | – | – | – | Memorial Gymnasium Ruston, LA |
| February 16, 1976* 7:30 pm | Central Michigan | W 95–80 | 17–6 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| February 20, 1976* 7:30 pm | Wisconsin–Milwaukee | W 106–82 | 18–6 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| February 23, 1976* 8:30 pm | at Saint Louis | L 71–85 | 18–7 | – | – | – | Kiel Auditorium St. Louis, MO |
| February 28, 1976* 7:30 pm | McNeese State | W 106–80 | 19–7 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| March 1, 1976* 7:30 pm | Akron | W 88–69 | 20–7 | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Standard Time. |||||||||
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