# 2022–23 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

The 2022–23 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds played their home games at Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena in Normal, Illinois as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Ryan Pedon. They finished the season 11–20, 6–14 in MVC play to finish in ninth place. They lost to Northern Iowa in the opening round of the MVC tournament.

## Previous season

The Redbirds finished the 2021–22 season 13–20, 5–13 in MVC play to finish in eighth place. They defeated Indiana State in the first round of the MVC tournament before losing to Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals.
Head coach Dan Muller was fired by the school after the first 26 games of the season after 10 years as head coach, but the school stated he would finish out the season. A day later, Muller announced he would step down immediately and associate head coach Brian Jones was named interim coach for the remainder of the season. On March 7, 2022, the school named Ohio State assistant coach Ryan Pedon as the team's new head coach.

## Preseason

The Redbirds were picked to finish in 10th place in the conference's preseason poll.

## Roster
### Incoming transfers

| Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Prior school |
| Darius Burford | G | 6'0" | 165 | Junior | Bolingbrook, IL | Elon |
| Malachi Pondexter | G | 6'2" | 190 | Junior | Mineral, VA | Virginia |
| Luke Kasubke | G | 6'5" | 190 | Junior | St. Louis, MO | Kansas State |
| Seneca Knight | G | 6'7" | 210 | Senior | New Orleans, LA | BYU |
| Colton Sandage | G | 6'2" | 190 | Senior | Blommington, IL | Western Illinois |
| Joe Petrakis | F | 6'10" | 224 | GS | Wichita, KS | Western Carolina |

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition Season |||||||||
| October 30, 2022* 2:00 pm | | Wooster | W 84–49 | | 23 – Sandage | 7 – Lewis | 5 – Burford | Redbird Arena (1,010) Normal, IL |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| November 7, 2022* 7:00 pm, Marquee/ESPN+ | | Western Illinois | L 68–71 | 0–1 | 22 – Lewis | 14 – Lewis | 1 – Burford, Knight, Petrakis, Poindexter | Redbird Arena (4,133) Normal, IL |
| November 10, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Eastern Illinois | W 54–49 | 1–1 | 16 – Kasubke | 14 – Lewis | 2 – Burford, Kasubke, Lewis, Petrakis, Sandage | Lantz Arena (1,385) Charleston, IL |
| November 12, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Northwestern State | W 69–67 | 2–1 | 24 – Lewis | 13 – Lewis | 6 – Kasubke | Prather Coliseum (1,295) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 17, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | L 67–70 | 2–2 | 20 – Burford | 7 – Lewis | 5 – Burford | Redbird Arena (3,098) Normal, IL |
| November 21, 2022* 10:00 am, FloHoops | | vs. LSU Cayman Islands Classic Quarterfinal | L 61–77 | 2–3 | 17 – Burford | 7 – Knight | 4 – Knight | John Gray Gymnasium (1,250) George Town, Cayman Islands |
| November 22, 2022* 10:00 am, FloHoops | | vs. Western Kentucky Cayman Islands Classic Consolation Semifinal | L 66–78 | 2–4 | 18 – Knight | 8 – Knight | 3 – Sandage | John Gray Gymnasium (1,200) George Town, Cayman Islands |
| November 23, 2022* 10:00 am, FloHoops | | vs. Rhode Island Cayman Islands Classic Seventh Place | L 44–57 | 2–5 | 14 – Lewis | 7 – Knight, Lewis | 3 – Burford | John Gray Gymnasium (2,400) George Town, Cayman Islands |
| December 1, 2022 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Murray State | L 67–70 $^{OT}$ | 2–6 (0–1) | 20 – Knight | 12 – Knight | 4 – Poindexter | CFSB Center (5,471) Murray, KY |
| December 4, 2022 1:00 pm, MVC TV Network/ESPN+ | | Belmont | W 87–77 | 3–6 (1–1) | 25 – McChesney | 8 – Burford, McChesney | 4 – Kasubke, Lewis, Poindexter | Redbird Arena (3,165) Normal, IL |
| December 7, 2022* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Eastern Michigan | W 87–81 | 4–6 | 28 – Sandage | 10 – Lewis | 5 – Knight | Redbird Arena (3,331) Normal, IL |
| December 10, 2022* 3:00 pm, Marquee/ESPN+ | | SIU Edwardsville Return to Horton | W 77–71 | 5–6 | 20 – Burford | 7 – Knight, Lewis | 3 – Knight | Horton Field House (3,420) Normal, IL |
| December 17, 2022* 2:30 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. Ball State Indy Classic | L 69–83 | 5–7 | 14 – Poindexter | 7 – Lewis | 2 – Burford, Petrakis, Poindexter | Gainbridge Fieldhouse (9,242) Indianapolis, IN |
| December 19, 2022* 7:00pm, ESPN+ | | Chicago State | W 66–52 | 6–7 | 14 – Kasubke | 8 – Knight | 5 – Knight | Redbird Arena (2,964) Normal, IL |
| December 28, 2022 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at UIC | L 51–55 | 6–8 (1–2) | 10 – Burford | 8 – Sissoko | 3 – Burford | Credit Union 1 Arena (2,014) Chicago, IL |
| December 31, 2022 2:00 pm, Marquee/ESPN+ | | Northern Iowa | L 60–66 | 6–9 (1–3) | 22 – McChesney | 8 – Knight | 5 – Poindexter | Redbird Arena (3,208) Normal, IL |
| January 4, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Indiana State | L 67–76 | 6–10 (1–4) | 22 – Burford | 5 – McChesney | 3 – Lewis, Poindexter | Redbird Arena (2,832) Normal, IL |
| January 7, 2023 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Evansville | W 69–61 | 7–10 (2–4) | 18 – Poindexter | 7 – Lewis | 6 – Burford | Ford Center (6,487) Evansville, IN |
| January 11, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Missouri State | W 76–66 $^{OT}$ | 8–10 (3–4) | 22 – Knight | 9 – Knight | 1 – Burford, Kasubke, Knight, Lewis, Poindexter, Sandage | Redbird Arena (3,112) Normal, IL |
| January 14, 2023 3:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Southern Illinois | L 57–69 | 8–11 (3–5) | 13 – McChesney | 5 – Burford, Knight, McChesney | 2 – Kasubke | Banterra Center (5,523) Carbondale, IL |
| January 18, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Northern Iowa | L 63–65 | 8–12 (3–6) | 16 – Knight | 7 – Knight | 2 – Kasubke, Poindexter | McLeod Center (2,935) Cedar Falls, IA |
| January 21, 2023 6:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Valparaiso | L 51–71 | 8–13 (3–7) | 23 – Burford | 7 – Lewis | 3 – Poindexter | Redbird Arena (3,642) Normal, IL |
| January 25, 2023 7:00 pm, MVC TV Network/ESPN+ | | at Bradley I-74 Rivalry | L 75–79 $^{OT}$ | 8–14 (3–8) | 19 – Knight | 12 – Lewis | 3 – Burford, Kasubke | Carver Arena (6,046) Peoria, IL |
| January 29, 2023 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Southern Illinois | W 72–66 | 9–14 (4–8) | 24 – Knight | 10 – Lewis | 4 – Kasubke, Kotov | Redbird Arena (4,377) Normal, IL |
| February 1, 2023 7:00 pm, Marquee/ESPN+ | | UIC | W 68–62 $^{OT}$ | 10–14 (5–8) | 18 – Burford | 11 – Lewis | 5 – Poindexter | Redbird Arena (3,409) Normal, IL |
| February 4, 2023 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Belmont | L 75–90 | 10–15 (5–9) | 15 – Burford | 5 – Lewis | 5 – Burford | Curb Event Center (2,410) Nashville, TN |
| February 8, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Bradley I-74 Rivalry | L 61–79 | 10–16 (5–10) | 15 – Poindexter | 8 – Lewis | 5 – Burford | Redbird Arena (5,374) Normal, IL |
| February 11, 2023 6:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Valparaiso | L 76–81 | 10–17 (5–11) | 20 – Knight | 6 – Lewis | 5 – Burford | Athletics–Recreation Center (2,102) Valparaiso, IN |
| February 15, 2023 7:00 pm, Marquee/ESPN+ | | Murray State | L 75–76 | 10–18 (5–12) | 22 – Knight | 9 – Lewis | 6 – Burford | Redbird Arena (3,161) Normal, IL |
| February 18, 2023 1:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Indiana State | L 64–80 | 10–19 (5–13) | 23 – Burford | 12 – Lewis | 2 – Burford | Hulman Center (5,862) Terre Haute, IN |
| February 22, 2023 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Drake | L 51–82 | 10–20 (5–14) | 16 – Burford | 11 – Knight | 3 – Knight | The Knapp Center (3,818) Des Moines, IA |
| February 26, 2023 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Evansville | W 72–53 | 11–20 (6–14) | 26 – Knight | 11 – Lewis | 4 – Knight | Redbird Arena (3,415) Normal, IL |
| Confrence Tournament |||||||||
| March 2, 2023 12:00 pm, MVC TV Network/ESPN+ | (9) | vs. (8) Northern Iowa Arch Madness Opening Round | L 62–75 | 11–21 | 19 – Knight | 10 – Lewis | 6 – Poindexter | Enterprise Center (3,161) St. Louis, MO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time. |||||||||
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