# 2017–18 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

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

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight |
| Taylor Bruninga PF | Glasford, IL | Illini Bluffs High School | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Elijah Clarance PG | Malmö, Sweden | St. Maria Goretti High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 65 ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. ||||||

## 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.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition Season |||||||||
| November 5, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Lewis | W 79–52 | | 25 – Yarbrough | 8 – Yarbrough, Bruninga | 4 – Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (4,066) Normal, IL |
| Non-Conference Regular Season |||||||||
| November 11, 2017* 12:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Florida Gulf Coast | L 87–98 | 0–1 | 28 – Evans | 8 – Yarbrough | 10 – Yarbrough | Alico Arena (4,335) Fort Myers, FL |
| November 16, 2017* 10:30 am, ESPN2 | | vs. South Carolina Puerto Rico Tip–Off [Quarterfinal] | W 69–65 | 1–1 | 18 – Yarbrough | 10 – Fayne | 6 – Yarbrough | HTC Center (700) Conway, SC |
| November 17, 2017* 12:00 pm, ESPN2 | | vs. Boise State Puerto Rico Tip–Off [Semifinal] | L 64–82 | 1–2 | 21 – Evans | 6 – Fayne | 4 – Evans | HTC Center (875) Conway, SC |
| November 19, 2017* 4:00 pm, ESPNU | | vs. Tulsa Puerto Rico Tip–Off [Third Place] | W 84–68 | 2–2 | 29 – Evans | 8 – Yarbrough | 5 – Yarbrough, Evans | HTC Center (2,119) Conway, SC |
| November 22, 2017* 8:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Quincy | W 86–57 | 3–2 | 19 – Fayne | 10 – Tinsley | 6 – Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (3,733) Normal, IL |
| November 25, 2017* 8:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Charleston Southern | L 62–64 $^{OT}$ | 3–3 | 26 – Evans | 13 – Fayne | 2 – Yarbrough, Fayne | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (3,831) Normal, IL |
| November 29, 2017* 9:00 pm, Stadium | | at Nevada Mountain West– Missouri Valley Challenge | L 68–98 | 3–4 | 15 – Fayne | 7 – Tinsley | 4 – Evans | Lawlor Events Center (8,293) Reno, NV |
| December 2, 2017* 3:00 pm, NBCSCH+ | | Tulsa | W 65–58 | 4–4 | 22 – Yarbrough | 8 – Fayne | 5 – Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (5,803) Normal, IL |
| December 6, 2017* 8:00 pm, BYUtv | | at BYU | L 68–80 | 4–5 | 20 – Bruninga | 9 – Yarbrough | 6 – Evans | Marriott Center (12,250) Provo, UT |
| December 9, 2017* 3:00 pm, NBCSCH+ | | Murray State | L 72–78 | 4–6 | 30 – Yarbrough | 7 – Yarbrough | 3 – Yarbrough, Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (5,150) Normal, IL |
| December 16, 2017* 2:30 pm, SECN | | at Ole Miss | W 101–97 $^{OT}$ | 5–6 | 25 – Yarbrough, Evans | 10 – Yarbrough, Fayne | 8 – Yarbrough | The Pavilion at Ole Miss (6,309) Oxford, MS |
| December 19, 2017* 7:00 pm, NBCSCH | | UIC | W 71–70 | 6–6 | 20 – Yarbrough | 10 – Tinsley | 5 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (4,062) Normal, IL |
| Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season |||||||||
| December 23, 2017 1:00 pm, MVC Network (FSIN/FSKC/FSMW/NBCSCH) | | at Evansville | W 72–66 | 7–6 (1–0) | 28 – Yarbrough | 7 – Fayne | 3 – Yarbrough, Hein | Ford Center (4,039) Evansville, IN |
| December 31, 2017 3:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Indiana State | W 84–81 $^{OT}$ | 8–6 (2–0) | 29 – Yarbrough | 11 – Fayne | 4 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (5,824) Normal, IL |
| January 3, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Drake | L 62–87 | 8–7 (2–1) | 13 – Evans | 7 – Nidaye | 7 – Yarbrough | The Knapp Center (3,113) Des Moines, IA |
| January 7, 2018 1:00 pm, CBSSN | | Missouri State | W 72–68 | 9–7 (3–1) | 23 – Yarbrough, Fayne | 6 – Fayne | 4 – Yarbrough, Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (4,344) Normal, IL |
| January 10, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Loyola–Chicago | L 61–68 | 9–8 (3–2) | 14 – Fayne | 4 – Yarbrough, Tinsley | 8 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (4,466) Normal, IL |
| January 13, 2018 5:00 pm, CBSSN | | Southern Illinois | L 70–74 | 9–9 (3–3) | 24 – Fayne | 10 – Fayne | 5 – Yarbrough | SIU Arena (3,227) Carbondale, IL |
| January 17, 2018 6:00 pm, MVC Network | | Bradley I–74 Rivalry | W 70–57 | 10–9 (4–3) | 20 – Yarbrough | 12 – Ndiaye | 3 – Yarbrough, Evans, Hein | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (6,321) Normal, IL |
| January 20, 2018 1:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Indiana State | L 54–84 | 10–10 (4–4) | 13 – Fayne | 9 – Fayne | 2 – Evans | Hulman Center (5,148) Terre Haute, IN |
| January 24, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Northern Iowa | L 72–83 | 10–11 (4–5) | 25 – Evans | 13 – Yarbrough | 5 – Yarbrough | McLeod Center (3,762) Cedar Falls, IA |
| January 27, 2018 9:00 pm, ESPN2 | | Valparaiso | W 76–65 | 11–11 (5–5) | 24 – Fayne | 9 – Fayne | 7 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (5,024) Normal, IL |
| January 30, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Missouri State | W 76–60 | 12–11 (6–5) | 15 – Yarbrough, Evans | 10 – Ndiaye | 6 – Yarbrough | JQH Arena (4,545) Springfield, MO |
| February 3, 2018 3:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Evansville | W 75–71 | 13–11 (7–5) | 13 – Yarbrough, Fayne, Hein | 10 – Fayne | 5 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (6,923) Normal, IL |
| February 8, 2018 8:00 pm, CBSSN | | Southern Illinois | W 76–68 $^{OT}$ | 14–11 (8–5) | 15 – Clarance | 9 – Yarbrough | 5 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (4,948) Normal, IL |
| February 11, 2018 3:00 pm, ESPNU | | at Valparaiso | L 58–74 | 14–12 (8–6) | 13 – Tinsley | 10 – Yarbrough | 5 – Yarbrough | Athletics–Recreation Center (3,330) Valparaiso, IN |
| February 14, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Bradley I-74 Rivalry | L 58–70 | 14–13 (8–7) | 25 – Yarbrough | 8 – Ndiaye | 2 – Yarbrough, Evans, Tinsley, Gassman, Clarance | Carver Arena (7,731) Peoria, IL |
| February 17, 2018 5:00 pm, ESPN2 | | Northern Iowa | W 79–75 | 15–13 (9–7) | 25 – Yarbrough | 6 – Yarbrough | 9 – Yarbrough | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (6,535) Normal, IL |
| February 21, 2018 7:00 pm, MVC Network | | Drake | W 89–81 $^{OT}$ | 16–13 (10–7) | 23 – Evans | 11 – Fayne | 6 – Evans | Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena (5,028) Normal, IL |
| February 24, 2018 1:00 pm, ESPN2 | | at Loyola–Chicago | L 61–68 | 16–14 (10–8) | 21 – Tinsley | 7 – Yarbrough | 6 – Yarbrough | Joseph J. Gentile Arena (4,963) Chicago, IL |
| State Farm Missouri Valley Conference {MVC} Tournament |||||||||
| March 2, 2018* 8:30 pm, MVC Network | (3) | vs. (6) Indiana State Quarterfinal | W 77–70 | 17–14 | 24 – Yarbrough | 10 – Fayne | 5 – Yarbrough | Scottrade Center (7,077) St. Louis, MO |
| March 3, 2018* 5:00 pm, CBSSN | (3) | vs. (2) Southern Illinois Semifinal | W 76–68 $^{OT}$ | 18–14 | 26 – Fayne | 9 – Fayne, Tinsley | 7 – Evans | Scottrade Center (8,415) St. Louis, MO |
| March 4, 2018* 1:00 pm, CBS | (3) | vs. (1) Loyola–Chicago Final | L 49–65 | 18–15 | 12 – Yarbrough, Fayne | 12 – Fayne | 5 – Yarbrough | Scottrade Center (8,056) St. Louis, MO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Standard Time. |||||||||
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