# 1980–81 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

The 1980–81 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by third year head coach Bob Donewald, played their home games at Horton Field House and competed as an independent (not a member of a conference). They finished the season 16–11.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition Season |||||||||
| November 14, 1980* | Team Fiat of England | W 77–71 | | 17 – Tyus | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| November 29, 1980* 2:30 pm | Carthage | W 96–40 | 1–0 | 20 – White | 12 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (3,190) Normal, IL |
| December 1, 1980* 7:30 pm | Mississippi Valley State | W 94–72 | 2–0 | 30 – White | 9 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (4,384) Normal, IL |
| December 4, 1980* 7:30 pm | Bradley | L 70–72 | 2–1 | 17 – Lamb | 8 – Jones | – | Horton Field House (8,216) Normal, IL |
| December 8, 1980* | at Pepperdine | W 84–72 | 3–1 | 18 – White | 15 – Lamb | – | Firestone Fieldhouse (1,483) Malibu, CA |
| December 12, 1980* 7:30 pm | No. 20 Syracuse | L 52–64 | 3–2 | 15 – Lamb | 6 – Cornley | – | Horton Field House (6,086) Normal, IL |
| December 15, 1980* | at Indiana State | L 85–88 $^{2OT}$ | 3–3 | 24 – White | 14 – Lamb | – | Hulman Center (4,975) Terre Haute, IN |
| December 19, 1980* | vs. Clemson Milwaukee Classic [Semifinal] | L 56–67 | 3–4 | 22 – Lamb | 8 – Lamb | – | MECCA Arena (10,034) Milwaukee, WI |
| December 20, 1980* | vs. California State–Bakersfield Milwaukee Classic [Third Place] | L 47–48 | 3–5 | 13 – White | 7 – Jones | – | MECCA Arena (10,599) Milwaukee, WI |
| December 22, 1980* 7:30 pm | Pepperdine | W 74–64 | 4–5 | 18 – Tyus | 9 – Jones | – | Horton Field House (3,591) Normal, IL |
| January 3, 1981* | at Northern Illinois | L 50–62 | 4–6 | 15 – Cornley | 9 – Lamb | – | Chick Evans Field House (4,020) DeKalb, IL |
| January 7, 1981* 7:30 pm | Quincy | W 70–59 | 5–6 | 18 – Jones | 12 – Jones | – | Horton Field House (3,092) Normal, IL |
| January 13, 1981* | at Loyola–Chicago | W 81–73 | 6–6 | 26 – Jones | 13 – Jones | – | Rosemont Horizon (1,623) Rosemont, IL |
| January 17, 1981* 2:30 pm | Western Illinois | W 58–56 | 7–6 | 16 – Tyus | 11 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (4,547) Normal, IL |
| January 19, 1981* | at Valparaiso | W 72–58 | 8–6 | 18 – Jones | 8 – Lamb | – | Hilltop Gym (2,700) Valparaiso, IN |
| January 22, 1981* | at McNeese State | L 59–61 $^{OT}$ | 8–7 | 15 – Jones | 8 – Tyus | – | Sudduth Coliseum (3,000) Lake Charles, LA |
| January 24, 1981* | at Oral Roberts | L 75–80 | 8–8 | 22 – Lamb | 9 – Lamb | – | Mabee Center (4,750) Tulsa, OK |
| January 28, 1981* 7:30 pm | No. 3 DePaul | L 50–54 | 8–9 | 20 – Lamb | 9 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (8,529) Normal, IL |
| January 31, 1981* 2:30 pm | Eastern Illinois | W 72–58 | 9–9 | 21 – Lamb | 5 – Tyus, Cornley | – | Horton Field House (4,402) Normal, IL |
| February 3, 1981* 7:30 pm | Cleveland State | W 74–57 | 10–9 | 21 – Lamb | 10 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (3,552) Normal, IL |
| February 9, 1981* | at Northern Iowa | W 65–63 | 11–9 | 21 – Tyus | 9 – Cornley | – | UNI Dome (2,250) Cedar Falls, IA |
| February 14, 1981* 2:30 pm | Pan American | L 67–69 | 11–10 | 23 – Lamb | 9 – Lamb | – | Horton Field House (4,030) Normal, IL |
| February 16, 1981* 7:30 pm | Valparaiso | W 55–38 | 12–10 | 15 – Jones | 8 – Jones | – | Horton Field House (3,628) Normal, IL |
| February 19, 1981* 7:30 pm | South Alabama | L 44–50 | 12–11 | 12 – Jones | 10 – Jones | – | Horton Field House (4,572) Normal, IL |
| February 21, 1981* | at Detroit | W 66–62 | 13–11 | 23 – Tyus | 11 – Jones | – | Calihan Hall (2,022) Detroit, MI |
| February 23, 1981* | at Cleveland State | W 62–53 | 14–11 | 17 – Lamb | 9 – Smith | – | Woodling Gymnasium (3,355) Cleveland, OH |
| February 28, 1981* 2:30 pm | East Carolina | W 64–41 | 15–11 | 14 – White, Tyus | 6 – Cornley | – | Horton Field House (4,052) Normal, IL |
| March 4, 1981* 7:30 pm | Northern Iowa | W 64–44 | 16–11 | 15 – Jones | 4 – Malaine, Tyus, Cornley | – | Horton Field House (3,930) Normal, IL |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Standard Time. |||||||||