1977–78 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team American college basketball season
The 1977–78 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by third year head coach Gene Smithson, played their home games at Horton Field House and competed as an independent (not a member of a conference). They finished the season 24–4.
The Redbirds received an invitation to the 1978 National Invitation Tournament. They were beaten by Indiana State University in the first round.
Roster
1977–78 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team
|
Players |
Coaches
|
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Height |
Weight |
Year |
Hometown
|
F
|
10
|
Billy Lewis
|
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
195 lb (88 kg)
|
Sr
|
Chicago, IL
|
G
|
31
|
Rick Ferina
|
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
180 lb (82 kg)
|
Jr
|
Niles, IL
|
G
|
21
|
Derrick Mayes
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
170 lb (77 kg)
|
Jr
|
Elgin, IL
|
C
|
32
|
Joe Galvin
|
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
218 lb (99 kg)
|
So
|
Bloomington, IL
|
G
|
13
|
Ron Jones
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
175 lb (79 kg)
|
So
|
Venice, IL
|
F
|
35
|
Larry Lowe
|
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
190 lb (86 kg)
|
So
|
Glenwood, IL
|
F
|
42
|
Robert McCoy
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
195 lb (88 kg)
|
So
|
Chicago Heights, IL
|
F
|
45
|
Del Yarbrough
|
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
220 lb (100 kg)
|
So
|
North Chicago, IL
|
C
|
52
|
Roy Herold
|
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
205 lb (93 kg)
|
Fr
|
Helsinki, Finland
|
F
|
55
|
Anthony Jones (W)
|
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
186 lb (84 kg)
|
Fr
|
Chicago, IL
|
G
|
23
|
Dave Nussbaumer (W)
|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
172 lb (78 kg)
|
Fr
|
McLean, VA
|
G
|
44
|
Randy Smithson
|
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
180 lb (82 kg)
|
Fr
|
Normal, IL
|
F
|
24
|
McKay Smith
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
165 lb (75 kg)
|
Fr
|
Springfield, IL
|
|
- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- (W) Walk-on
| [1]
Schedule
Date time, TV
|
Rank#
|
Opponent#
|
Result
|
Record
|
High points
|
High rebounds
|
High assists
|
Site (attendance) city, state
|
Regular Season
|
November 26, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
at Saint Louis
|
W 90–83
|
1–0
|
22 – Lewis |
9 – Lewis, Galvin |
–
|
Kiel Auditorium (5,117) St. Louis, MO
|
November 29, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
Valparaiso
|
W 98–81
|
2–0
|
19 – Lewis |
9 – Galvin |
–
|
Horton Field House (5,700) Normal, IL
|
December 2, 1977* 8:00 pm
|
|
vs. Colgate Charlotte Invitational [Semifinal]
|
W 94–62
|
3–0
|
21 – Galvin |
12 – Galvin |
–
|
Charlotte Coliseum (I) (2,107) Charlotte, NC
|
December 3, 1977* 8:00 pm
|
|
vs. Delaware Charlotte Invitational [Final]
|
W 89–70
|
4–0
|
21 – Lewis |
13 – Lewis |
–
|
Charlotte Coliseum (I) (400) Charlotte, NC
|
December 5, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
California State–Northridge
|
W 72–59
|
5–0
|
24 – Lewis |
11 – Galvin |
–
|
Horton Field House (3,800) Normal, IL
|
December 7, 1977* 7:35 pm
|
|
at Southern Illinois
|
W 51–48
|
6–0
|
16 – Lewis |
8 – Lewis |
–
|
SIU Arena (6,320) Carbondale, IL
|
December 10, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
Akron
|
W 86–70
|
7–0
|
33 – Lewis |
11 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (6,000) Normal, IL
|
December 17, 1977* 3:00 pm
|
|
New Orleans
|
W 93–86 OT
|
8–0
|
30 – Lewis |
12 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (5,400) Normal, IL
|
December 19, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
Central Michigan
|
W 90–78
|
9–0
|
20 – Lewis |
12 – Galvin |
–
|
Horton Field House (5,000) Normal, IL
|
December 26, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
Kent State
|
W 79–71
|
10–0
|
21 – Galvin |
15 – Galvin |
–
|
Horton Field House (5,000) Normal, IL
|
December 30, 1977* 7:30 pm
|
|
Long Island
|
W 93–68
|
11–0
|
27 – Lewis |
13 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (5,500) Normal, IL
|
January 2, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
|
at Bradley
|
W 84–83
|
12–0
|
24 – Mayes |
8 – Lewis, Yarbrough |
–
|
Robertson Memorial Field House (7,300) Peoria, IL
|
January 5, 1978* 10:05 pm
|
|
at California–Santa Barbara
|
L 69–84
|
12–1
|
22 – Jones |
6 – Lewis, Yarbrough |
–
|
Robertson Gymnasium (2,100) Santa Barbara, CA
|
January 7, 1978* 9:30 pm
|
|
at California State–Fullerton
|
W 88–85
|
13–1
|
21 – Jones |
7 – Jones |
–
|
Titan Gym (3,390) Fullerton, CA
|
January 11, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
|
Northern Illinois
|
W 79–67
|
14–1
|
19 – Jones |
16 – Yarbrough |
–
|
Horton Field House (8,000) Normal, IL
|
January 13, 1978* 10:15 pm
|
|
at No. 11 Nevada–Las Vegas
|
L 92–94
|
14–2
|
34 – Jones |
10 – Jones |
–
|
Las Vegas Convention Center (6,352) Winchester, NV
|
January 15, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
|
Quincy
|
W 86–76
|
15–2
|
27 – Lewis |
14 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (3,000) Normal, IL
|
January 18, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
|
Evansville
|
canceled as result of Air Indiana Flight 216 crash on December 13, 1977
|
Horton Field House Normal, IL
|
January 21, 1978* 2:00 pm
|
|
No. 4 Indiana State
|
W 81–76
|
16–2
|
25 – Lewis |
12 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (8,000) Normal, IL
|
January 25, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 20
|
Northern Michigan
|
W 75–58
|
17–2
|
34 – Lewis |
8 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (4,000) Normal, IL
|
January 28, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 20
|
Southern Illinois–Edwardsville
|
W 80–73
|
18–2
|
19 – Lewis |
12 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (6,800) Normal, IL
|
February 6, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 19
|
Oral Roberts
|
W 84–71
|
19–2
|
19 – Galvin |
10 – Galvin, Yarbrough |
–
|
Horton Field House (7,500) Normal, IL
|
February 8, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 15
|
at Western Illinois
|
W 97–79
|
20–2
|
29 – Lewis |
11 – Lewis, Jones |
–
|
Western Hall (4,095) Macomb, IL
|
February 15, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 15
|
at Northern Illinois
|
W 79–67
|
21–2
|
18 – Lewis |
13 – Lewis |
–
|
Chick Evans Field House (5,820) DeKalb, IL
|
February 18, 1978* 2:00 pm
|
No. 15
|
Athletes In Action Exhibition
|
L 97–100 OT
|
|
– |
– |
–
|
Horton Field House Normal, IL
|
February 20, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 15
|
McNeese State
|
W 87–68
|
22–2
|
23 – Lewis |
9 – Lewis |
–
|
Horton Field House (6,000) Normal, IL
|
February 25, 1978* 8:00 pm
|
No. 15
|
at Centenary
|
W 90–77
|
23–2
|
27 – Lewis |
13 – Galvin |
–
|
Gold Dome (2,018) Shreveport, LA
|
February 28, 1978* 7:30 pm
|
No. 13
|
at Northern Iowa
|
W 82–76
|
24–2
|
25 – Lewis, Jones |
9 – Jones |
–
|
UNI Dome (4,700) Cedar Falls, IA
|
March 4, 1978* 8:00 pm
|
No. 13
|
at No. 4 DePaul
|
L 84–96
|
24–3
|
22 – Yarbrough |
11 – Yarbrough |
–
|
Alumni Hall (5,717) Chicago, IL
|
National Invitation {NIT} Tournament
|
March 10, 1978* 6:30 pm
|
No. 17
|
at Indiana State First Round
|
L 71–73
|
24–4
|
18 – Lewis |
6 – Lewis, Galvin |
9 – Mayes
|
Hulman Civic University Center (10,150) Terre Haute, IN
|
|
[2]
[3]
References
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