The 1979–80 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented

Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...

during the

1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 17, 1979, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1980 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship game on Mar ...

. The Redbirds, led by second year head coach

Bob Donewald Bob Donewald, Sr. (born May 29, 1942) is a retired American college basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead Illinois State University to the NCAA post-season national tournament, and he did so for three consecutive seasons. His 1983 t ...

, played their home games at

Horton Field House Horton may refer to: Places Antarctica * Horton Glacier, Adelaide Island, Antarctica * Horton Ledge, Queen Elizabeth Land, Antarctica Australia * Horton, Queensland, a town and locality in the Bundaberg Region * Horton River (Australia), i ...

and competed as an independent (not a member of a conference). They finished the season 20–9. The Redbirds received an invitation to the

1980 National Invitation Tournament The 1980 National Invitation Tournament was the 1980 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. Selected teams Below is a list of the 32 teams selected for the tournament.

. They defeated

West Texas State University West Texas A&M University (WTAMU or WT) is a public university in Canyon, Texas, United States. It is the northernmost campus of the Texas A&M University System and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Associat ...

in the first round and were beaten by the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

in the second round.

Roster

Schedule

, - !colspan=9 style=, Exhibition Season , - !colspan=9 style=, Regular Season , - !colspan=9 style=, National Invitation Tournament

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1979-80 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball seasons

Illinois State Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching ...