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Illinois State Basketball: Redbirds historic season ends without Big Dance appearance

By Brock Zimmermann

Mar 4, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; Illinois State Redbirds center Daouda Ndiaye (4) reaches for a ball going out of bound during the first half of a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis during the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; Illinois State Redbirds center Daouda Ndiaye (4) reaches for a ball going out of bound during the first half of a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis during the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois State basketball concluded its season with a loss to UCF in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.

They opened the game on a 17-3 run but couldn’t withstand a late second half comeback by the UCF Knights.

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A questionable foul call with 1.3 seconds allowed UCF to shoot two free throws to secure the win.

Despite a disappointing early postseason exit, Illinois State had an incredible 2016-17 season. The Redbirds produced a school-record 28 wins, went a perfect 15-0 at home during the regular season, and finished with its best record ever in conference play. ISU went 17-1 in Missouri Valley play and shared the league title with Wichita State.

While the Redbirds had an RPI of 33 at the end of the season, they were passed over on Selection Sunday. Most people weren’t surprised that a mid-major bubble team was left out for a “Power 5” conference team, but it’s still disappointing. They received a No. 1 seed in the NIT instead.

Illinois State produced the program’s third Larry Bird Player of the Year in senior guard Paris Lee. He is the all-time leader in steals for Illinois State and is in the top five for all-time assists.

He was a fan favorite due to his heart, hustle, and flashy style of play. There were four Redbirds on the MVC first and second all-conference teams.

Head coach Dan Muller proved that he can produce some great talent with his players regardless of their experience. The Valley should continue to get better and will be a two-bid league soon.

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They will lose depth with Lee, Deontae Hawkins, and Tony Wills graduating. However, Muller has proven he can shake things up to get the most out of his roster. They will return MiKyle McIntosh and Phil Fayne, two of the most explosive players on the team. ISU won’t produce another record season but 20 wins and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament are within reach.