1978–79 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

The 1978–79 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by first 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 20–10.

1978–79 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball
Conference	Independent
Record	20–10
Head coach	Bob Donewald (1st season)
Assistant coaches	Jim Platt Sam Skarich Terry Smith
Home arena	Horton Field House
Seasons ← 1977–78 1979–80 →

1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
No. 8 Syracuse		–			–			26	–	4		.867
Georgetown		–			–			24	–	5		.828
No. 6 DePaul		–			–			26	–	6		.813
No. 4 Notre Dame		–			–			24	–	6		.800
VCU		–			–			20	–	5		.800
Iona		–			–			23	–	6		.793
Detroit		–			–			22	–	6		.786
Tennessee State		–			–			20	–	6		.769
Old Dominion		–			–			23	–	7		.767
No. 10 Marquette		–			–			22	–	7		.759
Wagner		–			–			21	–	7		.750
Connecticut		–			–			21	–	8		.724
UNLV		–			–			21	–	8		.724
UNC Wilmington		–			–			19	–	8		.704
Boston College		–			–			21	–	9		.700
James Madison		–			–			18	–	8		.692
Rhode Island		–			–			20	–	9		.690
George Mason		–			–			17	–	8		.680
St. Bonaventure		–			–			19	–	9		.679
Illinois State		–			–			20	–	10		.667
St. John's		–			–			21	–	11		.656
Dayton		–			–			19	–	10		.655
Boston University		–			–			17	–	9		.654
Fairfield		–			–			17	–	9		.654
Georgia Tech		–			–			17	–	9		.654
Oral Roberts		–			–			17	–	10		.630
Holy Cross		–			–			17	–	11		.607
Seton Hall		–			–			16	–	11		.593
Cleveland State		–			–			15	–	10		.600
Maine		–			–			14	–	10		.583
Army		–			–			14	–	11		.560
Denver		–			–			15	–	12		.556
South Carolina		–			–			15	–	12		.556
Stetson		–			–			15	–	12		.556
Siena		–			–			14	–	12		.538
St. Francis (NY)		–			–			14	–	12		.538
Navy		–			–			13	–	12		.520
Xavier		–			–			14	–	13		.519
Northeastern		–			–			13	–	13		.500
Saint Francis (PA)		–			–			13	–	13		.500
Robert Morris		–			–			13	–	14		.481
Southern Miss		–			–			13	–	14		.481
Air Force		–			–			12	–	13		.480
Long Island University		–			–			12	–	13		.480
Canisius		–			–			12	–	14		.462
Colgate		–			–			12	–	14		.462
Evansville		–			–			13	–	16		.448
East Carolina		–			–			12	–	15		.444
Loyola-Chicago		–			–			12	–	15		.444
Butler		–			–			11	–	16		.407
North Texas State		–			–			11	–	16		.407
Saint Peter's		–			–			10	–	15		.400
Campbell		–			–			10	–	16		.385
New Hampshire		–			–			10	–	16		.385
Providence		–			–			10	–	16		.385
Richmond		–			–			10	–	16		.385
Hawaii		–			–			10	–	17		.370
William & Mary		–			–			9	–	17		.346
Georgia Southern		–			–			9	–	18		.333
Fairleigh Dickinson		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Wisconsin-Milwaukee		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Vermont		–			–			8	–	18		.308
Northwestern State		–			–			7	–	19		.269
Fordham		–			–			7	–	22		.241
Catholic		–			–			6	–	20		.231
Arkansas-Little Rock		–			–			6	–	20		.231
Manhattan		–			–			6	–	20		.231
Niagara		–			–			6	–	20		.231
Portland State		–			–			6	–	21		.222
Baltimore		–			–			4	–	20		.167
Valparaiso		–			–			4	–	21		.160
Baptist		–			–			2	–	25		.074
Rankings from AP Poll

Roster

1978–79 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown F 31 Rick Ferina 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Sr Niles, IL G 21 Derrick Mayes 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sr Elgin, IL C 32 Joe Galvin 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Jr Bloomington, IL G 13 Ron Jones 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 176 lb (80 kg) Jr Venice, IL F 11 Del Yarbrough 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jr North Chicago, IL C 35 Roy Herold 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 212 lb (96 kg) So Helsinki, Finland F 25 Anthony Jones 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Chicago, IL G 15 Dave Nussbaumer 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Deerfield, IL F 24 McKay Smith 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Springfield, IL G 42 George Carter 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Middletown, OH F 33 Joe Richardson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Indianapolis, IN G 23 Dale White 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Covington, IN	Head coach Bob Donewald (Hanover) Assistant coach(es) Jim Platt (Concordia–Chicago) Sam Skarich (Notre Dame) Terry Smith (Marian (IN)) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: February 1, 2021

Schedule

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition Season
November 17, 1978* 7:30 pm		National Team of Poland Exhibition	W 96–69		27 – Galvin	14 – Galvin	–	Horton Field House (5,500) Normal, IL
Regular Season
December 4, 1978* 6:30 pm		at Indiana State	L 76–78	0–1	32 – R.Jones	14 – Galvin	–	Hulman Center (10,189) Terre Haute, IN
December 6, 1978* 7:30 pm		Southern Illinois	W 89–86	1–1	21 – Mayes	10 – Galvin, Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (7,400) Normal, IL
December 9, 1978* 2:00 pm		Saint Louis	W 73–63	2–1	27 – Mayes	10 – Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (6,000) Normal, IL
December 11, 1978* 6:30 pm		at Central Michigan	L 63–66	2–2	23 – R.Jones	7 – Yarbrough	–	Daniel P. Rose Center (3,523) Mount Pleasant, MI
December 14, 1978* 7:30 pm		California State Polytechnic–Pomona	W 92–64	3–2	20 – R.Jones	9 – Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (3,000) Normal, IL
December 18, 1978* 7:30 pm		at Western Kentucky	W 75–74 OT	4–2	25 – Mayes	13 – Galvin	–	E. A. Diddle Arena (6,200) Bowling Green, KY
December 22, 1978*		Northern Illinois Illinois State Holiday Festival [Semifinal]	W 71–60	5–2	28 – Yarbrough	20 – Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (3,500) Normal, IL
December 23, 1978*		Mississippi Illinois State Holiday Festival [Final]	W 76–72	6–2	29 – R.Jones	7 – Galvin, Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (2,800) Normal, IL
December 29, 1978* 7:00 pm		at No. 19 Syracuse	L 72–82	6–3	24 – Galvin	4 – Mayes	–	Manley Field House (9,221) Syracuse, NY
January 3, 1979* 7:30 pm		Bradley	W 74–61	7–3	26 – Mayes	7 – R.Jones	–	Horton Field House (5,200) Normal, IL
January 6, 1979* 7:30 pm		at McNeese State	W 78–73 OT	8–3	27 – R.Jones	8 – Galvin, Yarbrough	–	Sudduth Coliseum (3,781) Lake Charles, LA
January 8, 1979* 7:30 pm		North Texas State	W 98–80	9–3	23 – Mayes	14 – Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (3,000) Normal, IL
January 10, 1979* 7:30 pm		Nebraska–Omaha	W 74–57	10–3	21 – R.Jones	17 – Yarbrough	–	Horton Field House (2,500) Normal, IL
January 13, 1979* 7:00 pm		at Detroit	L 81–92	10–4	33 – Galvin	10 – Yarbrough	–	Calihan Hall (4,366) Detroit, MI
January 15, 1979* 7:30 pm		Missouri–St. Louis	W 105–60	11–4	21 – Yarbrough	7 – Yarbrough, A.Jones	–	Horton Field House (3.000) Normal, IL
January 17, 1979* 7:00 pm		at Evansville	W 73–68	12–4	27 – R.Jones	13 – Galvin	–	Roberts Municipal Stadium (6,703) Evansville, IN
January 20, 1979* 7:30 pm		Howard	W 88–62	13–4	22 – Galvin	11 – Galvin	–	Horton Field House (5,200) Normal, IL
January 24, 1979* 7:30 pm		at Valparaiso	W 88–67	14–4	30 – R.Jones	13 – Galvin	–	Hilltop Gym (2,500) Valparaiso, IN
January 27, 1979* 2:00 pm		DePaul	L 69–87	14–5	21 – R.Jones	7 – Galvin	–	Horton Field House (8,000) Normal, IL
January 31, 1979* 7:30 pm		at Northern Illinois	L 65–76	14–6	19 – Mayes	10 – Galvin	–	Chick Evans Field House (4,850) DeKalb, IL
February 7, 1979* 12:00 am		at Chaminade	W 82–67	15–6	27 – R.Jones	15 – Galvin	–	McCabe Gymnasium (1,100) Honolulu, HI
February 10, 1979* 12:10 am		at Hawai'i	L 77–82	15–7	24 – Mayes	9 – Galvin	–	Neal S. Blaisdell Arena (3,104) Honolulu, HI
February 11, 1979* 12:10 am		at Hawai'i	W 71–62	16–7	20 – Mayes, Yarbrough	12 – Yarbrough	–	Neal S. Blaisdell Arena (3,339) Honolulu, HI
February 13, 1979* 7:30 pm		at Wisconsin–Milwaukee	W 82–65	17–7	22 – Mayes	11 – Galvin	–	Horton Field House (2,200) Normal, IL
February 15, 1979* 7:30 pm		at South Alabama	W 77–70	18–7	20 – R.Jones	10 – Galvin	–	Jaguar Gym (3,320) Mobile, AL
February 17, 1979* 7:30 pm		at Northeast Louisiana	L 72–80	18–8	25 – Mayes	14 – Yarbrough	–	Ewing Coliseum (7,100) Monroe, LA
February 22, 1979* 7:30 pm		at North Texas State	L 87–90	18–9	32 – R.Jones	11 – R.Jones	–	NTSU Coliseum (1,400) Denton, TX
February 24, 1979* 7:30 pm		at Oral Roberts	L 78–89	18–10	22 – Galvin	12 – Yarbrough	–	Mabee Center (7,568) Tulsa, OK
February 26, 1979* 7:30 pm		Northern Michigan	W 100–83	19–10	29 – Mayes	5 – Mayes, Smith	–	Horton Field House (1,800) Normal, IL
March 2, 1979* 7:30 pm		Southern Illinois–Edwardsville	W 94–65	20–10	25 – Mayes, Yarbrough	14 – Galvin	–	Horton Field House (3,300) Normal, IL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Standard Time.

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References

1. "1978–79 Illinois State Redbirds Schedule and Results". Sports Reference. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
2. "2019–20 Illinois State Media Guide 2019–20 History" (PDF). Illinois State Redbirds. Retrieved February 3, 2021.