Kentucky highlights Illinois State’s 2015-16 men’s hoops schedule

Posted on May 8, 2015
Redbird Arena overhead
Illinois State men’s basketball will play seven non-conference games at Redbird Arena during the 2015-16 season. (WJBC file photo)

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – Four 2015 NCAA Tournament teams and at least two National Invitation Tournament qualifiers highlight the Illinois State men’s basketball program’s 2015-16 non-conference schedule, as announced by fourth-year head coach Dan Muller Friday.

The headliner is a Nov. 30 matchup at Rupp Arena against powerhouse Kentucky.

LISTEN: WJBC’s Eric Stock interviews coach Dan Muller.

.“I really like our schedule,” Muller said. “I think it will be one of the toughest in the country, and our team will certainly be tested early and often. Some of my goals were to play tough home and road games, play in Chicago for our great Chicago alums and compete in a high quality tournament. I feel like we attained every one of those goals. We have a lot of work to do before November 13, but I love where our team is at, and we can’t wait to prepare all off season for this high quality schedule.”

The Redbirds are scheduled to play seven non-conference games on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena, including a home contest against 2015 NCAA Tournament qualifier UAB Dec. 5. After opening the home season Nov. 16 versus Morehead State, the Redbirds will host two games in the Cancun Challenge against NIT qualifier South Dakota State Nov. 19 and Houston Baptist Nov. 21. Murray State – another NIT team – is slated to visit Illinois State Dec. 13. Former Redbird assistant coach and basketball player Dana Ford will bring his Tennessee State squad to Normal, Dec. 22 for ISU’s final non-conference game of the season.

Another former Redbird will be on the sidelines when Illinois State opens the 2015-16 season against Steve Fisher  and his NCAA Tournament-qualifying San Diego State team Nov. 13 in San Diego, California, as part of the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge. Later that month, ISU is scheduled to face NCAA Tournament team Maryland at the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 24. The Redbirds will play either NIT qualifier Rhode Island or TCU Nov. 25 in the Cancun Challenge’s final day.

A road game at 2015 Final Four qualifier Kentucky is scheduled for Nov. 30 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Last season, the Wildcats became the first team in college basketball history to go 38-0 before suffering a loss to Wisconsin in the Final Four. The Redbirds will wrap up their non-conference road schedule with back-to-back games at UIC in Chicago Dec. 16 and at Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia Dec. 19.

Illinois State earned a 22-13 record in 2014-15, advancing to the second round of the NIT after falling short in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The Redbirds upset No. 8 Wichita State during their MVC Tournament run, and ISU has beaten a Top-25 team in each of its last four seasons.

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