The Redbrids finished the 2016 – 17 season 28 – 7 , 17 – 1 to finish in a tie for first place in MVC play . They defeated Evansville and Southern Illinois in the MVC Tournament before losing to Wichita State in the championship game . As a No. 1 seed in their conference tournament who failed to win their conference tournament title , Illinois State received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament as a No. 1 seed where they defeated UC Irvine in the first round before losing in the second round to UCF
MVC Tournament
2017 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
2017–18 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team