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Current head coach Porter Moser is
looking forward bringing the former teams back to the Illinois State
campus.
"I grew up in this state, and tradition
is a big selling point of Illinois State basketball," Moser said. "A
lot of those traditions were started in that run in the '80s. To
honor them during the Bradley game is a great thing. It is very
important to me because I'm trying to return that type of attitude
and swagger back to this program, and they are the ones that started
it. They set the tone for excellence."
With a 84-64 win over Tulsa in the
Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship game in 1983, the
Redbirds, coached by Bob Donewald, earned their first-ever Division
I NCAA Tournament appearance. The 1982-83 team finished the season
with a 24-7 mark after losing the NCAA first-round game to Ohio
51-49 in Tampa, Fla.
In 1984 the Redbirds returned to the
Big Dance and claimed their first tournament win with a 49-48
victory over Alabama in Lincoln, Neb. Two days later, the 'Birds
ended their season with another impressive mark, 23-8, after a 75-61
loss to DePaul.
ISU made it three straight in 1985 and
tallied another postseason victory, downing Southern California
68-55 in Tulsa, Okla. Not only did Illinois State have three
straight NCAA appearances, it also had three consecutive 20-win
seasons, as the 'Birds finished the year with a 22-8 mark.
Former Illinois State guard Rickie
Johnson, who was a member of all three NCAA Tournament teams, is
looking forward to the event and has been involved in its
organization.
"I have spoken to many of the guys, and
each one is excited about coming back," Johnson said. "This is going
to be a great opportunity to see some of the guys that I haven't
seen in a long time. It will give us an opportunity to relive that
time in our lives and share some stories. This is also an honor for
this group to be recognized for something that has been labeled as
the greatest era of Redbird basketball."
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Johnson's teammate and fellow organizer
of the event, Matt Taphorn, also agrees with the excitement that
this generation of Redbird basketball created.
"I feel fortunate to be associated with
these teams," Taphorn said. "The 1982-83 and 1983-84 teams are the
reason I came to Illinois State. The energy and enthusiasm that
surrounded those teams was unbelievable. Being a part of the 1984-85
team as a freshman was a unique experience and my favorite time at
Illinois State because of all the success that we experienced."
On Friday, Jan. 30, Illinois State head
coach Porter Moser will host his second coaches luncheon, and the
members of the 1982-85 Redbird basketball teams have been invited.
The luncheon will be at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in
Bloomington and will run from noon to 1 p.m. Tickets for the event
are $10 per person and can be purchased through The Redbird Club
office at (309) 438-3803.
Prior to the Bradley game, Horton Field
House will host the Bradley Bash and the Taste of Redbird Country.
The Bradley Bash features interactive games for kids of all ages,
while the Taste of Redbird Country will allow the fans to sample a
variety of food from local restaurant vendors.
The game
between Illinois State and Bradley tips off at 4:05 p.m., with the
1982-85 Redbird teams being honored at halftime.
[Todd Kober, director of
athletics media relations,
Illinois State University]
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