NIT Bound Ryan Pedon

Postseason Two-Straight Seasons

(St. Louis, MO) – Progressive steps. That’s what the Illinois State basketball program is taking. NIT bound Ryan Pedon believes he is building a program and not a team built for just one season. For the second straight year the Redbirds are heading to postseason play.

Last season the Redbirds participated in and won the College Basketball Invitiational. This year they have taken a step up to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). For the first time since 2010 they’ve had back-to-back seasons with twenty wins. This is their first trip to the NIT since 2017 and Pedon’s teams have increased their Missouri Valley Conference win total in each of his four seasons.

Last year’s historic CBI championship run saw the Redbirds enter that tournament with 19 wins. This year’s 20-12 team accumulated two more (12) league wins and one more regular season victory than last year’s team.

Pedon says he’s not content with the progress, but he also sees his team’s overall, positive trajectory.

Following the Redbirds’ quarterfinal round loss during Arch Madness, all-conference forward Chase Walker interrupted the postgame press conference to express his love for Illinois State basketball. Pedon says he was surprised and grateful for his star player’s comments.

While most basketball fans are ruthlessly focused on the NCAA Tournament, the NIT is the oldest and most historically connected to college hoops. Winning the CBI was a great achievement last season. Being selected for the NIT may be even more important.

NIT Bound Ryan Pedon – Playing Kent State

Illinois State will host Kent State (24-9) Wednesday night at 7 pm. Pedon has roots at Kent State and deep friendship with the Golden Flashes’ head coach Rob Senderoff. The two teams will send their best players to square off in the paint.

Walker will match up with Delrecco Gillespie. The 6’8 Gillespie averages 18 points and 11 rebounds per game and was named to the MAC’s all-conference and all-defensive teams. Pedon believes Gilespie has what it takes to play in the NBA.

Kent State averages over 85 points per game and they crash the offensive glass. The Redbirds will have their hands full with the Golden Flashes.

While the Redbirds will be tested, Pedon believes the meat grinder of playing in the outstanding Missouri Valley Conference has prepared his team for this difficult challenge. The NIT bound Pedon says many people underestimate the Valley’s outstanding teams and coaches.

Three other MVC teams are participating in this year’s NIT. All four Valley teams play on Wednesday night. Murray State travels to Nevada and Illinois Chicago visits California. Just up I-74 the Bradley Braves are entertaining Dayton.

Ironically, if the Braves and Redbirds win their first two games they would meet in a unique version of the ‘War on 74’ during the tournament’s semifinal round. Now that, is worth rooting for.

You can watch our entire interview on YouTube or listen to it at Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts.

The Redbirds and NIT bound Ryan Pedon are attempting to build towards sustainable success.

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