In 1976, the Illinois State University men’s basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. The team, led by head coach Will Robinson, had a record of 20-7 heading into the tournament.

In the first round of the tournament, the Redbirds faced the Murray State Racers. Illinois State won the game by a score of 71-57, with forward Rich Yunkus scoring a team-high 22 points.

In the second round, the Redbirds faced the Michigan Wolverines. The game was a closely contested battle, with Illinois State leading at halftime by a score of 35-34. However, Michigan pulled away in the second half and won the game by a score of 72-64. Yunkus once again led the Redbirds in scoring with 23 points.

Although the Redbirds did not advance further in the tournament, their appearance marked a significant achievement for the program and set the stage for future success.