Indiana State University Athletics

Greg Lansing is in his 11th season as the head basketball coach at Indiana State. He previously spent another eight seasons with the program as an assistant coach, including three as associate head coach.

Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is 166-154 (.519) at the helm of the Sycamore basketball program. He owns a school record 91 victories in Missouri Valley Conference games, including a 62-28 record at home. During his career, he is 100-41 in all home games with 46 road victories to his credit and is 53-40 in games decided by five points or less. Lansing owns eight career victories in the MVC Tournament, with four of those victories coming as the lower seeded team. His 166 career victories rank second on ISU’s all-time win list, while his 91 MVC victories are the most in the history of the program.

He is the second head coach to lead the Sycamores to the NCAA Tournament in their rookie campaign in the history of the program, with the other being Bill Hodges who led ISU to a 33-1 record and a Final Four appearance in the 1979 NCAA Tournament. Lansing was just the 14th rookie head coach in the history of the MVC to lead his team to 20 victories during their debut season.

Under Lansing, the Sycamores have earned a school record five victories over nationally ranked teams as he passed Bill Hodges and Royce Waltman for the most in program history with a thrilling 72-71 win over No. 15 Butler in December of 2016. ISU won at No. 14 Wichita State (in 2013) -- its best-victory over a nationally-ranked team on the road since 1999 and downed No. 13 Creighton (2013) at home, the highest ranked team to fall to Indiana State inside Hulman Center since joining the MVC. The Sycamores also have won at Vanderbilt (2012) and Notre Dame (2013) under Lansing while those opponents were ranked in the Top 25.

With a 23-win campaign in 2013-14, the Sycamores reached the 17-victory mark for the fifth consecutive season and notched five consecutive winning seasons for the first time in over 40 years under Lansing’s leadership.

Lansing’s 91 career Missouri Valley Conference victories are the most in the history of the program. Over the last ten years, the Sycamores’ 99 league and tournament victories are third most among the current membership.

In 2014-15, the Sycamores entered the season with a roster that featured seven newcomers. Despite a slow start in non-conference play, Lansing led the Sycamores to an 11-7 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference and earned the No. 3 seed at Arch Madness. Indiana State has earned at least the No. 3 seed at the conference tournament in three seasons during Lansing’s tenure.

In 2015-16, Devonte Brown and Brenton Scott were each named to the All-MVC Second Team while Everett Clemons took a spot on the MVC All-Newcomer squad. Brandon Murphy was selected as a Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete. The Sycamores advanced to the MVC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time under Lansing with a win over Illinois State as the sixth seed. 

In the spring of 2018, the Sycamores had three honorees in the Missouri Valley Conference Postseason Awards. Jordan Barnes was named an All-MVC Second Team selection while also appearing on the MVC Most Improved Team and was named the MVC's Most Improved Player of the Year. Senior Brenton Scott wrapped a career in which he finished as the program's fourth all-time leading scorer with All-MVC Third Team honors. Tyreke Key parlayed a successful initial campaign into MVC All-Freshman Team plaudits.

It was more of the season in 2019 as Key was named to the All-MVC Second Team and was selected as the league's Most Improved Player. He led the league in scoring becoming just the fourth Sycamore ever to earn that honor as he joined Larry Bird, John Sherman Williams and David Moss in that elite club. Cooper Neese was picked for the MVC All-Freshman Team and Jordan Barnes surpassed the 1,000-point mark in just 77 career games -- the fourth fastest in the history of the program to accomplish that feat.

Indiana State parlayed victories over Colorado and UNLV into a Championship Game appearance against Top 50 N.E.T. opponent TCU at the 2018 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. It was the first non-conference title game appearance for the Sycamore Basketball program since they won the 1999 Indiana Classic – becoming the first team not named Indiana to win the Bloomington, Ind., based tournament. The Sycamores were vying for their first tournament championship of any kind since the 2011 edition of Arch Madness in St. Louis. In the process, the Sycamores downed Colorado for their first win against a member of the PAC-12 since 1946 when they beat Oregon. Additionally, the Sycamores earned their league-best fifth consecutive win over the Mountain West Conference with its win over UNLV. The Sycamores wrapped up the MVC / Mountain West Conference Challenge with a league-best all-time record of 5-3.

During the 2019-20 season, the Sycamores defeated every Missouri Valley Conference team at least once and complemented their 18-12 overall record with an 11-7 ledger in MVC play. Tyreke Key was named First Team All-MVC while Jordan Barnes picked up Third Team All-MVC plaudits. Key and Barnes were both named to the NABC Second Team All-District squad. Key was also a All-MVC Scholar-Athlete while Jake LaRavia was tabbed to the MVC All-Freshman and All-Newcomer teams and Christian Williams picked up a spot on the MVC All-Defense Team. Jordan Barnes became the first Sycamore in the history of the program to rank in the ISU Top 10 for career points scored, 3-pointers made as well as assists and steals. Tre Williams became the first Sycamore since John Sherman Williams to start every game as a true freshman.
    
Indiana State set a new program record by limiting Loyola Chicago to just 39 points in its game with the Ramblers inside Hulman Center. That is the second-best defensive showing under coach Lansing and the lowest point total in a Missouri Valley Conference contest since ISU joined the league prior to the 1977 campaign. Additionally, when Christian Williams was named the MVC Player of the Week and Jake LaRavia the MVC Newcomer of the Week on the same day late in the season it was the first time since 2006 that the Sycamores swept the league's weekly awards.

The Sycamores finished the season ranked 16th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage while Jordan Barnes joined Brenton Scott and Michael Menser in the MVC All-Time Top 10 for career 3-pointers made. Tyreke Key and Cooper Neese entered the collegiate portion of their careers having reached the Top 10 in career scoring in both of their respective home states. Key finished his career at Clay County High School in Celina, Tenn., with 3,287 points scored which is 10th most in the history of the state of Tennessee. As a senior, he set the Tennessee High School record for most points scored in a season, breaking a 25-year old record held previously by Kentucky legend Tony Delk.

With Cooper Neese and De'Avion Washington on the roster being joined by Cobie Barnes and Jake LaRavia in 2019-20, the Sycamores had four former Indiana All-Stars on the roster which was the most for the program in a single-season since the 1998-99 campaign.

The 2017-18 season opened in historic fashion as the Sycamores recorded a 21-point victory over Indiana inside Assembly Hall. The Sycamores set a new record by connecting on 17 3-pointers -- the most ever by a visitor in the iconic venue and recorded the largest margin of victory for the program against the Hoosiers. ISU went on to become the only team to defeat 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Loyola-Chicago inside Gentile Arena with a four-point victory early in MVC play.
Lansing was inducted into the Iowa High School Basketball Hall of Fame in March of 2016. He and his father Dave are just the 10th father/son combination to be inducted into that Hall of Fame.

He saw several Sycamores earn postseason recognition from the league office in 2015. Devonte Brown was named the league’s Most Improved Player and was tabbed to the All-MVC Second Team. Brenton Scott picked up the program’s third-ever MVC Freshman of the Year honor while Tre’ Bennett was selected to the All-Bench Team. Justin Gant and Jake Kitchell were each First Team selections as MVC Scholar-Athletes.

In 2012-13, Indiana State finished 18-15 and advanced to the semifinals of the MVC Tournament on the strength of a 51-50 victory over Evansville. In 2013-14, the Sycamores finished with a 23-11 mark and reached their second MVC Tournament Championship game under Lansing. The Sycamores played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2013 & 2014 and reached the postseason five consecutive seasons, including in each of the first four years with Lansing at the helm.

In 2013-14, the Sycamores finished in the Top 5 nationally for most true road victories with nine. Included in that total was a road victory over nationally-ranked Notre Dame, giving the program at least one victory over a nationally-ranked opponent in each of Lansing’s first four seasons as head coach.

Jake Odum was a repeat selection on the All-MVC First Team and became the first player in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference to record at least 500 career assists and 500 career made free throws. Odum finished as the school’s record holder for career free throws made and attempted. He also wrapped up his career as the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer and was in the Top 4 in both assists and steals. Odum also was named to the NABC All-District Team and was a Mid-Major All-American for the second consecutive season.
Khristian Smith earned his second consecutive nod on the MVC All-Bench Team and was selected as the league’s Sixth Man of the Year. Manny Arop added an honorable mention all-conference selection while Justin Gant and Lucas Eitel were each named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.

Indiana State’s three victories over the RPI Top 50 were tied for the most of any one in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2012-13. Creighton, the league’s tournament and regular season champion also owned three. Indiana State owned a victory in the Diamond Head Classic against ACC Champion Miami and took down Ole Miss to finish third in the event while Jake Odum was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Odum also became the first Sycamore to appear on the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team since 2001 and just the sixth all-time. Freshman Khristian Smith was a member of the MVC All-Bench Team while Lucas Eitel and Justin Gant were named Second Team MVC Scholar-Athletes. Additionally, Odum was named to the 2013 Lou Henson All-America Team as well as the 2013 NABC All-District 16 First Team.

The Sycamores are 100-41 (.709) inside Hulman Center under Lansing. Additionally, the Sycamores are 105-10 with Lansing as head coach when allowing less than 63 points to the opposition (including a 25-0 mark when holding teams to 53 or less).

Indiana State did not allow a made 3-pointer at Illinois State on January 23, 2013 as the Redbirds went 0-for-13 from long range on their home court and snapped a string of over 400 games with one which dated back to 1999. It marked the second time during the 2012-13 season that the Sycamores did not allow a trey in a game as nationally-ranked Miami went 0-of-15 on December 25, 2012 in the consolation game of the Diamond Head Classic.

In 2011-12, the Sycamores finished the year with an 18-15 record and advanced to the CollegeInsiders.com Postseason Tournament. Jake Odum was one of just four players nationally to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during his sophomore season and was a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as well as Second Team All-District selection as announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

The Sycamores downed No. 25 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt on the road and finished third at the Old Spice Classic -- the best-ever finish by a MVC team in the event.
Lansing burst onto the scene as a rookie head coach with the Sycamore basketball program in 2010-11 as he became just the second-ever Indiana State head coach to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. He led the team to a 20-14 record, becoming just the 14th head coach in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference to lead a team to 20 or more victories in their first year at the helm.

ISU reached the NCAA Tournament and took on Syracuse in Cleveland, Ohio based on the program’s third-ever MVC Tournament Championship won at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. ISU raced to the title with victories over No. 6 Evansville, No. 2 Wichita State and No. 1 Missouri State in the Championship Game as the Sycamores entered as the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Freshman Jake Odum was named to the MVC All-Tournament Team.

Odum was named a CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Freshman All-American and was named an All-MVC Honorable Mention selection as well as a member of the MVC All-Freshman, All-Newcomer and All-Defense Team. Carl Richard was also named to the All-MVC’s Honorable Mention squad. ISU took two thrilling buzzer beating victories over league foes Missouri State and Creighton during the regular season at Hulman Center. The buzzer beater over Creighton by Richard was voted the No. 2 play of the weekend by ESPN’s SportsCenter.

In 2009-10 the Sycamores overcame a ton of adversity to still put together its best season in nearly a decade under the professional leadership of the ISU coaching staff. Despite only having its full complement of student-athletes for just 28 minutes of the rough and tumble Missouri Valley Conference slate, the Sycamores still recorded its first winning season since 2001 as they finished 17-15. ISU also finished the year with a 9-9 record in league play, bolstering the Sycamores out of the MVC Opening Round at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament by securing the league’s No. 6 seed after finishing in a tie for fifth in the standings.

Starting guard Jake Kelly suffered a season ending knee injury with 12 minutes left in the conference opener at Southern Illinois and subsequently also lost Dwayne Lathan and Harry Marshall for extended periods over the course of the year.

Marshall, who was the heart and soul of the team, led the MVC in scoring in league contests with a 16 points per game. Marshall was tabbed Second Team All-MVC and was named to the MVC’s All-Defensive Team after turning in shutdown performances against most of the league’s all-conference opposition. Running a well-rounded program, the Sycamores also two representatives on the MVC’s Scholar Athlete Team as both Jordan Printy and Aaron Carter took those plaudits.

The payoff for the Sycamores continued as ISU reached postseason play for the first since 2001 when they accepted a bid to the 2010 College Basketball Invitational, appearing in a road contest at Saint Louis.

Lansing was a key recruiter as an assistant for many talented student-athletes. Lansing has also been a major part of the several all-conference accolades for several players, including Nate Green, Michael Menser, Matt Renn and Jake Odum.

During each year of Lansing’s tenure, the Sycamores have participated in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Challenge. For three years, Lansing has led a successful challenge to the state’s lawmakers to wear sneakers with their suits during that same time frame as part of the program to promote cancer awareness. Through an invitation from State Representative Bob Heaton, who played for ISU on the 1978-79 team which advanced to the NCAA Final Four, ISU head coach Greg Lansing has visited the State House leaders to participate in the challenge.

Lansing returned to Indiana State after a seven-year stint with the Iowa Hawkeyes. During Lansing’s seven years as assistant coach at Iowa, the Hawkeye’s went 135-92, received three NCAA Tournament invitations, three NIT appearances and won a pair of Big Ten tournament titles, the first of which came on four wins in four games making Iowa the first team in the Big Ten to accomplish such a feat. In 2005-06, Iowa earned a 25-9 record, the second-most wins in school history, the first undefeated (17-0) home record in the school’s history and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa earned seven All-Big Ten selections, 17 Academic All-Big Ten selections and four Academic All-Americans. Lansing coached four of the last five Big Ten rebounding champions, three straight conference leaders in blocked shots and, the league’s 2005-06 defensive player of the year. Three of his student-athletes reached the NBA and two from the 2005-06 team were invited to NBA camps.

In Lansing’s final two seasons of his first stint at Indiana State, the Sycamores posted back-to-back winning campaigns for the first time since 1979 and 1980. When the Sycamores posted a 16-11 record in 1998 it marked the first winning season for Indiana State since 1980. Indiana State advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both 2000 and 2001.
Prior to joining the staff at Indiana State, Lansing was the head basketball coach at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Roosevelt had not had a winning season in 12 years before Lansing’s initial season. The Roughriders went on to have back-to-back winning seasons under Greg’s direction and the play of future Sycamore Hall of Fame member Nate Green.

Lansing earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Dakota in 1990 and a master’s degree in counseling from USD in 1992. As a member of the Coyote basketball team Lansing helped South Dakota reach the NCAA Division II Tournament during his junior and senior seasons, the first NCAA invitation for USD since 1954. He was twice named the South Dakota Defensive Player of the Year. Greg is currently ranked among the leaders in career assists at USD. Following his playing career, Lansing served as a graduate assistant coach at South Dakota for two seasons. In 1992-93 he was a full-time assistant.

Greg’s father, Dave Lansing, coached high school basketball for 33 years in Iowa. Dave Lansing was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Coaches Hall of Fame during the 1999 Iowa boys state basketball tournament. Lansing’s dad, his mother, Diane, his sister, Angela, and his nephew, Jordan, live in West Des Moines. His brother, Steve, is the Assistant Athletic Director at West Hancock (Iowa) High School.

Lansing is married to Kristin Carrico Lansing and the couple now resides in Terre Haute.