DELAND, Fla. - Indiana State, behind double-figure scoring from All-America Larry Bird, Carl Nicks and Leroy Staley, coasted to its fifth win without a loss here Friday night with an easy 102-79 victory over East Carolina in the opening game of the Hatter Classic played at Stetson University.

Cleveland State upset favored Stetson 64-61 in the second contest and will meet Indiana State for the title at 9 p.m. Saturday. Franklin Edwards scored 31 points for Cleveland State in the win.

Bird, who scored 26 points in the first half, finished with 32 points on 15 of 22 field goals and two foul shots while playing only 27 minutes. Nicks added 13 counters and Staley chipped in 10.

East Carolina's Pirates jumped to an early 42 lead on senior Oliver Mack's two quick filed goals, and boosted its lead to 7-4 with 16:32 on the clock.

But Bird, who missed his first two shots, connected on three baskets and passed out two assists to give the Sycamores a 14-11 lead and Indiana State never trailed again.
The Sycamores dominated play for the remained of the first half and had a 26-point lead, 57-31, at the intermission.

With about nine minutes gone in the second stanza, Sycamore Coach Bill Hodges pulled the starting five from the floor and reserves finished the contest. Steve Reed was the only Sycamore starter to return in the second half.

But things did not change much for East Carolina even with the Sycamore starters on the bench.

ISU increased its lead to 73-46 with 12:03 on the clock and the regulars out, and Scott Turner, Tom Crowder and Rich Nemcek each scored field goals as the reserves seemed to be as effective as the starters.

Even though the Sycamores were impressive at times, they still committed 24 turnovers. Also, Nicks and 6-foot-7 forward Alex Gilbert were each called for technical fouls in the first half for holding the rim of the basket after slam dunks.

The Sycamores out-rebounded the Pirates 50-39 with Bird grabbing nine boards, and Staley and Gilbert pulling in five each and Reed snaring four caroms.

George Cornelius, from New Albany, paced the Pirates with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mack finished with 15 counters and George Maynor had 11 points and five rebounds.

Coach Hodges, questioned thoroughly about Bird by the media, said, "Larry hasn't changed much. He is a little lighter and has better speed. One thing I have noticed is he is more
vocal in his leadership role.

"The Pirates are a better ball club than tonight's club," he added. "We may have broken, or Larry may have broken, their concentration. We got the momentum and we kept it.

"Stetson at home is like UCLA at home," Hodges noted. "Down here it is a lot different than in the Midwest. This game was the most unaggressive game we've played. They don't tolerate rough play."

A crowd of 3,210, including a number of fans from Terre Haute were on hand for the contest.