TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? The 2007-08 basketball season got off to an exciting start on Thursday, as the Indiana State men's basketball team pulled out to a late lead and secured a 77-68 exhibition victory over the DePauw Tigers in front of 3,346 fans at Hulman Center. The win was not only the first of exhibition season for ISU, but was also the first win for new head coach Kevin McKenna.
The Sycamores got off to a quick 11-2 lead, thanks to four quick points from junior Jay Tunnel. However, DePauw quickly went on an 11-1 run to take its first lead of the game at 13-12 on a three-pointer from Mike Moore. The lead would eventually grow to 10 for the Tigers with nine minutes left in the half at 25-15 on a jumper from Stephen Schott. Indiana State then fought back with a 12-3 run as two free throws from Tunnel cut the DePauw lead to one at 28-27 with 3:36 left in the first half.
After a Brian Oilar three-pointer widened the lead to four points at 31-27, freshman Isiah Martin threw down the first dunk of his career at ISU and Harry Marshall followed with a layup to tie the game at 31-31 with just two minutes left on the clock. DePauw would then score the next six points to take a 37-31 lead into the locker room at the half.
The two squads traded baskets to open the second half, with DePauw eventually going up by six points 49-43 at the 14:41 mark. The Sycamores then battled back with six straight points from Marico Stinson and Marshall to knot the score at 49-49 eight minutes into the half. Four-consecutive free throws from Steve Lemasters and a made jumper from Tom Callen once again widened the lead to six for DePauw at 55-49 with 8:50 left on the clock.
ISU would eventually tie the game at 58-58 on a jumper from Cole Holmstrom with 4:28 left in the game and then took their first lead since the 13:17 mark in the first half at 61-58 on a three-pointer from freshman Aaron Carter. DePauw fought back and regained the lead at 64-63 on a three-pointer by Moore, his fourth of the game. However, that would be the last lead of the game for the Tigers, as the Sycamores finished the game on a 14-4 run over the last three minutes to secure the 77-68 win.
Four players scored in double figures for the Sycamores, led by Carter's team-high 16 points. Adam Arnold just missed out on a double-double by one rebound for ISU, as he pulled down nine rebounds to go along with his 12 points scored. Schott led the way for the Tigers, as he scored a game-high 19 points including an 11-for-13 night from the free throw line. Moore finished with 13 points for DePauw, thanks to a game-high four makes from beyond the arc.
Indiana State will wrap up it exhibition season on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Hulman Center against Nebraska-Kearney before opening the regular season on November 9 against Oakland City.
