Storylines
Indiana State will officially open the 2008-09 basketball season tonight, when the Sycamores face off against NCAA Division III opponent Albion in the first of two exhibition games for the Sycamores.
The Sycamores return seven players from last year's team, including the team's lone senior in forward Jay Tunnell. Sophomore Isiah Martin, who led the Missouri Valley Conference in blocked shots on way to being named a Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team and All-Bench Team selection, also returns with fellow sophomore Aaron Carter who played in 30 games as a freshman last season while averaging 4.4 points per game.
The returnees will be joined by an impressive group of newcomers, including junior college transfers Josh Crawford and Rashad Reed and freshmen Carl Richard, Tyler Cutter, Koang Doluony and Nick Donaldson.
ISU will be facing an Albion team that finished 19-6 overall during the 2007-08 season and compiled an impressive 10-1 record at home. In conference play, the Britons posted a 12-2 overall record.
Fans planning on attending tonight's game will have the opportunity to witness a very special ceremony. Prior to the start of the game, the floor at Hulman Center will officially be named the Nellie and John Wooden Court in honor of the legendary coach and his late wife, Nellie.
The pre-game ceremony will start at approximately 6:45 p.m. with a taped message from coach Wooden being played on the Hulman Center video board. Following comments from coach Wooden, members of his 1947 and 1948 teams will be on hand to reveal the new logos which will remain on the court permanently at the Hulman Center.
Prior to achieving legendary success as the head coach at UCLA, Wooden began his collegiate coaching career and served two years as head men's basketball coach, baseball coach and athletics director at Indiana State from 1946 to 1948.
While earning his master's degree at Indiana State, he compiled a 44-15 record as basketball coach while leading the Sycamores to post-season tournament appearances each year and two conference championships.
In 1947, Indiana State received an invitation to play in the NAIB Tournament in Kansas City, but Wooden refused the invitation citing the NAIB's policy banning African-American players. Clarence Walker, an African-American student-athlete from East Chicago, Ind., was a member of the squad.
In 1948, the NAIB changed the policy, and this time Wooden accepted the invitation to play in the tournament. Walker, a reserve guard for Indiana State, became the first African-American to play in any postseason intercollegiate basketball tournament.
About The Coaches
Kevin McKenna (Creighton ?93) is in his second season as the head coach at Indiana State (15-16). In his first season with the Sycamores, McKenna led the team to its highest win total since the 2000-01 season and an impressive 12-2 record at home at the Hulman Center. McKenna came to Indiana State after after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Creighton, where he helped the Bluejays advance to four NCAA tournament appearances. From 2001-05, McKenna spent four years as the head coach (89-33) at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Omaha, where he guided the Mavericks to four consecutive 20-win seasons and three appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Jody May, who served as an assistant coach at Albion College since 1997, was promoted to head coach prior to the 2008-09 season. With May on the bench assisting head coach Mike Turner, the Britons compiled a 201-91 overall record. During that time, the Britons reached the sectional final (round of eight) of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in 2005 and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament by winning the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament in 1998.
Scouting The Britons
► Albion College is located in Albion, Mich., and has an enrollment of 1,950 students. The Britons are members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and play at the NCAA Division III level.
► Albion finished 19-6 overall during the 2007-08 season and compiled an impressive 10-1 record at home. In conference play, the Britons posted a 12-2 overall record including a perfect 7-0 record at home.
► Jody May is in his first season as head coach at Albion. May took over when longtime coach Mike Turner stepped down in October. May had served as an assistant coach at Albion College since 1997 under head coach Mike Turner. During that time, the Britons compiled a 201-91 overall record and reached the sectional final (round of eight) of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in 2005.
► Senior forward Drew Yancey was an all-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association first team performer in 2007-08, after averaging 11.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest for the Britons.
► The Britons are an experienced team, as they return 12 upperclassmen including seven seniors.
Honoring A True Sycamore Legend
Prior to the start of tonight's game, the floor at Hulman Center will officially be named the Nellie and John Wooden Court in honor of the legendary coach and his late wife, Nellie. Prior to achieving legendary success as the head coach at UCLA, Wooden began his collegiate coaching career and served two years as head men's basketball coach, baseball coach and athletics director at Indiana State from 1946 to 1948. While earning his master's degree at Indiana State, he compiled a 44-15 record as basketball coach while leading the Sycamores to post-season tournament appearances each year and two conference championships. In addition, coach Wooden will also be inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Athletic Hall of Fame in March.
The Dream Season ... 30 Years Later
This season marks the 30th anniversary of Indiana State's historic 1978-79 season that saw the Sycamores advance to the NCAA championship game. Led by consensus First-Team All-American and future NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird, ISU compiled a 33-1 overall record, including a perfect 29-0 record during the regular season. ISU's only loss of the season came in the championship game of the 1979 NCAA Tournament against Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Throughout the season, the current Sycamores will wear commemorative patches on their uniforms to celebrate the anniversary and will wear throwback 1978-79 jerseys in selected games during the season.
Home Sweet Home
The Sycamores were absolutely dominant at the Hulman Center during the 2007-08 and will be looking to have similar success this year. Under first-year head coach Kevin McKenna, ISU posted a 12-2 overall record at home last season and started the season 9-0 before losing to No. 16 ranked Drake on Feb. 2. On their home court, the Sycamores out-scored opponents by an average of 9.5 points and posted a +3.1 turnover margin in 14 games. ISU also held opponents to shooting just 29 percent from three-point range and allowed just 61.5 points per contest.
Tunnell Leading The Way
With seven newcomers and just three other upperclassmen on the ISU roster, forward Jay Tunnell will use his experience and lead the way for the Sycamores this season. The Topeka, Kan., native is the team's lone senior and heads into his final year with some pretty impressive numbers. Tunnell has played in 90 career games, with 84 starting assignment, and has averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in three seasons with the Sycamores. During those 90 games, he has scored in double figures 40 times, pulled down 10 or more rebounds six times and posted four career double-doubles. With 767 career points, Tunnell is just 233 points away from becoming the school's 31st member of the 1,000 point club.
An Impressive Debut
During the 2007-08 season, freshman Isiah Martin emerged as a standout player for the Sycamores and teams around the Missouri Valley Conference took notice. The 6'8” forward from Chicago, Ill., became a defensive force for ISU and collected 59 blocked shots in 31 games. Those 59 blocks were the most ever by a freshman at ISU and ranked as the second-best single-season block total in school history. His total of 59 also led all players in the Missouri Valley Conference, which helped Martin earn MVC All-Freshman and All-Bench Team honors for the Sycamores.
