Game Day Central

Series:             Creighton Leads 46-22

Streak:             Creighton 3 out of last 4 wins

Radio:              ESPN Radio 1130/1300 AM

Play-By-Play:  Brian Fritz

Analyst:           Matt Renn

Internet:           GoSycamores.com

Storylines     

            Indiana State (3-9, 1-0 MVC) returns to the Hulman Center for the first of two Missouri Valley Conference games this week against the visiting Creighton Bluejays (11-2, 1-0 MVC) on New Year's Eve.  Tip off is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Nellie and John Wooden Court.

            The Sycamores are coming off a thrilling 85-84 double-overtime win on Sunday at Northern Iowa in the team's first Valley game of the season.  The win marked the second-straight year in which the Sycamores opened Valley play with a win on the road, after defeating Evansville last year in the league opener for both schools.  It was also the team's first double-overtime win in the last two seasons, after ISU defeated SIU at the Hulman Center 64-62 on Jan. 12.

            UNI held a 79-77 lead late in the second overtime period after Kwadzo Ahelegbe hit free throws.  However, Aaron Carter hit his second three-pointer of the period, was fouled and hit his free throw to convert the four-point play and give ISU an 81-79 lead with just 54 seconds left.  The Sycamores would hold onto that lead and walk away with an 85-84 win.

            Harry Marshall led four ISU scorers in double figures with 23 points, including a 9-for-14 effort from the charity stripe, to go along with six assists and four rebounds.  Carl Richard recorded the first double-double of his career, as he tallied 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to help the Sycamores to the win.  Carter finished with 16 points and five rebounds, while Jay Tunnell rounded out the balanced scoring effort with 14 points and seven rebounds for the Sycamores.

            Creighton puts its eight-game win streak on the line today in its first MVC road contest of the year.  The Bluejays defeated Wichita State 68-56 on Sunday in the season opener at the Qwest Center, with Booker Woodfox leading the way with 16 points.

            Creighton owns a 46-22 record all-time against Indiana State and has won 13 of the last 16 games in the series. ISU is 14-6 against CU in Terre Haute all-time against the Bluejays, including two-straight wins over the Jays at the Hulman Center in the last two seasons.

About The Coaches

Kevin McKenna (Creighton ?93) is in his second season as the head coach at Indiana State (17-25).  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 in the Hulman Center.  McKenna came to Indiana State after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Creighton under head coach Dana Altman, 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. 

Dana Altman (Eastern New Mexico, 1980) is in his 15th year as head coach of the Bluejays. He owns a 293-154 (.655) mark at Creighton and a career record of 376-221 (.630) in his 20th year as a NCAA Division I head coach when you add four seasons at Kansas State and one at Marshall.  Creighton's all-time winningest coach, Altman has been named national, conference, regional or district coach of the year in 10 of his first 23 years as a head coach. The 2001 and 2002 MVC Coach of the Year was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award in 2003.  Additionally, Altman has led Creighton to seven NCAA Tournaments and his teams have played in the postseason in 11 straight seasons.

Scouting The Bluejays

 ►       Creighton University is located in Omaha, Neb., and has an enrollment of 6,992 students.  The Bluejays are members of the Missouri Valley Conference and play their home games at the Qwest Center (17,272).

 ►       The Bluejays finished with an overall record of 22-11 during the 2007-08 season.  In conference play, Creighton posted a 10-8 record which was good enough for fourth place in the conference.  That record was good enough to qualify the Bluejays for the MasterCard National Invitation Tournament (NIT), where the team defeated Rhode Island 74-73 in the first round before falling on the road at Florida in the second round 82-54 to end the season.

 ►       Creighton comes into the Hulman Center today after earning its eighth straight victory, a 68-56 victory over Wichita State on Sunday night at Qwest Center Omaha.  Senior guard Booker Woodfox led Creighton in scoring for a seventh straight game, finishing with a game-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Last Time Against The Bluejays

OMAHA, Neb. ? Indiana State was looking to earn a series sweep over Creighton on Saturday night, after winning the first game between the two squads on January 2.  However, the Sycamores (9-8, 4-3 MVC) could not overtake the Bluejays (14-3, 5-2 MVC) on their home court and suffered an 86-69 loss in front of 17,371 fans at the Qwest Center.

            Creighton jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and later widened the advantage to 11-4 on a jumper by Cavel Witter.  Gabe Moore then answered with a jumper to make the score 11-6, but Booker Woodfox connected from three-point range to give the Jays an eight-point lead at 14-6.  ISU then cut the lead to five points at 16-11 on a Marico Stinson three-pointer with 14:54 left in the half. 

            The Bluejays then went on a 10-2 run to make the score 26-13 after Woodfox drained three-straight free throws after being fouled while attempting a three-pointer.  That lead would eventually grow to 17 points at 32-15 with 6:27 left in the half after a Josh Dotzler layup.  ISU clawed back and cut the lead to 11 points at 38-27 after another three-pointer by Stinson with 3:19 left in the half.  However, that would be as close as the Sycamores would get and the Jays finished the half strong and took a 46-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.

            After the half, the Jays widened their lead to 54-35 points at the 15:36 mark after another Woodfox three pointer.  The Sycamores then fought back and cut that lead to 62-49 points at the 11:16 mark of the second half after Aaron Carter connected on a jumper. 

            The ISU comeback was thwarted by the Jays, who went on to extend their lead to 22 points at 79-57 on a jumper by P'Allen Stinnett with 5:33 left in the game.  The Sycamores then went on a 10-2 run, highlighted by seven-straight points from Cole Holmstrom and capped off by a Carter three pointer, to cut the lead to 81-67 with 2:14 left in the game.  That late push was not enough, though, and the Jays earned an 86-69 victory to even the season series with the Sycamores.

            Stinson scored a game-high 23 points, including six treys, and added six rebounds and three steals to the lead the way for ISU.  Holmstrom also finished in double figures for the Sycamores, as he scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.

Facing Off Against A Familiar Foe

When the Creighton Bluejays take to Nellie and John Wooden Court at the Hulman Center today, they will do so against an Indiana State team coached by one of Creighton's all-time best players.  As a player, McKenna currently ranks 12th in Creighton history with exactly 1,500 career points. He remains ranked in CU's career top-10 lists in field goal attempts, free-throw percentage and assists. Two of his teams (1977-78 and 1980-81) reached the NCAA Tournament and McKenna was enshrined into the Creighton

Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 for his exploits.  Following his playing career, McKenna returned to the sidelines as an assistant coach for nine seasons at his alma mater (1994-2001, 2005-07) before taking over the reigns at Indiana State.

Richard Doubles Up

Freshman Carl Richard put together the best game of his young career at Indiana State when the Sycamores needed it the most.  On Sunday at UNI, the Chicago, Ill., native recorded the first double-double performance of his career with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.  Richard's double-double was the first of the season for the Sycamores and the first for ISU since Feb. 27, 2008, when Jay Tunnell also posted a double-double against the Panthers at the McLeod Center with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Leitnaker Earns First Career Start

Redshirt sophomore center Brant Leitnaker has battled injuries throughout his time at Indiana State and has played in just 18 games in three years on campus.  However, his size in the post was needed against Northern Iowa on Sunday and the Lancaster, Ohio, native was put into the starting lineup for the first time in his career to match up with UNI big man Jordan Eglseder.  Leitnaker scored the team's first two points of the game, which turned out to be his only of the contest, and grabbed a rebound in 14 minutes of action.  In addition, he helped hold the 7-foot-1 Eglseder to just four points in 18 minutes of action after coming into the game averaging a team-high 12.6 per game.

Something About The Powder Blue

This season marks the 30th anniversary of Indiana State's historic 1978-79 season that saw the Sycamores advance to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and eventually to the National Championship game. The Sycamores unveiled their throwback replica uniforms from that season on the road on Sunday at Northern Iowa and some of the magic may have rubbed off, as ISU won a thrilling Missouri Valley Conference opener 85-84 in double overtime over the Panthers.  The Sycamores will continue to wear the jerseys throughout the season to commemorate the anniversary all season long.

McKenna Remains Unbeaten In Valley Openers

In each of his two seasons on the bench at Indiana State, head coach Kevin McKenna's teams have opened Missouri Valley Conference play on the road.  In those two contests, the Sycamores have earned big wins in both after the Sycamores defeated Northern Iowa in double overtime 85-84 on Sunday in Cedar Falls.  Last season, ISU opened Valley play with a 70-56 win at Evansville on Dec. 29 to pick up its lone conference road win of the season.

Double Overtime ... No Sweat

Indiana State's 85-84 double-overtime win at Northern Iowa was its second such win in two seasons.  Last year, the Sycamores defeated Southern Illinois 64-62 in double overtime on Jan. 12 at the Hulman Center thanks to a 3-pointer by Marico Stinson.

The Marshall Plan Is In Effect

Junior guard Harry Marshall made his return to the Indiana State lineup against No. 14 Purdue on Dec. 13 and since that time his presence has been very welcome for the Sycamores.  In his first game back after sitting out the team's first eight games of the season, Marshall tallied 16 points and dished out six assists against the Boilermakers.  He followed that up by scoring a game-high 18 points, including a 10-for-13 effort from the free throw line, in the team's win over DePauw.  However, he saved his best performance for his fourth game of the year, as he scored a team-high 23 points against UNI to help the team to a thrilling double overtime victory.  In his four games back, Marshall is averaging 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest.

Crashing The Boards

The Sycamores have struggled getting rebounds at times throughout the season, but that was not the case in the team's last two victories.  Indiana State won the battle on the boards at Northern Iowa on Sunday 37-35, which helped the team score 11 second-chance points.  ISU also out-rebounded DePauw by a margin of 42-27, including a 30-18 difference on defensive rebounds.  With that performance, it marked the second time this season the team had corralled 40 or more rebounds (40 at DePaul).  In total, ISU has out-rebounded opponents twice this season and are 2-0 in those games.

The Fantastic Four

The Sycamores have shared in the scoring duties through 13 games this season and that was very apparent in the team's double-overtime win at Northern Iowa.  Four Sycamores scored in double figures, led by junior Harry Marshall's 23 points.  Sophomore Aaron Carter chipped in 16 points, including two big 3-pointers in double overtime, while freshman Carl Richard recorded the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Senior Jay Tunnell rounded out the balanced scoring effort with 14 points in the victory for ISU.  With those four players in double figures, it marked the fourth time this season that the Sycamores have achieved that feat.

JP For Three

Redshirt freshman Jordan Printy had a breakout day against IUPUI at Conseco Fieldhouse, connecting on a career-high five three pointers to finish with a new career-high of 15 points.  The Marion, Iowa, native was 5-for-7 from beyond the arch in the game and added two rebounds and a blocked shot in a career-high 25 minutes of action against the Jaguars.  Printy's previous career high was eight points, which he set earlier this season against Murray State.

Cutter Out With Ankle Injury

Freshman point guard Tyler Cutter will miss four to five weeks with a severe ankle sprain which he suffered in practice prior to the team's game against IUPUI.  The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native played in 10 games for the Sycamores, starting in two of those contests.  He was averaging 21.3 minutes per game for ISU and currently ranks second on the team with 28 assists.  Cutter played a strong game against No. 11 Louisville, as he scored a career-high eight points in 24 minutes and followed that up by dishing out a career-high eight assists against Lamar to help the team win its first game of the season.

Who Needs The Three?

Indiana State is averaging seven three-point baskets per game this season and are shooting 35.9 percent from long distance through 11 games.  However, in the team's win over DePauw, the Sycamores were ice cold from three-point range going 0-for-10 against the Tigers.  That snapped a streak of 252 consecutive games with at least one three-point field goal made.  The last time the Sycamores failed to make a three-point field goal was on February 9, 2000, when the Sycamores shot 0-for-7 against UNI.

Crawford Returns To Form

Junior transfer Josh Crawford averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in his first two games in an ISU uniform.  Over the next seven games, though, Crawford struggled to find his game and averaged just 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while blocking just eight shots.  However, he broke out of that funk against DePauw with 10 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in 12 minutes of action to help the Sycamores to their second win of the season.  With that performance, Crawford is now averaging 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while adding 18 blocked shots.

Tunnell Plays In 100th Game Of Career At ISU

Indiana State fields one of its youngest teams in years in 2008, but senior forward Jay Tunnell provides the team some much-needed leadership on and off the court.  Against DePauw, Tunnell played in his 100th career game at Indiana State and finished with 10 points  and five rebounds in 17 minutes of action.  In those 100 games, the Topeka, Kan., native started in 94 games while averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 24.9 minutes per game for the Sycamores.

Coming Through In The Clutch

Rashad Reed was Indiana State's leading scorer heading into the team's game against Lamar at the Marques Maybin Classic at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.  When the Sycamores needed a go-ahead basket late in the game against the Cardinals, they went to Reed who connected on a floater in the lane with 0.2 seconds to propel ISU to its first win of the season.  Reed finished the game with 15 points and six rebounds for the Sycamores in the game and now leads the team with an average of 12.9 points per game in seven starts.

Kentucky Brings Out The Best In Cutter, Leitnaker

Freshman point guard Tyler Cutter and sophomore center Brant Leitnaker enjoyed playing over the weekend at the Marques Maybin Classic, as both set new career highs on the historic floor of Freedom Hall.  Cutter played a strong game against No. 11 Louisville, as he scored a career-high eight points in 24 minutes of action.  He followed that up by dishing out a career-high eight assists against Lamar to help the team win its first game of the season.  Leitnaker also had a career effort against Louisville, as he scored a career-high nine points while tying his career high with five rebounds in 15 minutes of action against the Cardinals.

Dialed In From Long Distance

Against Murray State, the Sycamores made a season-high 12 three-pointers score 36 of the team's 61 total points.  Redshirt freshman Keenan Barlow led the way with a 3-for-4 effort to end up with a career-high 11 points, while fellow redshirt freshman Jordan Printy, senior Jay Tunnell, junior Rashad Reed and sophomore Aaron Carter each added two treys against the Racers.

Honoring A True Sycamore Legend

Prior to the start of lSU's first exhibition game against Albion College, 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 Athletics Hall of Fame in March.