SETTING THE STAGE
Indiana State continues year one of the Greg Lansing era on Wednesday evening, February 16, when the Sycamores continue Missouri Valley Conference play by traveling to the SIU Arena to take on Southern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 8:05 p.m. (ET). The game can be seen live on Saluki Game Central which is a pay-per-view web stream service found on SIUSalukis.com. The game will also be broadcast live locally on the radio via ESPN Radio 92.7 FM & 1300 AM, as Brian Fritz and Matt Renn describe the action with an internet broadcast available on GoSycamores.com. Additionally live stats for the contest can be found at GoSycamores.com.

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SERIES
SIU holds a 76-39 lead in the all-time series, including a 46-10 mark against Indiana State in Carbondale in a series which dates back to December 15, 1916. Southern Illinois is one of just six schools in which the Sycamores have played at least 100 times in the history of the program.

THE HEAD COACHES
INDIANA STATE: Greg Lansing (South Dakota, '90)
- at Indiana State: 14-12 (First Season)
- Overall: 14-12 (First Season)
- vs. Southern Illinois: First Meeting
- vs. Missouri Valley Conference: 9-6
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Chris Lowery (Southern Illinois, '95)
- Overall: 135-89 (Seventh Season)
- at Southern Illinois: 135-89 (Seventh Season)
- vs. Indiana State: 9-4

QUICK HITS
- Indiana State has won a total of five games by five points or less this season, upping their total of close victories to 31 since 2005.
- Sycamore freshman Jake Odum recorded the third 20-point scoring game of his career with 20 points against Drake. Odum hit 8-of-12 shots from the field against the Bulldogs and he added 10 rebounds to post the first double-double of his career. Odum has reached double figures scoring in each of the last three games.
- ISU junior Carl Richard has led the Sycamores in rebounding 13 games this season and has paced the Sycamores in scoring a total of six times. Richard set a career-high with five offensive rebounds against Illinois State.
- Indiana State is 5-2 on the season when Jake Odum records three or more steals in a game.
- Indiana State has won all six of their games this season (6-0) when its had a field goal percentage of 48.1% or better.
- ISU has won 75% of the time this season (9-3) after holding an opponent to under 28.6% three point percentage.

An Indiana State Win Over Southern Illinois Would ...
• Give the Sycamores a total of 10 league victories, which would be the most for the Trees since the 2000-01 campaign in which the Sycamores finished the season 10-8 and won Arch Madness as the lowest seed to ever take the event as the No. 5 seed.
• Be Indiana State's first victory at Southern Illinois since February 18, 2008, a 78-72 Sycamore victory and just the 11th-ever road victory over the Salukis.
• Give the Sycamores four Valley road victories, its most since earning four in 2008-09.

The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is 14-12 (.538) overall in his first season as a head coach. He is 9-6 all-time in MVC games, including a 6-2 mark at home, a 3-4 mark on the road and a 0-0 record in neutral court contests. During his career, he is 9-2 in all home games, 4-8 on the road, 1-2 in neutral court contests and 5-3 in games decided by five points or less. Lansing is 0-0 all-time against Southern Illinois, including a 0-0 record inside SIU Arena. With the Trees, Lansing is 0-2 in overtime games and 11-0 when holding teams to 63 points or less. Saturday's game is Greg Lansing's 27th as Indiana State head coach.

Television Particulars
Wednesday afternoon's game can be found on the internet via a pay-per-view web stream on SIU Game Central produced by SIUSaluikis.com.

A Little History
Indiana State is currently in its 115th season of college basketball at the school. The Sycamores are 1,362-1,178 all-time on the hardwood. Indiana State's game at Oral Roberts this season was the historic 2,500th game in the history of the program.

Jake Odum Takes Home Second MVC Newcomer Of The Week Honor
Jake Odum earned MVC Newcomer Of The Week honors this week for the second time this season. He paced the team with a 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds this past week as the Sycamores swept Illinois State and Drake. Odum hit 12-of-21 shots from the field (57.1 percent), including a pair of 3-pointers and was 7-of-11 from the free throw line. He added six assists and five steals over the two-game stretch. Odum opened the week by posting 13 points and eight rebounds at Illinois State, hitting 4-of-9 shots from the field and going 5-of-6 at the free throw line. He added two assists and three steals versus the Redbirds. He went on to notch his third 20-point scoring performance of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds in notching his first career double-double against Drake. Odum filled the basket up going 8-of-12 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers. He added four assists and two steals versus the Bulldogs.

Sycamores' Win Streak Over Drake Reaches Six In A Row
With its 75-63 victory over Drake, the Sycamores have now won six in a row over the Bulldogs, which is the longest active winning streak for the Trees against any Valley opponents. It is also the longest winning streak against a member of the Valley since the Sycamores won seven in a row against Evansville from Feb. 12, 2000 through Jan. 4, 2003.

Indiana State Looking For First 10-Win Valley Season Since 2000-01
The Sycamores have amassed a total of nine MVC victories for the second consecutive season and with one more win in the final three league contests will reach 10 league victories for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign. In 2000-01, which is the last time the Trees won at least 10 regular season MVC contests, Indiana State became the lowest seeded team (No. 5) to ever win Arch Madness. Indiana State has won at least 10 MVC contests in a single season just seven times since joining the conference in 1977-78 (a total of 33 seasons).

19-1 Run Closes Out Sycamore Road Victory Over Illinois State
Indiana State found itself down by the score of 45-37 with 9:36 left in the contest against Illinois State inside Redbird Arena but used a 19-1 run over the final nine plus minutes of the game to secure a 56-46 road victory over the Redbirds. ISU hit 11-of-13 free throws down the stretch to help secure the victory. The Sycamore defense allowed just a Tony Lewis free throw with 1:37 left during the game winning stretch of play.

Sycamores Get Defensive At Illinois State
Indiana State recorded a Redbird Arena opponent record 16 steals in the 56-46 road victory over Illinois State. It was just one shy of the overall arena record. It was the most steals for the Sycamores since they posted 16 against Drake on March 2, 2006 at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Sycamores Will Play Morehead State In ESPN Bracketbusters
Indiana State was downed by last season's opponent Green Bay by the score of 60-59 on the road as part of the Brackbusters series. This season the Sycamores will host Morehead State this season inside Hulman Center. The Sycamores game against Morehead State scheduled for February 19 will mark's ISU's seventh year of participation in the scheduling concept. The Sycamores are 3-3 in the original game as part of the Bracketbuster series, and are 2-3 in the return portion of the series the following year. ISU dropped both games to Buffalo in the first two seasons of its participation in Bracketbusters (03-04 & 04-05); swept Western Michigan (05-06 & 06-07); was swept by Miami (Ohio) (06-07 & 07-08); split with Murray State (07-08 & 08-09) and downed Toledo twice last year. Overall, ISU is 5-6 against Bracketbusters opponents.

Carl Richard's Buzzer Beater Against Creighton Featured On ESPN
Richard added 11 points and eight rebounds against Creighton, but saved his best for last as he hauled in a Jake Odum 3-point miss and hit a reverse over the shoulder lay-up as time expired to seal ISU's 61-59 victory over the Jays. The play has been featured this weekend on ESPN SportsCenter (garnering No. 2 status on the popular SportsCenter Top 10 Plays segment and was rated the No. 1 Fantastic Finish Of The Day). His play also was featured on ABC's Winner Bracket Program on Saturday, January 22.

Triple The Pleasure; Triple The Fun
Indiana State's triple overtime contest at Wichita State is believed to be the first in over 2,500 all-time Sycamore basketball contests to reach triple overtime. The Sycamores did play a four overtime contest against Butler on December 27, 1986, falling 95-92 -- which is a school record. The triple overtime contest versus the Shockers is first multiple overtime contest in league play for the Sycamores since taking an 85-84 double overtime victory at Northern Iowa in the 2008-09 conference opener. The game was the second overtime contest of the season for the Sycamores, with the other coming in the season's third game against Eastern Kentucky. Over the last five seasons, Indiana State is 10-6 in overtime contests.

Lotsa Boards
Indiana State recorded 51 rebounds in the triple overtime defeat at Wichita State, which is the most a Sycamore team has hauled in during one contest since tallying 54 caroms against Missouri State on Feb. 13, 1997 at home. The school record is 71 rebounds against Chicago State in December 1976.

Good Starter On The Battery
Indiana State is 10-2 this season when the Sycamores starting five outscores the opponent's starting five in a contest. ISU starters have bested their counterparts against UT-Pan American, Buffalo, DePaul, Oakland City, the home contest versus Bradley, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, at Drake, against Creighton and at Illinois State. The Sycamores' two losses this season when the starters outscore the opponents starters came in a triple overtime defeata at Wichita State and also the home court loss to the Shockers.

Valley Win Streak Reached Six
Indiana State rattled off six consecutive league victories earlier this year which is the most for the Sycamores since they tallied seven in a row during the 1999-00 MVC Championship season. ISU's 7-1 start to league play marked the first time the Trees have began MVC competition with as a good mark through seven games since that same season and is tied for the second-best start in Valley play behind the 1978-79 dream season which saw ISU start 7-0 en route to finishing the year undefeated.

Odum More Than "O.K." For ISU As A Freshman
Redshirt freshman Jake Odum has been more than just OK for the Sycamores this season as he is averaging 8.8 points per game so far. Additionally, he is leading the team with 103 assists and 47 steals. His4.0 assists per game average is third in the MVC and is the best of any newcomer in the league so far this season while his 2.0 assist to turnover ratio is fourth in the league and is also the best mark of any Valley newcomer. Odum's 1.8 steals per game average is ranked first in the Missouri Valley Conference. In league games only, Odum's 4.9 assists is second in the league and his 2.2 steals per game are tops in the league. Odum set a new career high with nine assists (against just one turnover) in the 61-59 victory over Creighton. He also scored a career-best 22 points at Creighton.

Printy Moving Up Indiana State 3-Point List
Indiana State junior Jordan Printy currently has 130 career 3-pointers and has tied Greg Thomas for fifth on the ISU all-time list with his trey against Drake. Printy is one of just 14 Sycamores in the history of the program to hit at least 100 3-point field goals in a career. Printy needs 19 more to tie Chad Adkins for fourth on the ISU all-time 3-point list with 149.

63 Is The Magic Number
Indiana State is a perfect 11-0 on the season when allowing less than 63 points to the opposition (including a 6-0 mark when holding teams to 53 or less). ISU's best defensive effort this season that was not rewarded with a victory came on the opening weekend when 64 points allowed in overtime against Eastern Kentucky and another 64 point defensive showing at Evansville. The Trees have held each of their last five opponents below the magic number of 63.

Isiah Martin Ranks Highly For Career Blocked Shots
Indiana State junior Isiah Martin now has 130 blocked shots in his career following his posting of three against Drake. His current total of 130 blocks ranks second all-time in the history of the program as he recently passed Djabril Kante for second (127). The Indiana State school record is 168, set by DeCarsta Webster from 1975-78. Martin needs 38 more to catch Webster for first place. For the season, Martin is averaging 1.0 blocked shots per game and is one of two Sycamores to rank in the Valley's Top 3. Myles Walker's 1.0 blocks per game average is third in the league while Martin's 1.0 is tied with Walker for third. As a team, Indiana State is averaging 4.4 blocked shots per game which is the best in the league. ISU had a season-best 10 blocked shots against Bradley, it most since recording 11 against Evansville during the 2008-09 campaign.

King Of The Four-Point Play
Indiana State senior Aaron Carter has become known as the "King of the 4-Point Play" in Sycamores circles. For the most part, converting a 4-point play is extremely rare, but for Carter it is becoming old hat. Carter has converted a 4-point play, defined as being fouled in the act of shooting a successful 3-point field goal and then converting the free throw, seven times in his Sycamore career, including one against Purdue earlier this season which gave the Trees a brief 31-29 lead just before halftime. Carter posted a pair as a sophomore and had four last year, including one with 3:42 to play in the first half against Drake. Carter converted two in one game last season at Missouri State as part of a 24-point second half comeback for Indiana State. During his career, Carter has been fouled in act of shooting a 3-pointer a total of 15 times.

Prince Of Wales Of The Four-Point Play
Indiana State redshirt freshman RJ Mahurin may not be the Sycamores' King Of The Four-Point Play, but he is currently can be considered the Prince Of Wales. Mahurin has posted two 4-point plays this season, one each in ISU's last two games against Drake and Bradley. His two 4-point plays have each come in the first half of the two contests in which he has been fouled while stepping out for a 3-pointer, has been fouled and has converted the ensuing free throw. Mahurin was fouled on a 3-point attempt against Illinois State, and made all three of his free throws.

Sycamores Sign Devonte Brown & Justin Gant
Indiana State basketball head coach Greg Lansing landed two in his first official recruiting class during the Early Signing Period as Devonte Brown & Justin Gant inked a national letters of intent and will join the Sycamore program next season as incoming freshmen.

Brown is a native of Killeen, Texas where he is a senior guard for Killeen Ellison High School. He is 6-3, 185 and averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists per game at Ellison during his junior season, one year after he earned a starting role for the Screaming Eagles. Brown played shooting guard for 22-11 Ellison last season, leading it to the Texas 5-A playoffs as Killeen's best team in that class. Brown will switch and play point guard during his senior season at Ellison.

Gant is a 6-8, 210 power forward who has been a three-year starter for head coach Todd Woelfle at Terre Haute North Vigo High School. Gant was third in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference in scoring, averaging 17 points per game for the 17-7 Patriots. Gant averaged 17 on a team that scored 50 points per game, one of the best percentages among MIC leaders as far as percentage of points he provided for his team. He also averaged 8 rebounds per game. He played AAU basketball for the Spiece Select 2011 team. Gant averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game for Spiece. He also played for the Indiana Elite team between his sophomore and junior seasons at North.

Up Next
The Sycamores return to action on Saturday, February 19 when Morehead State of the Ohio Valley Conference comes to Hulman Center as part of the Sears Bracketbuster scheduling concept. Tip-off is set for 1:05 p.m. (ET).