TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State head basketball coach Greg Lansing announced today that junior Mike Samuels, a transfer from Wabash Valley College, has signed a national letter of intent with the Sycamores and will join the program in time for the 2012-13 campaign.

"We are very excited about Big Mike joining our Basketball Family," coach Lansing commented. "With losing two starters at our interior positions there is a void that needs to be filled. We love what we have returning with RJ, Kitch and Justin and adding Mike to our early signees of Rhett and TJ we feel we have a very good group to work with.  You can't teach 6-11 and 265 lbs as well as Mike's skill level for his size just oozes potential. In coachspeak, he has a HUGE upside. Mike comes from a very good JUCO program at Wabash Valley College and coach Dan Sparks. Coach Ragland recruited Mike while at Vincennes and did an outstanding job in landing him here."

Samuels is a 6-11, 265 center who recently completed his sophomore season at Wabash Valley College for Sparks. He is a native of Bushkill, Pa., where he played at East Stroudburg North High School.

The Warriors achieved a 25-9 record this past year and finished in eighth place nationally in the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. Samuels averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 26 games played.

He hit 48 percent of his shots on the year as well as 28 free throws with 19 blocked shots, eight assists and three steals.

Samuels joins T.J. Bell and Rhett Smith as newcomers to the Sycamore basketball team next season. Bell and Smith recently completed their senior high school campaigns and will be incoming freshmen next year.