INDIANA STATE AT No. 19/20 NORTHERN IOWA
McLeod Center (6,650), Cedar Falls, Iowa
January 21, 2015, 8:07 p.m. (ET)
SETTING THE STAGE
The Indiana State Sycamores continue the Missouri Valley Conference slate as they conclude a two-game Valley road swing on Wednesday, January 21 against No. 19/20 Northern Iowa inside the McLeod Center. The game is set for a 8:07 p.m. (ET) tip-off and can be heard locally on 95.9 FM The Duke as well as online via a link on GoSycamores.com. This is the 119th season of intercollegiate basketball at Indiana State University. The game will be televised by the Missouri Valley Conference TV Network as well as ESPN Full Court and ESPN3. The Sycamores are 9-9, 5-1 MVC and won their first five league contests. Northern Iowa boasts a 16-2 mark and are tied with Indiana State for second place in the league standings with an equal 5-1 league ledger.
QUICK HITS
- Indiana State has made five consecutive trips to the postseason (2010 CBI, 2011 NCAA, 2012 CIT, 2013 & 2014 NIT), which is a new school record.
- The Sycamores have put together four consecutive seasons of 18 or more victories which is a new school record. Indiana State advanced to the 2014 MVC Tournament Championship where they fell to No. 1 Wichita State.
- Indiana State is 59-5 when holding teams to 63 points or less under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing (and 16-0 when limiting teams to 53 or less).
- Indiana State has earned 59 close victories (five points or less) since 2005. Under Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 33-15 in close games.
- Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing owns four victories over nationally-ranked teams during his tenure, which is tied for the school record with Bill Hodges.
- Brenton Scott set a new career-high with 21 points in the narrow 84-78 loss at Drake.
- Tre' Bennett came off the bench to lead the Sycamores with 15 points in the MVC opening victory over Illinois State on New Year's Eve. He followed that up with another 15-point performance as the Sycamores earned a 79-75 overtime victory against Evansville on January 4. He scored the game winning bucket with 2.1 seconds remaining on Wednesday night against Illinois State.
- Justin Gant tallied a career-high 24 points as he hit 9-of-13 field goals to pace the Sycamores to a 71-56 win over Missouri State on January 7. He is the reigning MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week.
An Indiana State Win Over Northern Iowa Would ...
• Be the Sycamores third consecutive victory inside the McLeod Center as well as their fifth overall victory inside the building (most of all MVC schools).
• Improve the Sycamores to 6-1 in MVC play for the second consecutive season.
• Continue to hold the Sycamores at second in the MVC for league wins over the last five seasons with 47.
The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is 88-64 (.579) overall in his fifth season as a head coach. He is 46-32 all-time in MVC games, including a 30-9 mark at home and a 16-23 record on the road. During his career, he is 49-16 in all home games, 26-36 on the road, 13-11 in neutral court contests and 33-15 in games decided by five points or less. Lansing is 6-2 against Northern Iowa and is 3-1 against the Panthers on the road. With the Trees, Lansing is 7-5 in overtime games and 59-5 when holding teams to 63 points or less. Lansing has led the Sycamores to the postseason in each of his first four seasons with the Sycamores (2011 NCAA, 2012 CIT, 2013, 2014 NIT). Wednesday's game will be Greg Lansing's 153rd as Indiana State head coach. Lansing is the second head coach to lead the Sycamores to the NCAA Tournament in their rookie campaign in the history of the program, with the other being Bill Hodges leading ISU to a 33-1 record and a Final Four appearance in the 1979 NCAA Tournament. Lansing was just the 14th rookie head coach in the history of the MVC to lead his team to 20 victories during their debut season. Against nationally-ranked opponents Lansing holds a 4-11 record, including a 3-5 mark in road contests. He is tied with Bill Hodges for most victories over a nationally-ranked team (four) in the history of the program.
Television Particulars
The Northern Iowa game will be shown live nationally on the MVC TV Network as well as ESPN Full Court and online on ESPN3. The telecast will be cleared live on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana Plus and FOX Sports Kansas City Comcast SportsNet Chicago, ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri), DirecTV (Channel 671), Dish Network (Channel 418), AT&T U-Verse (Channel 748) and AT&T U-Verse HD (Channels 748/1748). FOX Sports Indiana Plus clearances include: Comcast-Indianapolis, Shelbyville, Lafayette and Muncie (Channel 81), Time Warner-Terre Haute (Channel 254). It is always best to check your local listings ahead of time as TV clearance information may change late. ESPN Full Court is a subscription service, check your cable or satellite program guide for details and channel listings.
A Little History
Indiana State is currently in its 119th season of college basketball at the school. The Sycamores are 1,435-1,231 all-time on the hardwood.
Brenton Scott Named MVC Newcomer Of The Week Following Illinois State and Drake Contests
Indiana State redshirt freshman Brenton Scott was named the MVC Newcomer Of The Week following the Illinois State and Drake contests. Scott hit 50 percent of his shots (11-of-22), including six 3-pointers and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line as the Sycamores split a pair of contests against Illinois State and Drake. Scott averaged 17.0 points to lead the team during the week. He played a team-high 70 minutes as he opened the week with 13 points in the thrilling overtime victory over the Redbirds. Against Illinois State, Scott was 4-of-8 from the field, including a 2-of-2 mark from distance to go with three rebounds and two assists, one blocked shot and one steal. At Drake, Scott ignited a second half run en route to scoring 21 points. He went 7-of-14 from the field and hit a career-high four 3-pointers. He added three rebounds and an assist in the game.
Tre' Bennett's Game Winner Downs Illinois State In Overtime
Indiana State junior guard Tre' Bennett was the hero on January 14 as the Sycamores downed visiting Illinois State 71-70 in overtime. Bennett scored 12 points in the game, but his last two were most important as he grabbed a loose ball and drove through the lane for a lay-up with 2.1 seconds on the clock in extra time to give the Sycamores a victory. Bennett's game-winner was his 33rd field goal as a Sycamore. Of course 33 is considered a lucky number for Indiana State Basketball as the Legend, Larry Bird, wore that number during his time in Terre Haute and his retired jersey hangs in the rafters of Hulman Center. Bennett's shot backed up a strong effort from senior Jake Kitchell who scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Redshirt freshman Brenton Scott was solid with 13 points and a perfect night from the 3-point arc (2-of-2) as well as the free throw line (3-of-3).
Sycamores With Second-Best Record In MVC Play Over Last Five Seasons
In the last five seasons under the direction of head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores have amassed a total of 46 Missouri Valley Conference victories. Those 46 MVC wins by coach Lansing are the second-most in the history of the program as he trails only Royce Waltman who won 69 league games during his tenure. Additionally, the 46 MVC victories for the Sycamores since the 2010-11 campaign ranks second-best among current conference members. Wichita State's 66 leads the league while Indiana State has 46. Wednesday's opponent, Northern Iowa, is third with 45.
Indiana State Started League Play With Just Fourth-Ever 5-0 MVC Record
With the 71-70 overtime victory over Illinois State, the Sycamores improved to 5-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play for just the fourth time in the history of the program. Two of those instances came in 1977-78 & 1978-79 with Larry Bird on the floor. The other two have come in the last two years with Greg Lansing in charge of the program. In each of those four seasons, the Sycamores looked for a 6-0 MVC start on the road with only the 1978-79 team able to pull out the victory.
Sycamores Doing Damage At The Free Throw Line
The Indiana State Sycamores are ranked 31st nationally, a mark which leads the Missouri Valley Conference, with 297 free throws made. They are getting to the free throw line at a Valley-leading pace of 434 attempts which ranks 29th nationally. Individually, Devonte Brown has visited the charity stripe 119 times to lead the MVC and rank 27th in the NCAA, while his 72 makes at the line is fourth in the conference and 100th in the nation.
Justin Gant's Career-High 24 Points Fuels Sycamores To Win Over Missouri State; Earns MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week
Indiana State senior forward Justin Gant hit 9-of-13 shots from the field in scoring a career-high 24 points as the Sycamores earned a 71-56 victory over Missouri State on January 7. For his efforts, Gant, who owns a 3.30 GPA in Criminology, was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week. Indiana State used a 12-0 run to start the game and then scored 10 in a row midway through the second half to earn the 15 point victory. The Sycamores have trended in the correct direction on defense lately as they have held three of their last four opponents to a 40 percent shooting percentage or lower.
Devonte Brown Closes Out Salukis And Earns MVC Player Of The Week Nod
Indiana State junior guard Devonte Brown was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player Of The Week for his efforts in the wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois. Brown averaged 19.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds over the two-game stretch. For the week, Brown found his shooting stroke as he went 14-of-19 from the field (73.7 percent) as well as 4-of-5 from 3-point range. The week started for Brown with 16 points as he went 7-of-10 from the field, including one 3-pointer in the 71-56 victory over the Bears. He then went on to score three points in the first half at SIU and the Sycamores found themselves down by 11 points at the half. After falling behind by as many as 14 after the break, Brown scored 19 points in the final 15 minutes, including 10 of the team's final 13 as the Sycamores erased the deficit and pulled out a thrilling 59-56 road win over the Salukis. Brown hit 7-of-9 shots from the field and was perfect from 3-point range as all of his makes and attempts from behind the arc came in the final three minutes. His first triple came with 2:40 to go to draw the Sycamores within 52-50. After a defensive stop, Brown popped another with 2:05 remaining to give the Sycamores their first lead of the game at 53-52. SIU then responded with a basket and Justin Gant hit a trifecta for a two-point Sycamore lead. With 11 seconds to go, SIU hit a long jumper to tie the game at 56 before Brown took the ball down the floor without a timeout and hit a 25-foot three-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining to give the Sycamores the thrilling 59-56 victory.
63 Is The Magic Number
The Sycamores win by the score of 59-56 on January 10, 2015 vs. Missouri State was ISU's fourth this season in which they held an opponent to 63 points or less and earned the victory. ISU was 15-1 last season when holding an opponent under that total. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 59-5 when allowing less than 63 points to the opposition (including a 16-0 mark when holding teams to 53 or less).
Indiana State In Games Against Nationally-Ranked Foes
Indiana State owns 13 victories all-time against nationally-ranked teams, with a school-record tying four of those coming under fifth-year coach Greg Lansing. A 76-57 victory over No. 13 Creighton on Feb. 6, 2013 marks the last win for Indiana State against a nationally-ranked foe inside Hulman Center. ISU also defeated No. 21 Notre Dame on the road on November 17, 2013. Wednesday opponent, Northern Iowa, is ranked in both national polls. The Sycamores will look to snap a four-game losing skid against nationally-ranked opponents when they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa. Under coach Lansing, the Sycamores are 3-5 when playing a nationally-ranked team on the road.
Sycamores Have Had Success In Bounce Back Games Under Head Coach Greg Lansing
In the last five seasons, the Sycamores have been known as a team with the ability to bounce back from defeat. Since the 2010-11 campaign, the Sycamores are 36-25 (.590) in a game which follows a loss. Indiana State won seven consecutive games following a loss last season. The Sycamores bounced back in the MVC opener against Illinois State from a double overtime defeat at the hands of Missouri-Kansas City on December 28. Another chance to bounce back awaits on Wednesday night at Northern Iowa following this past weekend's defeat at Drake.
Good Starter On The Battery
Indiana State is 6-4 this season when the Sycamore starters outscore their counterparts for the opposition. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 52-17 when the ISU starting five scores more than their opponent's starters after doing so in the win over Illinois State.
Sycamore Success Against “Power 6” Teams Under Greg Lansing
With its 83-70 victory over Notre Dame last season, the Sycamores have won back-to-back games against the Atlantic Coast Conference as ISU downed Miami (Fla.) on December 25, 2012 as part of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Classic. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 5-7 against teams from “Power 6” Conferences, and all 12 of those contests have either come on the road or on a neutral court.
Sycamore Success Inside Hulman Center Under Greg Lansing
The Sycamores are 49-16 (.754) inside Hulman Center under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing. The Sycamores have won 39 of their last 51 home games. Additionally, the Sycamores have won 30 of their last 39 MVC games at home. The Sycamores finished 11-2 at home last season and are 6-4 (including 3-0 in MVC play) so far in 2014-15.
Indiana State Picked Sixth In Missouri Valley Conference Race
The Indiana State basketball team has been picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference race as announced on October 28 by the league office as part of its annual MVC Basketball Tipoff festivities held at Palladium St. Louis. The league preseason poll is conducted by a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and a media panel. The Sycamores finished second last season in the MVC race with an overall record of 23-11 and a 12-6 mark in league play. Indiana State garnered 219 points to be picked sixth from the 46-person voting panel. The prediction includes the Sycamores finishing ahead of Southern Illinois (191 points), Bradley (140 points), Drake (92 points) and Loyola (91 points). Defending league champion Wichita State was picked to win the league with 45 first place votes and 459 points. Northern Iowa was second with a total of 411 points. Missouri State was third (338 points), Evansville fourth (300 points) and Illinois State was sixth with one first place vote (287 points).
Sycamores Make Fifth Consecutive Trip To The Postseason
With Indiana State's appearance in the 2014 National Invitation Tournament, the Sycamores have now made five consecutive trips to postseason play, including two in a row to the NIT. ISU played in the 2010 College Basketball Invitational as well as the 2011 NCAA Tournament in addition to the CIT Tournament in 2012 and the NIT in 2013 and 2014. It marks the first time in the history of the Indiana State basketball program that the Sycamores have reached the postseason in five consecutive seasons. Indiana State is the only team to play in each of the four national postseason tournaments over the past five seasons.
Sycamores Have Reached 18-Victory Mark For School Record Fourth Consecutive Season
Indiana State finished 23-11 last season. The Sycamores with their 23 victories now have four consecutive seasons of 18 or more wins. It marks the first four-year stretch in the 119-year history of the program that the Sycamores have won at least 18 games in four or more seasons in a row. Additionally, the Sycamores locked up their fifth consecutive winning season, the longest such stretch of over .500 seasons since the 1960's.
Former Sycamore Jake Odum Now Overseas Enjoying Success In Greece
Former Indiana State guard Jake Odum, who finished his career first in career made free throws and career free throws attempted, five in points scored, and second in assists as well as steals has graduated. Odum is currently playing professionally in Greece, and has played for both the Indiana Pacers as well as the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer League in Orlando and Las Vegas. Former Sycamores Manny Arop and David Moss are also continuing their careers in the professional ranks overseas.
Up Next
Indiana State returns home to face Loyola on Saturday, January 24 inside Hulman Center. Tip-off is set for 1:05 p.m. (ET).
