INDIANA STATE VS. LOYOLA
Scottrade Center (20,948), St. Louis, Mo.
March 6, 2015, 9:35 p.m. (ET)
SETTING THE STAGE
The Indiana State Sycamores begin play in the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Friday, March 6 against Loyola inside Scottrade Center. The game is set for a 9:35 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. The quarterfinal game will be televised on FSN Midwest, FSN Indiana Plus, FSN Kansas City, Comcast SN Chicago (tape delay) and world wide on ESPN3. The Sycamores are 15-15, 11-7 MVC after winning the regular season finale against Bradley. The Ramblers are 18-12, 8-10 MVC after winning their final two games of the season.
SYCAMORES AT ARCH MADNESS
Indiana State enters the 2015 edition of Arch Madness at the No. 3 seed in the tournament. The last time the Sycamores were the three seed, they won their third-ever MVC Tournament back in 2011. Indiana State used victories over No. 6 Evansville, No. 2 Wichita State and No. 1 Missouri State to earn their fourth trip in program history to the NCAA Tournament. Indiana State is 25-31 all-time in MVC Tournament play, including a record of 6-1 (1978, & 2011) when they enter as they No. 3 seed. In the two previous times the Sycamores have earned the No. 3 seed at Arch Madness, they have reached the MVC Tournament Championship Game. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 7-3 in the MVC Tournament.
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 64-8 when holding teams to 63 points or less under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing (and 17-0 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 33-16 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 and Royce Waltman.
- Devonte Brown leads the team with 20 double digit scoring performances this season. He recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds at Bradley.
- Khristian Smith has led the team in scoring in two consecutive games (Wichita State/20 & Bradley/16).
An Indiana State Win Over Loyola Would ...
• Secure a win in five consecutive trips to Arch Madness in St. Louis.
• Extend the Sycamores winning streak over the Ramblers to six.
• Be the Sycamores' first win on a neutral court this season.
• Be the Sycamores second victory in a row over Loyola at the MVC Tournament.
• Improve the Sycamores to 8-3 under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing at the MVC Tournament.
The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is 94-70 (.573) overall in his fifth season as a head coach. He is 52-38 all-time in MVC games, including a 34-11 mark at home and an 18-27 record on the road. During his career, he is 53-18 in all home games, 28-40 on the road, 13-11 in neutral court contests and 33-16 in games decided by five points or less. Lansing is 5-1 against Loyola and is 1-0 against the Ramblers in the MVC Tournament. With the Trees, Lansing is 7-5 in overtime games and 64-8 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). Friday's game will be Greg Lansing's 165th 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 4-12 record, including a 1-4 mark in home contests. He is tied with Bill Hodges and Royce Waltman for most victories over a nationally-ranked team (four) in the history of the program. Lansing is currently sixth on the Indiana State all-time coaching victories list and needs 26 more to tie John Longfellow for fifth.
Television Particulars
The Loyola game will be televised by the MVC TV Network. The game will be cleared on Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Indiana Plus (due to conflict with Indiana Pacers), Fox Sports Kansas City, Comcast SportsNet Chicago (tape delay at 3:30 a.m. on March 7), ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri) and Directv (Channel 671), Dish Network (Channel 418 or 412-08) and ATT&T U-Verse (Channels 748 and 1748). FOX Sports Indiana Plus can be found on Clay County/Endeavor – Channel 27 or 28; Comcast-Fort Wayne – Channel 9 (SD) or 1681 (HD); Comcast-Indianapolis – Channel 81; New Wave-Greencastle/Vincennes – Channels 80/208; Time Warner-Evansville – Channel 2, 12.1 or 505 and Time Warner-Terre Haute – Channel 13.
A Little History
Indiana State is currently in its 119th season of college basketball at the school. The Sycamores are 1,441-1,237 all-time on the hardwood.
Indiana State and Wichita State Are The Only Two Teams With Win At Arch Madness Last 4 Years
Indiana State enters Friday night's quarterfinal matchup against Loyola with at least one win in each of the last four editions of Arch Madness. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores have won at least one game each season he has been at the helm. The Sycamores have been to a pair of MVC Tournament Championship Games, one semifinal and one quarterfinal during Lansing's tenure. The Sycamores are joined by Wichita State as the only two Valley teams to win at least one conference tournament game in each of the last four seasons.
Sycamores Own Third-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 51 Missouri Valley Conference victories. Those 51 MVC wins by coach Lansing are second-most in the history of the program as he trails only Royce Waltman who won 69 league games during his tenure. Additionally, the 51 MVC victories for the Sycamores since the 2010-11 campaign ranks third-best among current conference members. Wichita State's 75 leads the league while Indiana State has 51 and Northern Iowa is second with 56.
Brenton Scott Named MVC Freshman Of The Year
Indiana State redshirt freshman Brenton Scott has been named the MVC Freshman Of The Year. It is the third time a Sycamore has taken the honor as Scott follows Eddie Bird (1988) and David Moss (2003) as prior winners. The award has been handed out annually since 1986. Scott's 11.4 points per game average ranks 14th-best in the MVC and he hit 44.9 percent of shots from 3-point range which is second in the league. He tied for third in the Valley with 1.9 3-pointers made per game. In MVC play, Scott owns an 11.7 ppg average to rank 10th as he made 78.3 percent of his free throws -- good enough for eighth. He connected on 50.0 percent of his shots from distance in Valley games to rank second and averaged 2.2 3-pointers per league game to rank tied for third.
Devonte Brown Makes It Nine Years In A Row For Sycamores In All-MVC Voting
Junior guard Devonte Brown took home his first career all-conference honor as he was selected to the All-MVC Second Team following a postseason vote. Brown's honor extends a school-record stretch of nine consecutive years in which a Sycamore has been named to one of the All-MVC Teams. Additionally, Brown finished sixth in the Larry Bird MVC Player Of The Year voting and was named the MVC's Most Improved Player. Brown's 180 free throw attempts led the league and is ranked 43rd nationally, while his 117 free throws made is third in the MVC and 98th nationally. He ranks eighth in the league in scoring with a 12.2 ppg average while his 4.6 rebounds per game ranks 15th. He hit 46.7 percent of his shots from the field to rank ninth in the MVC while his 3.2 assists per game ranks fifth. Brown put together an 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio to rank ninth and his 4.1 defensive rebounds per game ranks fourth in the league. In MVC games, Brown averaged 12.1 ppg to rank eighth in the league and he connected on 47.2 percent of his shots to finish 10th. Brown averaged 3.6 assists per MVC game to rank third while his 1.0 assist to turnover ratio ranked seventh. His 3.6 defensive rebounds per MVC game was seventh-best.
Sycamores Record 25th 20-Plus Point Margin Of Victory In Their Valley History
While any win in the Missouri Valley Conference is tough to come by, a win by 20 or more points is even more rare for the Sycamores. Since Indiana State joined the league for the 1977-78 campaign, Indiana State has earned 25 victories by at least 20 points. The Sycamores' win by 21 points over Drake on Valentine's Day was its first over 20 points since a 2011 victory over Northern Iowa by 25 points. Indiana State added a 20-point win over Southern Illinois on February 21 for its second of the season. Indiana State's 65-44 victory in 1998 at Northern Iowa is the program's only win by at least 20 points against a MVC opponent.
Khristian Smith Has Led The Team In Scoring In Each Of Last Two Games
Indiana State junior Khristian Smith averaged 18.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as the Sycamores split games against nationally-ranked Wichita State and on the road versus Bradley. Smith hit 47.8 of his shots from the field, but was 4-of-6 from distance (66.7 percent). He did not miss a free throw, as he made all 10 attempts. Smith added four assists and two blocked shots. He opened the week with a 20-point showing versus Wichita State as he hit 6-of-11 shots, including both of his 3-point attempts. He added seven rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot. Smith also led the team with 16 points at Bradley, with two 3-pointers, three rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot.
Greg Lansing Tied For School Record With Four Wins Over Nationally-Ranked Teams
Indiana State hosts nationally-ranked Wichita State on Wednesday night. The Sycamores are looking to stop a six-game skid against teams appearing in the Top 25, dating back to an 83-70 win at No. 21 Notre Dame on November 17, 2013. Indiana State is 1-6 against the Shockers when they are ranked. The Sycamores own 13 all-time victories against ranked teams, with four of those coming under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing and that mark is tied for the school record with Bill Hodges and Royce Waltman.
Seven Different Sycamores Have Led The Team In Scoring This Year
For much of the 2014-15 season, Indiana State has received big contributions from several players along the way. Of the 10 Sycamores who have played in at least half of the team's games this year, seven have led Indiana State in scoring in at least one game. Brenton Scott has led the Sycamores a team-best seven and a half times this year while Devonte Brown has led the team in scoring seven times. Justin Gant has held team high honors five times. Khristian Smith who has been at the top of the scoring chart 5.5 times, and the Sycamores have used a multitude of weapons over the course of the year. Tre' Bennett and Jake Kitchell have led the team in scoring while Grant Prusator scored 17 points to lead the team against Illinois.
63 Is The Magic Number
The Sycamores win by the score of 60-52 on February 28, 2015 at Bradley was ISU's ninth 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 64-8 when allowing less than 63 points to the opposition (including a 17-0 mark when holding teams to 53 or less).
Exploring the Magic Number League Wide
Indiana State owns a 64-8 record in games under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing in which they hold the opposition to the defense's magic number of 63 points or less. An impressive record, but how does that stack up against other members of the Missouri Valley Conference over the same time period? Wichita State leads the league with 103 victories in games in which they have held a team to 63 points or less while suffering just seven defeats (93.6 winning percentage). The Sycamores are second with a 90.2 winning percentage in such games but rank third to Northern Iowa for total victories as the Panthers owns 78 since the beginning of the 2010-11 campaign.
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 42-26 (.618) in a game which follows a loss. Indiana State has followed up each of its last six defeats by rebounding for a victory.
Good Starter On The Battery
Indiana State is 11-5 this season when the Sycamore starters outscore their counterparts for the opposition. Under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 57-18 when the ISU starting five scores more than their opponent's starters after doing so in the win over Loyola.
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 53-18 (.746) inside Hulman Center under fifth-year head coach Greg Lansing. The Sycamores have won 43 of their last 57 home games. Additionally, the Sycamores have won 34 of their last 45 MVC games at home. The Sycamores finished 11-2 at home last season and are 10-6 (including 7-2 in MVC play) this year.
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.
Up Next
The winner of the Indiana State vs. Loyola game will take on the winner of No. 2 Northern Iowa/No. 7 Drake & No. 10 Bradley on Saturday, March 7 in the MVC Tournament Semifinals. Tip-off is set for 5:05 p.m. and will be televised live on MVC TV and ESPN3.
