TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State head basketball coach Greg Lansing announced today that Cameron Bacote (pronounced BAY-coat) has decided to join the Sycamores as a transfer from Maryland-Eastern Shore. Bacote will sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules.
The 6-3, 195 guard played in 32 games last season, starting 16 of them where he averaged 7.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Bacote connected on 45 3-pointers in 2017-18 and was 15-of-19 from the free throw line. He added 62 assists and recorded 15 steals. He opened his collegiate career with a bang by scoring 28 points with 11 assists in his debut against Valley Forge. He posted 18 points at Maryland two days later and returned to double figures scoring with 12 points each at Virginia Tech and Creighton as part of the team's six-game road swing.
"Brett Carey did a tremendous job in recruiting Cam and developed a positive relationship dating back to his time at Asheville," Lansing said. "Coach Carey brought him to the table when Cam received his release from Maryland-Eastern Shore. Cam has already experienced success at the collegiate level and will now have a year to practice in our system. He is the perfect addition to our program."
Bacote added 22 points and a season-best five rebounds against Central Penn and finished the year with three consecutive double digit scoring efforts including 14 in the conference tournament against Norfolk State. He connected on a season-best six 3-pointers in his first collegiate game against Valley Forge as he hit 6-of-12 (50 percent) from distance and 11-of-18 attempts (61.1 percent) from the field.
He was a four-year starter and 1,000-point scorer at Bethel High School in Hampton, Va., where he averaged 20 points per game as senior. He had five career games of scoring at least 30 points and tallied 40 points against Ocean Lakes during senior year. He was a First-team All-State selection and the 5A Region Player of the Year. Bacote was named the PenSouth Conference Player of the Year as well as a Daily Press All-Star. His team advanced to the 5A state championship game as senior. A well-rounded student-athlete, he was named to the honor roll four years and the National Honor Society as junior and senior. He played AAU for Team Loaded VA (Richmond), advancing to Adidas Summer Championship Final Four.
The Bacote name is well known in the state of Virginia as his father and grandfather, both named Ted, are legends for both playing and coaching football. Cam's older brother Aaron enjoyed a highly successful collegiate career from 2012-2016 at Old Dominion.
