SETTING THE STAGE
Indiana State Basketball continues its 125th season on Wednesday, December 18 as they host Tennessee State with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. (ET) inside the Hulman Center. The game will be televised live worldwide on ESPN3. The game will also be broadcast on WIBQ 97.9 FM as well as streamed (audio) on GoSycamores.com.
QUICK HITS
Indiana State has hit at least one 3-pointer in every game since December 20, 2008 against DePauw -- a span of 352 contests, which is the third-longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Greg Lansing is just the second head coach in the history of the program to record at least 150 victories at the helm of the Sycamores as he owns 153. His career win total is second-best at ISU (and his 80 MVC wins is the most in the history of the program). He also owns the school record with five wins over nationally-ranked teams.
Indiana State picked up program win No. 1,500 on December 3 against North Dakota State. The Sycamores are the 5th team among the current Missouri Valley Conference membership to win at least 1,500 basketball games.
A Win Over Tennessee State Would ...
• Improve the Sycamores to a perfect 3-0 all-time against the Tigers.
• Improve the Sycamores to 3-0 inside Hulman Center this season.
• Give the Sycamores a season-high six game winning streak -- its longest since a seven-gamer from December 21, 2013 - January 15, 2014. That seven game winning streak included a spotless 5-0 start to Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing (South Dakota, 1990) is 153-146 (.512) overall in his tenth season as a head coach. He is 80-82 all-time in MVC games, including a 54-27 mark at home and a 26-55 record on the road. During his career, he is 90-40 in all home games, 43-79 on the road, 21-26 in neutral court contests and 50-39 in games decided by five points or less. With the Trees, Lansing is 13-14 in overtime games and 97-10 when holding teams to 63 points or less. This is coach Lansing's first all-time meeting with Tennessee State. Lansing led the Sycamores to the postseason in each of his first four seasons at the helm (2011 NCAA, 2012 CIT, 2013 & 2014 NIT). 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. Lansing holds the school record for most victories over a nationally-ranked team (five) in the history of the program. Lansing is currently second on the Indiana State all-time coaching victories list with 153. His 80 MVC victories are a school record.
A Little History
Indiana State is in its 125th season of college basketball at the school. The Sycamores are 1,501-1,313 all-time on the hardwood. ISU is only the fifth Missouri Valley Conference team to record at least 1,500 all-time victories.
Television Particulars
The Sycamores game against the Tigers will be televised live nationally on ESPN3.
Tyreke Key In Top 15 Nationally For Free Throw Percentage
Sycamore Basketball junior Tyreke Key has hit 50-of-54 free throw attempts this year and owns a 92.6 free throw percentage mark. That tally leads the Missouri Valley Conference and is ranked 15th-best in the country. He had his first miss since November 17 back on December 3 in his final attempt against North Dakota State which ended a string of 32 made free throws in a row. That is a new school record (in the MVC era) and is tied for 14th-best in the history of the MVC.
Sycamores Leading The MVC (4th Nationally) in 3-Point FG Percentage
The Sycamores have hit 75-of-177 attempts from 3-point range so far this season which equates to a mark of 42.4 percent. That number not only leads the Missouri Valley Conference, but is fourth-best in the country. Saint Mary's (Calif.) leads the country at 45.7 percent while the Sycamores trail only McNeese State and Coastal Carolina by less than four tenth of a percentage. Individually, Jordan Barnes ranks 46th in the nation for 3-point shooting percentage by hitting 43.4 percent of his attempts from long distance.
Indiana State Looking To Extend Five Game Winning Streak This Week
Indiana State enjoyed finals week with an 11-day layoff and riding a five-game winning streak – its best since early into the 2018-19 season when the Sycamores dropped their season opener but improved to 5-1 with a win over Wright State. Indiana State looks for their longest winning streak since a 7-game spurt of wins from December 21, 2013 through January 15, 2014 which included a 5-0 start to Missouri Valley Conference play as they host Tennessee State on December 18 and Chicago State on December 22.
Jordan Barnes Up To No. 3 On ISU 3-Pointers Made List
Indiana State senior Jordan Barnes owns 1,307 points in his career – which makes him the active career scoring leader at Indiana State. Barnes now has 238 3-pointers in his career and he is in sole possession of third place on the Sycamore Basketball career 3-point chart. He needs 32 more trifectas to tie Brenton Scott for second. His 1,307 career points ranks 14th in the history of the program. He needs only 14 more to reach No. 13 all-time at Indiana State and pass legendary Sycamore free throw shooter Ray Goddard. As a sophomore in 2017-18, he hit the 1,000 point mark in his 77th career game -- the fourth-fastest to reach the mark in program history. Larry Bird owns the school record hitting the 1,000 point milestone in just 31 career games.
Greg Lansing Second On ISU Wins List With 153
Greg Lansing became just the second head coach in the history of the program to record at least 150 victories when he picked that milestone win on Sunday, November 24 in the Bahamas against Air Force. His 153 career victories rank second in the history of the program. In 2018, with the Sycamores' victory at home over Illinois State, he earned his 73rd career MVC victory which is a school record. Coach Lansing now only trails Duane Klueh who owns the school record with 182 career victories. He currently holds the school record with 80 all-time MVC regular season victories.
Sycamores Secure Program Win No. 1,500 Against North Dakota State
Indiana State picked up historic win No. 1,500 in program history with a 71-60 victory over North Dakota State on December 3, 2019. Among the current membership only Bradley, Illinois State, Missouri State, Southern Illinois and Indiana State have won as many as 1,500 games in their program's history.
Taking Care Of The Rock Against The Bison
Indiana State limited their turnovers to a season-best five in the 71-60 win over North Dakota State. It was the lowest turnover total by a Sycamore team since a 2013 contest against Creighton. The Sycamores only turnover in the entire second half came in the final seconds when they intentionally took a shot clock violation in the waning seconds of the victory over the Bison.
Sycamores Enjoy Two Wins And Runner Up Finish At Junkanoo Jam
The Sycamores traveled to beautiful Bimini, Bahamas last week for the 2019 edition of the Junkanoo Jam and came away with a runner-up finish as well as a 2-1 record. ISU has enjoyed great success in MTE play under 10th-year head coach Greg Lansing as the Sycamores have now earned 15 victories, including third place finishes in recent years during the Advocare Invitational, Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic and Paradise Jam. ISU finished as the runner in 2018 at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Classic and the 2019 Junkanoo Jam.
63 Is The Magic Number
The Sycamores win by the score of 71-60 on December 3, 2019 against North Dakota State was ISU's third this year in which they held an opponent to 63 points or less and earned the victory. Under 10th-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 97-10 when allowing less than 63 points to the opposition (including a 21-0 mark when holding teams to 53 or less).
Good Starter On The Battery
Indiana State's starting five has outscored the opposition's top five six times this season and have earned the win five times in those situations. Under 10th-year head coach Greg Lansing, the Sycamores are 102-29 when the ISU starting five scores more than their opponent's starters.
Indiana State With A Pair Of Top 10 Career Scorers In Their Respective High School States
A pair of Indiana State players in Tyreke Key and Cooper Neese are in the Top 10 in career scoring in both of their respective home states. Key finished his career at Clay County High School in Celina, Tenn., with 3,287 points scored which is 10th most in the history of the state of Tennessee. As a senior, he set the Tennessee High School record for most points scored in a season, breaking a 25-year old record held previously by Kentucky legend Tony Delk. Cooper Neese, who will sit out the 2017-18 season serving his year-in-residence as a transfer, enters his Indiana State career having scored 2,496 career points at nearby Cloverdale High School which is seventh-best in the Indiana High School Basketball history.
Sycamores Tally School Record Fifth Victory Over Nationally-Ranked Team Under Lansing
Indiana State ended a skid of nine losses to nationally-ranked teams when No. 15/16 Butler fell inside Hulman Center on December 7, 2017 by the score of 72-71. Coach Lansing has led the Sycamores to a school-record five victories against nationally-ranked teams during his time at the helm of the program. He passed Bill Hodges (head coach of the Dream Team in 1978-79) and Royce Waltman (head coach of the Sycamores during back-to-back NCAA Tourney trips in 2000 & 2001) for the most in program history with the win over Butler. It was just the second victory for the Sycamores under Lansing at home against a nationally-ranked team and the first overall since a win at No. 21 Notre Dame in 2013.
Greg Lansing Inducted Into Iowa High School Basketball Hall Of Fame
Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Fame as part of their 2016 class. Lansing and the other selected inductees were honored individually at halftime of the Iowa Class 4A State Championship Game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on March 12. The IHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame is the highest honor the Iowa High School Board of Control can bestow on a high school coach or former player. Lansing graduated from Harlan High School in 1986, where he was coached by his father Dave, who was inducted into the IHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 as a coach. The Lansing father/son combination of Dave and Greg are just the 10th father/son duo to both be inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1969.
Up Next
Indiana State closes out non-conference play in the regular season on Sunday, December 22 when they host Chicago State inside Hulman Center. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. (ET). During the game, the Sycamores will celebrate the 30th anniversary of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as well as host a halftime game featuring members of the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center Winter League.
