TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the third consecutive season, Indiana State basketball will take part in the cancer research as Jan. 22 has been set as ISU's Blackout Cancer game. The Sycamores will play host to Missouri Valley Conference foe Valparaiso at 1 p.m. at Hulman Center.
 
Unique game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off benefiting the Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center on the campus of Indiana State University. For more information on the research center, click HERE.
 
A one-of-a-kind keepsake as these jerseys will only be worn during the contest. Fans will have the opportunity to secure a piece of Sycamore Basketball history by bidding on the jersey of their favorite player.
 
The auction will end at noon ET on Jan. 29. To visit the auction site, click HERE.
 
"The Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center has made this commitment—to push the boundaries of cancer research at ISU and transform our university into a premier training center for the next generation of cancer researchers," Shaad Ahmad, Director of the Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research Center said. "To achieve this goal, the Center provides state-of-the-art research facilities and infrastructure for studying cancer, and brings together faculty and investigators focusing on fighting this disease from a variety of disciplines.  But most important of all, the Center provides internationally competitive graduate fellowships to recruit and train the best and brightest students from around the world to pursue cancer research at ISU—students whose work, either here or at a future point in their careers, will help to develop cures for this disease.
 
Ahmad continued: "Your contributions help provide these Porter Research Fellows with the financial support and facilities to be trained as the next generation of cancer researchers, while working year-round in the laboratory to realize the next advance in early cancer detection methods and cancer therapies."
 
ISU announced the $250,000 lead gift from Rich and Robin Porter in September of 2020.
 
"Cancer is a disease that touches everyone at some point in their lives. Either personally, through friends and family, or business colleagues. The broadness that cancer has caused Robin and myself to try and do something positive that affects the entire population," said Rich Porter. "The Rich and Robin Porter Cancer Research (PCRC) is important because cancer will be defeated one discovery at a time. The PCRC is a place where students are educated in how to make these discoveries. The Porter Fellows will take their Indiana State education and spend their careers trying to end cancer."
 
Porter continued: "As a former ISU student-athlete I have always viewed ISU athletics as a large brotherhood as we represent our University on the field of competition. It gives us great enjoyment to see my basketball family contribute to the goal of ending cancer. Auctioning the basketball jersey is a great way to raise funds for the research needed to defeat cancer."
 
Sycamore basketball has participated in a game like this for three years and it holds a special place in ISU Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales heat.
 
"The Blackout Cancer game means a lot to me, as my sister, Kristie Ann Clinkscales passed away from ovarian cancer 10 years ago this February at 38 years old," Clinkscales said. "Cancer does not discriminate and can afflict anyone at any time. I encourage everyone to get checked regularly and to contribute to research as we fight to beat this disease."
   
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.