ST. LOUIS – Indiana State men's basketball concluded the 2024-25 season on day one at the 2025 MVC Tournament on Thursday, falling to Southern Illinois in a heartbreaking 86-85 loss. Indiana State finished the season 14-18.
After an opening three-pointer by
Camp Wagner, Southern Illinois went on to score 10-straight points to lead 10-3 at the 16:46 mark, where the Sycamores took a timeout. Indiana State came out to score the next six points with back-to-back three-pointers from Wagner and
Aaron Gray, trailing 10-9 at the 14:58 mark.
The game went almost basket-for-basket, as neither team could gain more than a four-point advantage. Gray scored five in a row on a layup and left-wing triple for Indiana State to give the team a 25-21 lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the half.
Holding a 28-25 lead, SIU outscored the Sycamores with a 7-2 run to take a 32-30 lead with 7:30 on the clock.
Following a
Jaden Daughtry layup with 4:20 to play, the Sycamores scored only four points in the rest of the half – all from the free throw line. The Salukis capitalized scoring 11 points in the span to take a 47-43 lead into the halftime break.
Southern Illinois opened the half outscoring Indiana State 13-7 through the first 3:45. The Sycamores scored on two layups by
Markus Harding and Gray – both assisted by Wagner, a Harding free throw, and a
Samage Teel layup.
SIU built a 12-point, 67-55 lead at the 14:42 mark before Indiana State exploded on a 12-0 run to tie the game at 67 apiece with 10 minutes to play. Gray slammed home a dunk and followed it with a jumper in the next possession. Alocen (4), Daughtry (2), and
K'mani Doughty (2) each contributed in the stretch.
Alocen scored the next six points for the Sycamores, who held a 79-76 lead with 6:13 on the clock.
Southern Illinois scored six points in the next three minutes opposed to the Sycamores not scoring, and SIU took the lead, 82-79 with 3:22 left in the game.
A pair of free throws by Teel and a triple by Doughty gave Indiana state the 83-82 led with less than two minutes remaining.
The game ended with SIU making a jumper and layup, sandwiched by a Teel layup. Indiana State had two looks from three, one including a last-second shot from half court, but neither found the bottom of the net as the Salukis went on to win 86-85.
Aaron Gray led six Sycamores in double-figure scoring. Gray played a full 40 minutes, finishing with 27 points and eight rebounds on 11-for-14 shooting from the field and 3-for-5 from deep.
Camp Wagner scored 11 points with three triples, five rebounds, and four assists.
Samage Teel,
K'mani Doughty,
Bruno Alocen, and
Jaden Daughtry all recorded 10 points each. Teel chipped in seven assists and two steals. Alocen made a pair of threes, and Daughtry pulled down six rebounds.
Southern Illinois was paced by Ali Dibba (30 points, 13-for-24, nine rebounds) and Kennard Davis, Jr. (22 points, 9-for-17).
News & Notes
- Indiana State capped the season with a 14-18 record and an 8-12 record in Missouri Valley play. This was head coach Matthew Graves' first season as head coach of the Sycamores.
- The Sycamores finished the year with:
- 80.1 points per game
- 46.5% field goal percentage
- 34.7% three-point field goal percentage
- 74.9% free throw percentage
- 35.6 rebounds per game
- 15.7 assists per game
- 14.0 turnovers per game
- The team's statistical category leaders:
- The Sycamores had six players finish with 10+ points for the first time all season.
- Indiana State shot 50.0% from the field, marking 13 times this season finishing 50.0% or better.
- Aaron Gray scored 27 points, setting a new season high and finishing just shy of his collegiate high (30).
- In the final three games of the year, he averaged 20.3 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game, shooting 76.7% from the field (23-for-30).
- Samage Teel closed out the season averaging 7.6 assists per game.
- Career totals for the three seniors honored on Senior Day:
- K'mani Doughty: 876 points, 349 rebounds, 140 assists, 41.8% FG, 35.3% 3FT, 85.5% FT.
- Aaron Gray: 992 points, 442 rebounds, 75 assists, 46.1% FG, 33.1% 3FG, 74.7% FT.
- Samage Teel: 1,545 points, 369 rebounds, 385 assists, 44.4% FG, 36.5% 3FG, 74.7% FT
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