TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men's basketball makes its debut inside Hulman Center on Saturday, October 24, as the Sycamores close out the 2026-27 exhibition slate against Rose-Hulman. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
Saturday's exhibition will not be streamed live, will not be on 105.5 The Legend, and live stats will not be provided for the contest.
 
Recapping Butler
The Sycamores cut a 12-point second half deficit down to within a one-possession game with 7:15 to play in the contest as Indiana State rallied behind a strong performance from Karmani Gregory, before falling to host Butler on October 18 inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Gregory scored 16 of his team-high 22 points over the second half as Indiana State cut a 55-43 Butler lead down to 65-63 with 7:15 to play thanks in part to a three-point barrage from Gregory (2), EJ McQuillan (2), and Maguire Mitchell over a three-minute stretch. The Sycamores kept the game close over the next two minutes, before the Bulldogs took the ball back inside the paint with baskets from both Treyson Anderson and Jalen Jackson to stretch the Butler lead back to double-digits in the eventual 81-74 win.
 
Gregory led all players with a game-high 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-8 from the three-point line and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Cooper (12) and Mitchell (10) both scored double-digit points in the contest, while six different Sycamores converted three-pointers in the contest. Chance Puryear added five points, eight rebounds, and three assists off the bench.
 
About the Opponent
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference has yet to release their men's basketball preseason poll at the time of this writing, but Rose-Hulman is expected to be high up in the ranks after posting a 17-10 record, 13-5 mark in the HCAC in 2025-26. The Fightin' Engineers closed out their season in the HCAC semifinal round falling to Anderson, 74-73.
 
Rose-Hulman returns veteran presence to the court including leading returning their top four scorers from the floor. Joey Schmitz (15.2), Cole Pride (12.9), Evan Gentile (10.6), and Daniel Savovic (10.0) all averaged double digits to lead the RHIT offense with Schmitz (43.3%) and Gentile (39.0%) both sharp-shooters from behind the arc.
 
Rose-Hulman did lose leading rebounder Christian Torres (6.8), but return eight of their top 10 players in minutes played under fifth-year head coach Nick Sales. RHIT has reached double-digit wins and conference wins in each of Sales' first four years at the helm.
 
Last Time Against the Engineers
Indiana State men's basketball last played Rose-Hulman in an exhibition back on Nov. 4, 2021, when the Sycamores hosted the Engineers inside Hulman Center.
 
Five Sycamores scored in double-digits led by Cooper Neese who dropped in 16 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. Xavier Bledson fell an assist short of a double-double with a 15 point and nine-assist performance. Forwards Kailex Stephens and Dearon Tucker chipped in 12 points each while true freshman Cameron Crawford added 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in his first start.
 
New Look Roster
It's a new-look Indiana State roster on the floor under head coach Matthew Graves as the Sycamore head coach heads into his third season at the helm of the program. The Sycamores returned just redshirt freshman Martin Kaupanger to the floor from the 2025-26 squad, while welcoming nine transfers, five freshmen, and international big man Alessio Calamita to the roster this year.
 
Preseason MVC Poll, Watch List
The Sycamores were not listed among the top six teams receiving votes in the 2026-27 preseason MVC men's basketball poll but did feature two players on the preseason All-Conference Watch List heading into the year.
 
Guard Karmani Gregory and forward Jackson Cooper were among the list of players recognized among the tops in the conference heading into the season and the players represented Indiana State at the two-day media day event held inside the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. over October 13-14.
 
Gregory is a former All-Conference guard transferring in from USC Upstate where he finished among the Big South's scoring leaders, while adding team-highs in assists (91) and steals (33). Cooper, an All-American forward, transferred in from NAIA Oregon Tech where averaged a team-high 17.7 points per game, while finishing seventh overall in NAIA with 174 total assists.
 
All-Americans on Roster
Indiana State men's basketball added two players that bring All-American status to the program with Jackson Cooper and EJ McQuillan both joining the roster in 2026-27. Cooper earned NAIA Second Team All-American honors following a standout 2025-26 campaign at Oregon Tech where he led the team in scoring (17.7), rebounds per game (7.7), and assists per game (5.8) while finishing seventh in the NAIA with 174 total assists.
 
McQuillan earned NAIA Second Team All-American honors following a standout 2025-26 campaign at LSU Alexandria where he averaged 20.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.5% from the three-point line. He highlighted his year by tying the LSUA single-game points record with 41 against Texas Wesleyan on October 31.
 
Power 4 Experience
Indiana State welcomes redshirt sophomore guard Chance Puryear to the roster this season as the Dallas, Texas native joined the team by way of Atlantic Coast Conference institution SMU. Puryear lined up in 14 games for the Mustangs over his redshirt freshman season adding a three-pointer in a contest against Boston College.
 
A former McDonald's All-American Game Southwest Nominee, Puryear earned TABC 4A All-State honors and District 13-4A Player of the Year recognition at Carter High School. He was a three-star signee ranked as high as No. 12 overall in the state of Texas and 34th nationally at his position coming out of high school.
 
They Can Score
Indiana State men's basketball features four 1,000-point scorers heading into the 2026-27 season with another closing in on the mark. EJ McQuillan, Karmani Gregory, Meechie White, and Jackson Cooper have already achieved 1,000 career collegiate points heading into the year, while Greyson Pritzl sits at 860 points following his three years playing at Saint Leo and Lander.
 
Sycamore 1,000 Point Scorers
• 1,322 - EJ McQuillan (LSU Alexandria)
• 1,130 – Meechie White (Three Rivers C.C./EIU)
• 1,026 – Karmani Gregory (USC Upstate/Florida SouthWestern)
• 1,019– Jackson Cooper (Oregon Tech)
• 860 - Greyson Pritzl (Saint Leo/Lander)
 
Season Tickets Remain On Sale, Upper Level-Single Game Tickets Available
Season tickets remain on sale for the entirety of the 2026-27 slate. For more information on season tickets, contact Mason LaGrange, Manager for Sales and Service, by calling 812-237-8972 or emailing mason.lagrange@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, 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 the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.