In his eighth season as an assistant basketball coach under Greg Lansing is Marcus Belcher. Belcher became the program's Associate Head Coach on April 25, 2017.
In 2015-16, Devonte Brown and Brenton Scott were each named to the All-MVC Second Team while Everett Clemons took a spot on the MVC All-Newcomer squad. Brandon Murphy was selected as a Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete. The Sycamores advanced to the MVC Tournament semifinals with a win over Illinois State as the sixth seed. Scott added All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the second time in his career following the 2016-17 campaign.
Indiana State earned its fifth win over a nationally-ranked team during Belcher's tenure with a 72-71 victory over No. 15 Butler in December of 2016 inside Hulman Center.
In the spring of 2018, the Sycamores had three honorees in the Missouri Valley Conference Postseason Awards. Jordan Barnes was named an All-MVC Second Team selection while also appearing on the MVC Most Improved Team and was named the MVC's Most Improved Player of the Year. Senior Brenton Scott wrapped a career in which he finished as the program's fourth all-time leading scorer with All-MVC Third Team honors. Tyreke Key parlayed a successful initial campaign into MVC All-Freshman Team plaudits.
The 2017-18 season opened in historic fashion as the Sycamores recorded a 21-point victory over Indiana inside Assembly Hall. The Sycamores set a new record by connecting on 17 3-pointers -- the most ever by a visitor in the iconic venue and recorded the largest margin of victory for the program against the Hoosiers. ISU went on to become the only team to defeat 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Loyola-Chicago inside Gentile Arena with a four-point victory early in MVC play.
In 2014-15, the Sycamores entered the season with a roster that featured seven newcomers. Despite a slow start in non-conference play, the Sycamores recorded an 11-7 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference and earned the No. 3 seed at Arch Madness. Indiana State has earned at least the No. 3 seed at the conference tournament in three of the last five seasons.
Several Sycamores earned postseason recognition from the league office. Devonte Brown was named the league’s Most Improved Player and was tabbed to the All-MVC Second Team. Brenton Scott picked up the program’s third-ever MVC Freshman of the Year honor while Tre’ Bennett was selected to the All-Bench Team. Justin Gant and Jake Kitchell were each First Team selections as MVC Scholar-Athletes.
The Sycamores enjoyed a terrific season in 2013-14, as Indiana State posted a 23-11 overall record and a second place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 12-6 ledger. Indiana State defeated Loyola and Southern Illinois to reach its second MVC Tournament Championship Game since Gudino's arrival. Even though the Sycamores fell to Wichita State (a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament), Indiana State advanced to the NIT and played at Arkansas. It marked the fifth consecutive trip to the postseason for the Sycamore Basketball Program, as well as its second run in the NIT.
Jake Odum wrapped up his stellar career by finishing fifth in the school record book in scoring, second in assists and fourth in steals. He broke Larry Bird's school record for career made free throws and attempted. Odum was a repeat selection to All-MVC Team and became just the fourth Sycamore to be named all-conference in all four years. Khristian Smith was earned his second mention on the MVC All-Bench Team and was voted the league's Sixth Man Of The Year. Justin Gant and Lucas Eitel each made repeat appearances on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.
The Sycamores also ranked in the Top 5 nationally for most true road victories as they notched nine and downed a nationally-ranked opponent for the fourth consecutive season with a victory at Notre Dame early in the campaign. Indiana State went 2-1 in the Great Alaska Shootout -- marking the third consecutive season in which they Sycamores have posted a winning record in their early season, multi-team tournament.
In 2012-13, Indiana State finished 18-15 and advanced to the semifinals of the MVC Tournament on the strength of a 51-50 victory over Evansville on March 8. The Sycamores also played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), reaching the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, including each year with Lansing at the helm.
Indiana State’s three victories over the RPI Top 50 are tied for the most of any one in the Missouri Valley Conference. Creighton, the league’s tournament and regular season champion also owned three. Indiana State owns a victory in the Diamond Head Classic against ACC Champion Miami and also took down Ole Miss to finish third in the event while Jake Odum was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Odum also became the first Sycamore to appear on the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team since 2001 and just the sixth all-time. Freshman Khristian Smith was a member of the MVC All-Bench Team while Lucas Eitel and Justin Gant were named Second Team MVC Scholar-Athletes. Additionally, Odum was named to the 2013 Lou Henson All-America Team as well as the 2013 NABC All-District 16 First Team.
Indiana State downed a pair of nationally-ranked opponents on the season, giving the Sycamores a total of three victories over opponents in the Top 25 under Lansing. ISU won at No. 14 Wichita State -- its best-victory over a nationally-ranked team on the road since 1999 and downed No. 13 Creighton at home, the highest ranked team to fall to Indiana State inside Hulman Center since joining the MVC.
Odum also went over the 1,000 point mark to become just the eighth Sycamore to do so by the end of the his junior season. He currently has 1,117 career points scored, which is 23rd on the all-time scoring list. He has made 174 free throws this season, which is the fifth-most in a single season and he made 19 in a row late in February. He ranks fifth in career assists with 448 and in steals with 169. Odum is just the third Sycamore to rank in the Top Five in both categories in the history of the program. He was a finalist for both the Bob Cousy Award -- which goes to the nation’s top point guard as well as the Lou Henson Award -- which goes to the nation’s top mid-major college basketball player.
In 2011-12, the Sycamores finished the year with an 18-15 record and advanced to the CollegeInsiders.com Postseason Tournament. It marked the third consecutive year the team has reached postseason play -- its longest such stretch since the 1977, 1978 and 1979 seasons when Larry Bird donned the Indiana State uniform.
Jake Odum was one of just four players nationally to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during his sophomore season and was a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as well as Second Team All-District selection as announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
The Sycamores downed No. 25 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt on the road and finished third at the Old Spice Classic -- the best-ever finish by a MVC team in the event.
Belcher came to Indiana State from MVC rival Southern Illinois, a program he joined in June of 2009.
Although Belcher was at his post at SIU just two seasons, he owned deep roots with Saluki Basketball. Belcher was the starting point guard on the 2002 Sweet 16 team that beat Texas Tech and Georgia in the NCAA Tournament and led the squad with 118 assists. He scored 350 points in 66 games in two seasons at SIU.
Belcher began his coaching career in 2004 as an assistant to Marty Simmons at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. The Cougars made NCAA Tournament appearances in both 2005 and 2006. Belcher moved up to the Division I level as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois in 2007, before re-joining Simmons at the University of Evansville in 2008.
Belcher graduated from Southern Illinois with a degree in marketing, and received his master's degree in sport management from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in 2006. He is a native of Mexico, Mo., and is married to the former Vanessa Granger. They have a newborn son, Sebastian. The couple currently resides in Terre Haute.
