TERRE HAUTE — Creighton men’s basketball coach Dana Altman and Indiana State coach Kevin McKenna worked together for nine years and they’re still close friends, even as competitors.
Altman took note of ISU’s 85-84 double overtime victory at Northern Iowa on Sunday and pondered what it might mean for his Bluejays, who visit Hulman Center this afternoon in ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference home opener.
“I want Kevin to win a lot of games, but I didn’t want him to win that game. Now they’re re-energized,” Altman told Omaha radio station KXSP in a Monday interview.
No one knows whether ISU is truly re-energized or not, a question that won’t be answered until it takes the floor today. ISU has had encouraging games, or, stretches of games, where it showed similar effort before, notably in a second-half comeback at DePaul and its win over Lamar in Louisville.
In both cases, ISU lost its next game in similar fashion. The Sycamores fell to Arkansas State on Dec. 1 after the DePaul game, and lost to Ohio on Dec. 8 at Louisville. In both cases, the Sycamores’ effort faded in the second half and they suffered disappointing losses. However, in both cases, ISU was playing without Harry Marshall, who hadn’t been reinstated yet.
ISU played with more emotion against UNI, something the Sycamores hope will carry over.
“After our start, coach brought us in and showed us the benches who were really into it. Everyone was hyped up, and that’s when some of these teams were down by 15, he showed it to us and it really hit home. We need to keep our team in the game whether we’re on the bench or on the floor,” said ISU’s Jay Tunnell after Sunday’s win over UNI.
Creighton, the preseason league favorite, has lived up to its billing. The Bluejays have won eight in a row and defeated Wichita State 68-56 on Sunday.
“One difference I’ve seen is they’re playing faster, they’re trying to create more possessions. And they’re creating more offense from their press,” McKenna said.
Guard Booker Woodfox is the current MVC Player of the Week after averaging 22 points per game in Creighton’s Las Vegas Classic championship run and is shooting 54.5 percent from 3-point range. Woodfox burned ISU big time last season, making 11 of 14 3-point attempts in two games.
Guard Cavel Witter contributes 10.3 points off the bench and athletic P’Allen Stinnett is a slasher good for 12 points per game. However, McKenna cautioned against focusing too much of Creighton’s big three. He feels another of the Bluejays’ starters is equally valuable.
“[Point guard] Josh Dotzler is undervalued. He doesn’t score a lot, but he gets steals, his assist-to-turnover ratio is very good [41 assists to 15 turnovers], and the little things he does makes them better. I’ve watched on film, I’ve seen it myself when I was there,” McKenna said.
Hulman Center has been a pit of horror for Creighton in recent seasons as the Bluejays have lost three out of their last four in Terre Haute. The ISU victories run the gamut from walk-on Brandon Ray’s inspired effort in ISU’s 2005 victory to last year’s 62-54 win in which some of Creighton’s youngsters struggled with their composure.
The dearth of fans and a less-than-electric atmosphere at Hulman Center in comparison to Creighton’s Qwest Center (the Bluejays drew a Nebraska record 17,954 fans for its conference home opener against Wichita State on Sunday) is an oft-cited reason why Creighton struggles at ISU, a sort of bizarro and back-handed home-court advantage for the Sycamores.
“I’m sure coach Altman’s reminded them that teams can play well at home. But we still have to play and be motivated. I’m sure Creighton will,” McKenna said.
For McKenna, this is the third meeting against his alma mater. It’s never going to be just another game for him, but it doesn’t have quite the emotional punch as it did last season.
“Is it different? Maybe a little bit, but my opinion and my feelings towards Creighton haven’t changed at all. Just like anything, when you’re competitive you want to beat your friends,” McKenna said.
• Fan Appreciation Day – ISU announced Tuesday that Chad and Natalie Overton have purchased all unsold tickets for ISU’s women’s and men’s games against Illinois State on Jan. 10. The women’s game is at 2 p.m., the men’s game is at 7 p.m.
Tickets for Servpro Fan Appreciation Day will be distributed free of charge to the Terre Haute community during regular Hulman Center business hours. It is the second consecutive season the Overton’s have sponsored the event. Last year, tickets were purchased for men’s and women’s games against Drake in February.
ISU-Creighton
Today’s probable lineups
Creighton Bluejays (11-2, 1-0)
Pos Player Ht Yr RPG PPG
G Josh Dotzler 6-1 Sr. 3.2* 3.2
G Booker Woodfox 6-1 Sr. 3.3 17.6
G P’Allen Stinnett 6-3 So. 3.0 12.0
F Justin Carter 6-4 Jr. 4.8 7.1
C Kenny Lawson Jr. 6-9 So. 5.2 8.6
Coach — Dana Altman (293-154 in 15th season at Creighton, 376-221 overall)
Indiana State Sycamores (3-9, 1-0)
Pos Player Ht. Yr. RPG PPG
G Harry Marshall 6-0 Jr. 4.3* 16.3
G Rashad Reed 6-1 Jr. 3.6 10.4
G Aaron Carter 6-4 So. 4.0 10.3
F Carl Richard 6-4 Fr. 5.5 6.1
F Jay Tunnell 6-8 Sr. 6.2 11.3
Coach – Kevin McKenna (18-25 in second season at ISU, 107-58 overall)
*assists per game
Game at a glance
Tipoff — 2 p.m. at Hulman Center.
Broadcasts — TV/Radio: Radio: ESPN Radio 1130 & 1300-AM and WISU-FM 89.7. Internet: http://www.indstate.edu/athletics/intercollegiate/home.html
Injuries — For ISU, G Tyler Cutter (ankle) is out.
Series — Creighton leads 46-22 in a series dating back to 1978. Creighton won the last two meeting, an 86-69 victory at Qwest Center in Omaha on Jan. 19. ISU has won three of the last four at Hulman Center, including a 62-54 win last season.
Next game — On Sunday, ISU plays host to Evansville. On Saturday, Creighton plays at Illinois State.
— Todd Golden
College
League favorite Jays on tap for ISU men
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Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
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ISU's Stacia Weatherford sets school record in 60-meter hurdles
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