Omaha, Neb. — At Wichita State on Saturday, the Indiana State men’s basketball team — backed into a corner by crippling injuries — fought as if its life depended on it and suffered a narrow defeat against one of the league’s top teams in the toughest arena in the conference.
At Creighton on Tuesday, the fight seemed drained out of the Sycamores.
ISU never summoned the verve it had at Wichita State in a close six-point loss. Instead, ISU let Creighton dictate the flow of the game from the opening tip as the Sycamores were never a factor in a 65-52 loss in front of 15,768 at Qwest Center.
“We didn’t play as hard as we did at the Wichita game. I don’t know what it was, it just didn’t seem like everyone was ready. We missed point-blank layups, we didn’t get to the loose balls,” ISU guard Rashad Reed said. “I just don’t think we were as focused as we were in the Wichita game. Everybody was fired up for that, I just didn’t think that we were as fired up for this game. I thought we had everyone mentally ready, but I guess we weren’t.”
Carl Richard led ISU with 15 points and had eight rebounds. Reed had 13 points, Aaron Carter had 11.
ISU couldn’t replicate much of what comprised an admirable performance on Saturday. Shooting fell off as ISU shot 37.2 percent from the field, down from a 54-percent performance against Wichita State.
ISU also wasn’t anywhere near as effective in its zone defense, a point driven painfully home by Creighton’s 21-to-5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
“We played with a lot less fire than the other night. Creighton did a good job of out-working us, out-hustling us and beat us to a lot of loose balls. Our zone didn’t have a lot of resistance. If you let a team have 21 assists to five turnovers, you’re getting picked apart,” ISU coach Kevin McKenna said.
But what really hurt the Sycamores (14-11, 6-8) was the inability to fight for rebounds and solve Creighton’s defense. The rebounding edge wasn’t vast — Creighton had a 38-31 advantage — but the Bluejays turned many of its 10 offensive rebounds into points. The Bluejays had 13 second-chance points to ISU’s five.
“They did such an outstanding job playing at Wichita State on Saturday night, it probably took a little bit out of them,” Creighton coach Dana Altman said.
Creighton’s defense also took the Sycamores out of any offensive rhythm. The Bluejays didn’t press as much as they have in the past and didn’t force an inordinate amount of ISU turnovers — the Sycamores had 11 — but they got hands in the way of ISU passes and kept ISU’s shooters from getting into a groove.
“Mainly, we didn’t handle the man-to-man pressure very well. We didn’t move the ball very well, we didn’t get into our offense, we just weren’t sharp all night. It was just kind of a lackluster performance, it’s disappointing,” McKenna said.
The die was cast in the opening minutes when Creighton (13-12, 8-6) took a 10-3 lead, eight of the points scored on second-chance opportunities. ISU’s offense struggled badly to start as it came up empty on 14 of its first 17 possessions as the Bluejays built an 11-point advantage.
ISU fought back and cut its deficit to four with five minutes left in the first half and cut it again to five with 18 seconds left when Aaron Carter converted a three-point play. But Kenny Lawson Jr. converted an easy layup with 2 seconds left to give Creighton a seven-point halftime lead and a bit of momentum going into the half.
Lawson loomed large as the Bluejays pulled away in the second half. On Creighton’s first possession of the half, Lawson posted up and missed his initial shot, but ISU didn’t track down the loose ball, Lawson picked it up and slammed it home.
He nor Creighton would look back from that point as the Bluejays went on a game-deciding 14-2 run. Lawson had another dunk and scored five in the run. Lawson went on to make 5 of 6 from the field in the second half on his way to a 17-point, 10-rebound night.
When the Bluejays didn’t find Lawson, Creighton swung the ball out to the perimeter and got key 3-pointers from Darryl Ashford and Ethan Wragge as Creighton’s advantage ballooned to 45-26.
ISU could get no closer than a 14-point gap the rest of the way. When ISU was down in past games, it could turn to Harry Marshall to generate offense, but the Sycamores on the floor now have not been thrust into that role yet.
“All our guys tried, but where we are with our team right now, we need eight guys pretty well to play well to win, especially on the road. We need all eight and we didn’t get all eight playing well on the road. We played tentative, we played back on our heels. We struggled for everything we got,” McKenna said.
The Sycamores next play host to Drake on Saturday.
Indiana State 52
Min FG 3P FT R A PF TP
Doluony 29 1-5 0-2 0-0 4 0 1 2
Richard 37 5-8 1-2 4-5 8 0 1 15
Leitnaker 19 1-3 0-0 3-6 0 0 2 5
Reed 36 4-8 3-5 2-5 4 2 1 13
Printy 30 1-7 0-4 0-0 2 5 2 2
Crawford 11 2-6 0-0 0-0 1 0 4 4
Martin 10 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 2 0
A.Carter 28 2-5 1-2 6-7 8 0 2 11
Totals 16-43 5-15 15-23 31* 7 15 52
Creighton 65
Min FG 3P FT R A PF TP
J. Carter 35 3-7 1-3 1-2 6 5 2 8
Harriman 16 2-7 2-6 0-0 4 2 4 6
Lawson Jr. 28 7-11 0-0 3-4 10 1 2 17
Ashford 20 2-3 2-3 0-0 2 5 1 6
Young 21 3-7 0-1 0-1 2 1 2 6
Jones 11 1-4 1-4 0-0 0 0 3 3
Witter 19 1-6 1-3 0-0 1 3 2 3
Millard 6 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0
Korver 14 0-2 0-2 0-0 1 3 0 0
Runnels 12 3-6 0-0 1-2 3 1 1 7
Wragge 18 3-6 3-6 0-0 5 0 2 9
Totals 25-60 10-29 5-9 38* 21 20 65
Halftime score — CU 31, ISU 24. FG Pct. — ISU .372; CU .417; 3P Pct. — ISU .333; CU .345; FT Pct. — ISU .652; CU .556. Steals — ISU 2 (Reed, Printy); CU 6 (Carter, Harriman, Lawson, Witter, Korver, Runnels). Blocks — ISU 1 (Martin), CU 5 (Lawson 4). Turnovers — ISU 11 (Doluony 3, Leitnaker 3), CU 5 (Witter 2). Team rebounds* — ISU 3, CU 4. A — 15,768.
Next — ISU (14-11, 6-8) will play host to Drake, and Creighton (13-12, 8-6) plays host to Illinois State on Saturday.
College
ISU men don't have fight to combat Jays
Undermanned Sycamores struggle at Creighton after Saturday’s strong performance in Wichita
- College
-
-
A time for firsts: SMWC seniors have national title aspirations
Even though St. Mary-of-the-Woods College has won eight national titles in softball in the last 16 years, seniors Sara Goelz and Jessica Jonas are among the many current Woods players who have not been part of a national championship team.
-
Win over SIU puts Sycamores in first place
As Indiana State’s baseball team tried to climb to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference mountain on Saturday against Southern Illinois, it stood to reason that the air would get more rarefied as they neared the summit.
-
Major Clay takes fourth straight MVC high jump title
For the fourth straight year, Indiana State’s Major Clay will climb to the top spot on the awards podium as the Sycamore captured his fourth high jump championship at the 2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
The competition was conducted at Cessna Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University. -
Edgewood takes Western Indiana Conference golf crown
Edgewood and senior Jackson Cowden took top honors in the Western Indiana Conference boys golf championship played Saturday at Idle Creek.
-
North grad wins 10,000 at Big Ten Championships
Terre Haute North alumnus Zach Mayhew ran a Dan McClimon track record at the University of Wisconsin to win the 10,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships.
-
Top-seeded Rose-Hulman falls in opener of HCAC Tournament
A couple of Rose-Hulman streaks came to an end Thursday night in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament action, but the home-team jinx looks to be still alive.
-
ISU's Ort getting hot at right time for Sycamores
Indiana State’s baseball game notes list game-by-game performance for each Sycamore batter. It lists them box score-style: at-bats, runs, hits and RBI.
-
Terre Haute native getting national attention as freshman for Kentucky
On a day where Terre Haute native A.J. Reed returned home to continue his college career, he got plenty of time to be on-stage.
-
Top seed, home field doesn’t guarantee Rose success
On the surface, serving as host for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament would appear to benefit Rose-Hulman’s No. 1-seeded team, which finished the regular season 27-12 overall and 18-6 in the conference.
-
Metro roundup: ISU’s Lucas honored by Missouri Valley again
For the fifth time in the last nine weeks, Indiana State junior catcher Jeremy Lucas has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
-
Sycamores top Shockers in 10 innings in MVC series opener
If free baseball is what you want, Indiana State has what you need. For the sixth time in the span of a month, ISU’s series opener went extra innings.
- METRO ROUNDUP: Rose baseball team takes first game of doubleheader
-
ISU starting pitchers in rhythm heading into Wichita State series
“Gettting into rhythm” is such an oft-used cliché in sports that it’s hard to hear the term and fight the urge to not let it enter one ear and escape another.
-
ISU goes to well too many times
Perhaps the most unnecessary pursuit for a Wabash Valley sports fan during the now-completed weekend was watching the first few innings of nonconference college baseball between Indiana State and visiting Nebraska-Omaha.
-
ISU baseball living on the edge
Indiana State’s baseball team got its game against Nebraska-Omaha in Saturday between morning and evening rain showers. But in the wake of another walk-off 3-2 victory against the struggling Mavericks, one might be forgiven if they felt the Sycamores are walking between the raindrops a bit.
-
PREP ROUNDUP: North Central baseball improves to 10-2
North Central lost a 7-1 game to Vincennes Rivet, and then Nolan Kinnett pitched the Thunderbirds to victory, adding a double and three RBIs against Riverton Parke in a pair of high school baseball games on Saturday.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Jenkins, Goatee win inaugural Rush the Punter 5K
Steve Jenkins and TaPring Goatee were the 5K winners in the inaugural Rush the Punter event on Saturday at Fairbanks Park.
-
Providing perspective: ISU’s vets have 2009 as window into 2012
Indiana State’s baseball team has reached dizzying heights, but if the Sycamores have any trouble keeping their feet on the ground, they can turn to three teammates who can remind them how dangerous it can be to get complacent.
-
Missouri State wins MVC golf championship as expected
Missouri State was a unanimous pick to win the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championship, the pollsters citing their experience with four upperclassmen.
-
Uphill Battle: ISU 23 strokes back of MVC leader No. Iowa
Indiana State maintained sixth place after two rounds of the Missouri Valley Conference Golf Championships, but the Sycamores face a tough challenge to move into the top half of the league after today’s final round at the Country Club of Terre Haute.
-
Enter Cummings, exit McWhorter
All it took was a stat sheet to show Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing the glaring need the Sycamores had as they built their 2013 team.
-
TH golf community steps up for ISU
The Terre Haute golf community and the Indiana State women’s golf program can be a thriving partnership, and this week’s Missouri Valley Golf Championships have put that potential on display.
-
ISU blue after football scrimmage
One of Indiana State football coach Trent Miles’ stated goals for Saturday’s Blue-White spring football scrimmage was to get through the game unaffected by injuries.
As the 12-minute running clock ticked down — one of the concessions made by the football staff to speed the scrimmage up and get players off the field unscathed — it appeared ISU would make it through its spring game more-or-less unscathed.
But on the last play of the scrimmage, disaster struck. -
Hosting Missouri Valley Conference meet, ISU golf heading in right direction under Towne
It’s been a loooooong time in the making.
When the Indiana State women’s golf program was resurrected in 2005, it had already been on a 28-year hiatus. Since then, the Sycamores have enjoyed modest success, but have not hosted a golf match or invitational.
That changes beginning today — in a big way. -
ISU golfers step up after injury sidelines top player
Indiana State will be missing its best player, junior Reece Feducia, in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championships at the Country Club of Terre Haute from today through Tuesday.
Feducia was the team’s medalist in their first five tournaments of the fall season, but is still recovering from complications due to gall bladder surgery. She was all-MVC a year ago, finishing tied for third in last year’s MVC tournament. -
Walterhouse blast keys ISU to victory vs. Dallas Baptist
Ryan Walterhouse couldn’t have picked a better time to get a pleasant surprise.
The Indiana State senior lofted what looked like a routine towering fly to right field with two out in the bottom of the first inning Saturday at Bob Warn Field only to see it disappear — maybe a yard fair, possibly less than that beyond the fence — for a three-run homer that was the big blow in the Sycamores’ 6-3, series-tying victory over Dallas Baptist. -
ISU baseball drops weekend series opener to DBU
Indiana State and Dallas Baptist are playing this weekend at Warn Field for the opportunity to position themselves for a NCAA baseball tournament at-large bid.
The first statement was made by the visiting Patriots. - ISU football hopes to survive as well as evaluate
-
METRO ROUNDUP: ISU's Padgett breaks school record in 10,000 meters
Indiana State senior Craig Padgett broke a five-year-old school record in the 10,000 meters late Thursday night and junior Albaro Escalera ran the third fastest 10,000 meters in school history at Hilmer Lodge Stadium during the 54th Mt. SAC Relays.
-
Padgett breaks ISU track record in 10K
Indiana State's Craig Padgett ran a time of 29 minutes, 38.70 seconds to set a new school record in the 10,000-meter run.
- More College Headlines
-
Court Records Detail Zimmerman Injuries
Police Confirm Missing Tucson Girl Was Abducted
Blood Drive for Woman With Flesh-Eating Disease
Local Community Prepares for G8 Summit
Deputies: Fla. Mom Killed 4 Kids, Then Herself
Woman With Flesh-Eating Bug Needs to 'Grieve'
Raw Video: Mladic's Genocide Trial Under Way
Fla. Mom Shoots, Kills 4 Kids, Self
New Guidelines for US Nuclear Plants
Romney Calls Obama a 'Disappointment'
GOP Lawmaker: Hearing Needed on 2B Trading Loss
Time Cover Shows Mom Breastfeeding 3-Year-Old
AG Race Tops Oregon Primary Interest
AP: Killer of 3 Tries Not to Think About Murders
AAA: Expect Packed Roads Memorial Day Weekend
National Strategy on Alzheimer's Unveiled
Raw Video: Crews Battling Wildfire, High Winds
Dimon Survives Votes on Pay, Chairmanship
Northern AZ Wildfire Grows, Prompts Evacuations
Man Bitten by Rattlesnake in Wal-Mart
J.Lo Rocks Revealing Swimsuits
Raw Video: Army Sergeant Beaten, Robbed
Did The Dictator Kill Clooney's Ex?
Raw Video: Daring Rescue From Chinese Flood
Melissa Rycroft's Post-Baby Bod
Mail carriers complain about peep show at nude colony
'Punk'd' Returns: Bieber to Be First Rotating Host
Man Turns Nerf Gun into 20,000-Volt Tesla Gun
Katherine Jenkins Gives Update on Her Back Injury
Miranda Lambert Likes Her Big Butt
Debate rages over owning exotic animals
Paltrow in Blue Cat Face Paint
Tom Cruise Is Shirtless and Ripped
Yosimite Falls now streaming online
Charlie Sheen's New 'Anger Management' Trailer
Behind The Scenes of Lady Gaga's Simpsons Episode
