TERRE HAUTE — If Homecoming hope was ever going to go from springing eternal to equaling a victory for the Indiana State football team, today’s game against Western Illinois would seemingly be the time for it to happen.
The Sycamores’ 33-game losing streak is the nation’s longest, but ISU showed signs of life offensively in a 38-21 loss to Illinois State last Saturday. Moreover, the Leathernecks are 1-5 and are seemingly the lowest-hanging fruit the Sycamores are going to get a chance to pick before the season ends. ISU has also never lost to Western Illinois on Homecoming.
Not so fast says ISU coach Trent Miles. Western Illinois might seem to be in a vulnerable place, but it’s still going to be a big challenge for the Sycamores to send a Homecoming crowd home happy as the Leathernecks are no pushover.
“Ignore the record,” Miles bluntly stated. “They’re 1-and-whatever, but they could easily be 4-2. They lost to some good football teams [Stephen F. Austin, Southern Illinois and FBS Northern Illinois all beat WIU] and it’ll be a challenge for us.”
If ISU has any chance, it must regain the defensive swagger it had at times in the first half of the season. Illinois State had 365 yards of total offense last Saturday. Illinois State quarterback Matt Brown had time to throw at will and Redbird receivers — notably Eyad Salem, who had nine catches for 133 yards — have plenty of room to roam.
The Leathernecks have talented skill players in running back Dre Gibbs (103 rushing yards per game) and wide receiver Lito Senatus (86 receiving yards per game), so getting the defense in order is a priority.
“We have to have a much better defensive performance if we have any chance to win the game. They’re throwing it more than they have, but they’re always a run-first team, that’s their mentality,” Miles said. “I think our defensive problems were on missed assignments, guys being confused and not being where they needed to be.”
Encouragement for ISU (0-7, 0-4) came in the form of a vastly-improved offense, though it helped that the Redbirds’ defense was the first average-level unit ISU had faced. The uptick in production was most notable in the running game where ISU rushed for 218 yards — Antoine Brown gained 102 of it.
The ability to run, especially between the tackles, was naturally going to help ISU’s passing game, but starting quarterback Ryan Roberts also played better. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown pass.
It was the best 2009 performance by an ISU quarterback, by far, and Roberts will need a repeat performance against Western Illinois’ 3-4 defense, the first 3-4 ISU has faced this season.
“They play a different scheme than anybody else we’ve seen defensively, they’re an attacking defense. We have our work cut out for us. Every game for us is a play at a time,” Miles said.
The Leathernecks are on a five-game losing streak, though they haven’t lost to any FCS teams by more than 20 points in any of the losses. Western Illinois lost 17-16 to Missouri State at home last Saturday on a field goal in the final minute.
In addition, longtime coach Don Patterson resigned on Sept. 25, citing health issues related to his recovery from tonsillar cancer. Mark Hendrickson has taken over on an interim basis.
“The mood of our football team is excellent. Last week they were very focused and determined to play to the best of their abilities. We talked about having a good start and playing hard for all four quarters, and I thought we did that against Missouri State,” Hendrickson said. “Did we play very smart? Not on every snap, that’s for sure.”
Western Illinois is ranked 79th in total offense and 83rd in total defense. By contrast, ISU is 93rd in total defense and 118th — last in the nation — in total offense at 163.86 yards per game.
On the injury front, ISU punter Gabe Mullane is expected to play today, though he is nursing an injured right foot.
ISU’s last victory came on Homecoming 2006 when it defeated Missouri State 28-22.
College
Is homecoming game <i>the one </i>for ISU?
Sycamores’ last victory came three years ago on homecoming
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Sycamore women looking to snap six-game losing streak
The Indiana State women’s basketball team is in dire need of a victory in Hulman Center this weekend.
Bradley visits Terre Haute tonight looking to sweep the season series from the Sycamores, who are in jeopardy of the program’s first seven-game losing streak since the 1995-96 season.
“I think it should [add to motivation]. There’s no doubt that group in the locker room in there is very disappointed,” Coach Teri Moren said. “As I keep saying, we’re in a rough patch right now, and there’s no group of kids that wants to get right back on track more than they do.” -
Leonard dominates in first half, but IU, Zeller earn the victory
The first half belonged to Illinois’ Meyers Leonard.
The win belonged to Indiana and Cody Zeller.
The 23rd-ranked Hoosiers (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten) took advantage of a glaring free-throw discrepancy to defeat the Illini 84-71 on Thursday. -
MVC’s worst a tantalizing option for ISU
Even though the Indiana State men’s basketball team has played better of late, having won three of its last four games, there’s only one team with a worse record in the Missouri Valley Conference standings than the Sycamores.
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Sycamores can’t stop Stutz, Shockers
All or nothing. It was that kind of game for Wichita State center Garrett Stutz. Unfortunately for Indiana State’s men’s basketball team, the “all” came in the second half.
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McWhorter’s fortunes rise with ISU’s
More so than any other Sycamore, Steve McWhorter might embody the decline and the recent rise of the Indiana State men’s basketball team.
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Johnson dominates again for ISU track
Felisha Johnson continued to dominate women’s weight throw while two Indiana State hurdlers moved into today’s finals after solid performances in the preliminaries Friday at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame.
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Indiana State women lose at Illinois State
Playing short-handed again, Indiana State’s women suffered their sixth straight Missouri Valley Conference basketball loss Friday night, falling 78-67 to host Illinois State.
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Indiana, Purdue meet with both looking to regain momentum
Indiana University’s stint in the Top 25 may be coming to an end. Purdue is just looking for a winning streak.
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ISU women looking to end five-game losing streak at Illinois State
Within a few points in the final minutes, Indiana State had chances to win women’s basketball games at Missouri State and Wichita State last weekend.
But the Sycamores lost for the fourth and fifth straight games, also losing freshman Jessica Valley for the season at Wichita State. The promising backcourt player tore the ACL in her right knee and began strengthening exercises this week in order to make plans for surgery. -
ISU Senior Day game to be televised on ESPN
The Missouri Valley Conference announced Thursday that Indiana State’s regular season finale against No. 12-ranked Creighton on Feb. 25 in Hulman Center has been chosen as the MVC’s “wild card” game that will be telecast on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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Hoosiers load up on in-state players
With a 1-11 record in his first season as IU football coach, Kevin Wilson knew there were a lot of holes to fill in terms of personnel.
- Wabash Valley verbal commitments
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It’s on: Sycamores, Bulldogs to play at Hinkle on Feb. 18
How badly did Indiana State want to get Butler as its BracketBusters opponent?
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METRO ROUNDUP: Four from Rose receive weekly honors
Four Rose-Hulman athletes earned Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference weekly honors, the HCAC announced Monday.
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Hoosiers reclaim needed offensive momentum
Indiana hadn’t allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent in three straight games heading into Sunday’s home game against Iowa.
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Sycamores will have to match Aces’ toughness
Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing has an enduring respect for the toughness Evansville coach Marty Simmons coaxes out of his Purple Aces.
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
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ISU's Stacia Weatherford sets school record in 60-meter hurdles
Indiana State junior Stacia Weatherford set the school record in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while sophomore Greggmar Swift dominated the action in the men’s 60 hurdles during competition Saturday at the Indiana Relays.
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Rose takes first in Engineer Track and Field Invitational
Rose-Hulman relied on nine event victories, 13 top-two finishes and three school records for a strong performance at the ninth annual Engineer Track and Field Invitational on Saturday.
The men’s squad captured first place honors in a meet that featured two of the nation's top 20 NCAA Division III squads and 12 institutions from seven states. The day’s competition also included 10 meet records. -
Mattox’s 31 not enough for ISU women
Indiana State pulled within 63-57 with a 6-0 run with 8 minutes, 50 seconds remaining Friday night at JQH Arena, but the Sycamores lost 84-70 to host Missouri State in a Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball game.
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Mattox, Sycamores staying positive on road trip to Missouri State, Wichita State
Indiana State seniors Brittany Schoen and Deja Mattox are within striking distance of passing 1,000 points in their women’s basketball careers, and they would join classmate Shannon Thomas in that club. Schoen needs just 16 points, while Mattox is 89 points away.
But Mattox has been on a roll of late, scoring a team-high 15.1 points through ISU’s 4-3 start to Missouri Valley Conference play. -
IU triumphs
When Indiana’s Will Sheehey left the floor after receiving his second technical foul, the Hoosier fans cheered.
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ISU women nipped at buzzer
Creighton sophomore Carli Tritz — blanketed by Indiana State senior Brittany Schoen — had just two points at halftime Friday in Hulman Center.
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ISU needs to find chip on its shoulder
When one looks back at the totality of Indiana State’s 2010-11 men’s basketball season, there’s a recurrent theme that tied together the high points in a 20-14 campaign. A recurrent theme that might give ISU a lifeline in what has been a disappointing 2012 season.
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ISU women look to reverse recent trend vs. Creighton
The Creighton women’s basketball team has won three of their last four games in Hulman Center. While the Bluejays have been one of the winningest programs in the Missouri Valley Conference — with at least 12 league wins in seven of the last nine seasons — the Bluejays’ success in Terre Haute would need to end if the Sycamores want to show that their 4-1 start to league play is not a fluke.
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Hoosiers, Buckeyes meet after suffering upsets
Ohio State standout Jared Sullinger blames himself for the fifth-ranked Buckeyes’ most recent loss.
“There were times in the Illinois game where I just kind of took a break on the defensive end instead of the offensive end and it cost us,” Sullinger said, referring to a 79-74 setback on Tuesday. -
Rose drops pair to Transylvania
Transylvania withstood a second half charge by Rose-Hulman to earn a 60-46 men’s basketball victory in a battle of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference co-leaders Saturday.
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Bradley shoots down ISU women
The Indiana State women’s basketball team ran into a hot-shooting Bradley team on Saturday afternoon, as the Sycamores dropped a road contest 79-58 inside the Renaissance Coliseum.
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Defense fails ISU again in loss at Southern Illinois
Defense wins championships. So what does lack of defense do?
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ISU women pick up big road win against defending champion Northern Iowa
Brittany Schoen hit a 3-pointer to begin the second half that put Indiana State ahead 36-25. The senior’s shot and ISU’s stingy defense helped the Sycamores pull ahead by as many as 16 in the second half on the way to a 68-62 triumph at Northern Iowa.
Indiana State moved into a tie for first place with a 4-0 record. - More College Headlines
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