TERRE HAUTE — Sophomore guards Deja Mattox and Brittany Schoen both showed they’re ready to build upon solid freshman campaigns in Sunday’s exhibition opener for the Indiana State women’s basketball team.
Schoen had 17 points and four assists in 25 minutes and Mattox added 15 points in 22 minutes, leading an efficient Sycamore offense in a 82-54 victory over an inexperienced Division II Bellarmine team.
Schoen, who became a team leader when Kelsey Luna went down with a knee injury late last season, picked up right where she left off, knocking down 5 of her 7 3-point attempts.
“Coming out, I missed two right off the bat … you always have to keep shooting,” said Schoen, who also had four assists and no turnovers.
Mattox, who had her freshman year truncated after a knee injury, wasted no time getting back to form. The 6-foot guard flashed the diversity of her game Sunday. In the early minutes, Mattox tracked down her own missed 3-point attempt and set up Kelsie Cooley for an open shot. She also finished off a dribble drive; knocked down a 3-pointer on one of Sarah Paul’s four assists; and early in the second half scored on a flex cut in the paint to put ISU ahead 49-31.
“[The knee] feels good. I don’t think about it anymore. As the game went on, I just got more comfortable,” Mattox said. “Everyone was in there being unselfish so that was good. I feel like chemistry-wise we’re even closer than last year.”
A preseason first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick, Luna had nine points and five assists on 3-for-5 shooting from the field.
“I thought that she passed up some shots. I don’t know if that was by design or not,” ISU coach Jim Wiedie said. “It’s nice to have a 32-point win and Luna only has to play 21 minutes and score nine points. I don’t think you’re going to see many games like that this year, but it would be a nice problem to have if that’s the case.
“She does such a great job of running the team.”
Luna and freshman point guard Taylor Whitley led the Sycamores with three steals each. Illinois transfer Chelsea Buher added two swipes as the Sycamores finished with 12 takeaways and 21 forced turnovers.
ISU held Bellarmine to 33.3-percent field goal shooting, using several different types of defenses. With Mattox, Buher and 6-3 freshman Moriah Hodge, the Sycamores will have at least three players with long arms who can can clog passing lanes, whether they’re on the perimeter or in the paint. Hodge and Buher also had one blocked shot apiece Sunday.
“We’ve got multiple kids we can put at multiple positions. It’s the biggest team we’ve had in a long time,” Wiedie said.
Aside from occassional defensive lapses, Wiedie was pleased with the overall performance.
“The only thing I was a little disappointed in was our transition defense. [The Knights] took advantage of that some in the first half,” Wiedie said. “I forget how inexperienced they are at times. The sophomores, even though they played quite a bit, are only in their second year in college basketball.”
• • •
• Smith plays well in debut — Freshman guard Krista Smith, a walk-on from Terre Haute South, had a strong college debut.
Smith got out in the passing lane for a steal and converted the layup shortly after making her first appearance with about seven minutes remaining. Smith was also rewarded for running the floor on the fast break, receiving a bounce pass from Paul for another layup and from Laurence Rivest on a break opportunity.
“She’s so physically strong and she’s out there and getting after you,” Wiedie said. “Transition is her strength, getting out in the open floor. We got good production from her in her first college game, and she’ll continue to get better.”
• Rademacher on crutches — Andrea Rademacher was in street clothes and on crutches Sunday. The 6-3 freshman said she landed awkwardly on her foot in a recent scrimmage.
She will undergo an MRI today.
College
ISU women’s basketball's youngsters pick up where they left off
Sophomores lead way in exhibition victory over D-II Bellarmine
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Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
When you’re a shooter and you’re in a slump, the boilerplate cure is to summon amnesia, forget about your struggles and keep on shooting.
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ISU's Webb wins heptathlon
Indiana State’s Robert Webb captured the heptathlon Saturday at the Grand Valley State Big Meet as he totaled the second most points in ISU history while dominating the event. Webb scored 5,140 points, which is second only to former Sycamore Anthony Bertoli’s 5,189 points in 2008.
Webb, a senior, established three more personal best efforts enroute to the overall victory as he ran 8.45 in the 60 meter hurdles and 2 minutes, 50.73 seconds in the 1,000 meters while also clearing 13-1 1/2 in the pole vault. Webb entered the second day of the event in the lead with 2,893 points after winning three of the four Friday events and setting personal bests in the long jump and shot put. -
Perfect game: ISU shoots NCAA record 12-for-12 from 3-point range in win over SIU
Indiana State set an NCAA record for 3-point percentage and consecutive 3-pointers made Saturday afternoon in Hulman Center, connecting on all 12 attempts during a 78-68 win over Southern Illinois.
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Indiana State’s men’s basketball struggles have hit one Sycamore senior hard.
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Thomas nets double-double as ISU women end losing streak
The halftime speech is one of the most time-worn clichés in sports, but once in a while, it’s meaningful. It certainly was for the Indiana State women’s basketball team on Friday against Bradley.
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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.
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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. -
Rose women roll; Dickerson becomes all-time assists leader
Rose-Hulman senior Alisa Dickerson became the college’s career leader in assists as the Engineers cruised past Defiance 60-33 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball Saturday afternoon in Hulbert Arena.
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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.
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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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