TERRE HAUTE — Chelsea Buher lit up scoreboards not far from Terre Haute during her high school days at Lawrenceville, Ill.
Then after Buher played sparingly for the University of Illinois as a freshman in 2007-08, she sat out last season due to transfer rules. So she’s not a newcomer to the Indiana State program, but she’s new to game action in Hulman Center.
The 6-foot guard hopes to get back to playing big minutes this winter, and the sophomore could be one of several “newcomers” to provide important minutes and energy off the bench for the Sycamores.
Buher’s role in Sunday’s exhibition game against Bellarmine was a sign she could be an important piece of the puzzle for the Sycamores this season.
“I told coach [Jim] Wiedie coming off the floor that was probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time because it’s been such a long time since I’ve been on the court,” Buher said.
In 19 minutes, Buher was second on the team with eight shot attempts and she contributed all across the stat line with seven points, three rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals.
As one of the first two players off the bench, Buher made a head-first dive to secure a loose ball and lunged to the floor after another loose ball in the game’s first six minutes.
“Yeah that’s my gameplay. A lot of people were probably freaking out because I’ve had some back problems. When the ball goes up, I give it my all,” Buher said.
Along with some other players, the sophomore will provide depth that the Sycamores have lacked the last couple seasons.
“I think we have a very deep bench. I think that’s where we’re going to get teams,” Buher said.
Wiedie is getting a feel for the variety of combinations he could use with this year’s team. Buher will be one of several players who give Wiedie and his coaching staff the chance to be creative defensively. At times, Buher was at the point of ISU’s zone defense.
Another potentially strong defender at the point is freshman Taylor Whitley, who showed good speed and quick hands while making three steals in 15 minutes Sunday.
ISU senior captain Kelsey Luna can see the impact Buher and Whitley could bring with their intensity.
“They definitely bring energy to the floor,” Luna said. “Chelsea had some good hustle plays. As a senior, I appreciate that.”
Whitley could play big minutes at point guard for the Sycamores, providing a contrast to Luna, one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation last season.
“Taylor is 90 miles an hour, coast to coast, but Luna is more picking her spots and looking to shoot the 3,” Wiedie said. “It’s going to be fun to rotate those two in at the point guard. Ultimately, I think I’d want to move Luna to the [shooting guard position], just to get her more shot opportunities.”
Freshman Moriah Hodge was also productive off the bench in ISU’s 84-52 victory Sunday against Bellarmine, grabbing five rebounds and scoring seven points in 14 minutes.
With seniors Laurence Rivest and Sara Paul available off the bench as well, the Sycamores will have many lineup options.
“Especially if we can get Andrea Rademacher back, I think it’s one of the deeper teams we’ve had in a long time, probably the most versatile team we’ve had, even going back to the ‘05-’06 team with coach [Melanie] Boeglin,” Wiedie said.
Up next
• The Sycamores are in action again Sunday in Hulman Center against Southern Indiana. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
College
Added depth could make ISU women's basketball even stronger
- College
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A time for firsts: SMWC seniors have national title aspirations
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Top-seeded Rose-Hulman falls in opener of HCAC Tournament
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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.
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Terre Haute native getting national attention as freshman for Kentucky
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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METRO ROUNDUP: ISU's Padgett breaks school record in 10,000 meters
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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.
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