TERRE HAUTE — Between Kelsey Luna, Brittany Schoen and Deja Mattox, the Indiana State women’s basketball team knows it will have one of the best offensive backcourts in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Consistent post scoring is another story.
In Sunday’s final exhibition game — a 65-48 victory over Southern Indiana — 6-foot-4 sophomore Shannon Thomas showed she might be ready to step up.
Thomas was a commanding presence in the game’s opening minutes as ISU built a 10-0 lead by the 14:30 mark.
The Springboro, Ohio, native had four points during the Sycamores’ hot start, converting her own miss after a quick drive and receiving a shovel pass from Kelsey Luna. Thomas also drew two defenders in the lane and found Luna for an open 3-pointer.
Thomas finished with 11 points despite going just 1 for 4 at the free-throw line.
“We definitely have some versatility when it comes to the post, and that’s definitely what carried us through … ‘Shan-Thom’ making strong moves to the bucket all night long,” Luna said.
ISU’s senior captain led the way with 14 points on 3-for-6 shooting from long range, but the Sycamores were just 4 for 17 from beyond the arc after knocking down 11 of 22 3-point attempts last week.
“…I think we definitely relied on our posts which is a comfort to know — and I’m confident in all the post players on the team — that if the perimeter’s struggling that night we can count on them.”
Thomas credited work in practice on her performance.
“I”ve just been working on it, being stronger, going up to the basket stronger … getting a lot of rebounds. Most of the time, we want to get it in the post a lot because that opens it up for the guards,” Thomas said.
Coach Jim Wiedie was excited about the strong game by Thomas, who averaged six points as a freshman last year.
“Very aggressive. That’s the most aggressive that Shannon’s probably been since she’s been here,” Wiedie said. “She had some really good attacks from the top of the 3-point line, some good strong post-ups inside. She was a big key early on especially when we weren’t hitting shots.”
ISU shot 38.8 percent overall, but the Sycamores got quality shots, Wiedie said. Mattox, who had 12 points, was just 2 for 5 from the field, but she converted all eight of her free-throw attempts.
“We’ve got the shooters, it’s just establishing that presence inside, and I think we took a positive step today.”
Thomas and the post players were also important on the defensive end. The Sycamores held USI to 26.9-percent field goal shooting a week after holding Bellarmine to 33.3 percent.
“Give [Kelsie] Cooley and Thomas some credit,” USI coach Rick Stein said. “They’re long, they create some havoc down there. They’re players that are hard to score on. I thought they both did a good job defensively.”
USI has two former Missouri Valley Conference players: sharp-shooting guard Ellen Young (Southern Illinois) and reserve forward Anaris Sickles (Evansville). The Eagles averaged more than 70 points per game last season, led by Young’s average of 13.
ISU’s trapping full-court pressure also aided the Sycamores’ varied half-court defenses by taking time off the shot clock.
“We did have two or three turnovers against [the press],” Stein said, “and it did take time and maybe we rushed a little bit.”
ISU also scored 22 points off USI’s 20 turnovers.
“Coaches like [assistant] coach [Clint] Weddle and coach Wiedie have always been pushing the defense. Defense is the best offense,” said Luna, who had four steals, all coming in the first half.
Southern Indiana 48
Player mi fg 3pt ft r a pf tp
Williams 17 0-2 0-0 1-2 3 0 5 1
Mertens 19 3-10 0-0 3-4 7 0 3 9
Newhart 25 3-89 0-3 3-5 1 0 2 9
Meneghetti 27 1-6 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 3
Young 24 2-7 2-6 2-2 7 0 1 8
Soaper 21 2-9 1-5 4-4 3 0 2 9
Leeberg 14 0-4 0-4 1-2 2 1 1 1
Sickles 23 2-4 0-0 2-2 5 1 4 6
Gehlhausen 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 1 1 0
Johnson 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 1 0
McSparin 11 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 3 0
Perry 10 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 3 2
Totals 14-52 4-22 16-21 38* 6 28 48
Indiana State 65
Player mi fg 3pt ft r a pf tp
Cooley 20 1-4 0-0 4-4 6 1 3 6
Thomas 22 5-8 0-0 1-4 7 1 1 11
Schoen 28 1-6 1-6 2-2 2 1 3 5
Mattox 27 2-5 0-1 8-8 3 1 2 12
Luna 28 5-11 3-6 1-2 6 2 1 14
Smith 3 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0
Hodge 8 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 3 2
Pedro 7 0-3 0-2 2-2 1 0 4 2
Whitley 16 3-5 0-1 3-9 0 0 2 9
Paul 8 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Buher 17 1-5 0-1 0-0 3 2 2 2
Rivest 16 0-1 0-0 2-4 6 0 4 2
Totals 19-49 4-17 23-37 38* 9 25 65
Halftime score — ISU 33, USI 23. FG % — USI .269, ISU .388. 3P% — USI .182, ISU .235. FT% — USI .762, ISU .622. Steals — USI 4, ISU 10 (Luna 4), Schoen 2). Blocks — USI 3, ISU 1 (Mattox). Turnovers — USI 20, ISU 17. Team rebounds(*) — USI 5, ISU 3 . A — 2,837.
Next — Indiana State opens its regular season Saturday at Kansas State.
College
ISU women's basketball's post game takes shape in exhibition victory
Thomas has strong game as Sycamores take down Southern Indiana 65-48
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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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‘Frustrated’ Sycamores regroup to face Southern Illinois
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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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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