TERRE HAUTE —
The second time around has been kind for the Indiana State men’s basketball team this season.
ISU has faced two Missouri Valley Conference teams — Southern Illinois and Creighton — where it lost the first game of the season series. In each case, it won the rematch. In each case, the rematch was at Hulman Center.
Drake is the third MVC team to step into that role at 7 p.m. today and it’s another chance for the Sycamores to reverse the outcome of an earlier loss.
To do so, ISU (17-11, 9-7) will have to slow down Drake’s transition game, keep shooters like Ben Simons and Joey King from getting hot, and more astutely attack a zone defense.
The Bulldogs (13-15, 6-10) were able to use all of the above attributes to earn a 74-71 overtime victory at the Knapp Center on Feb. 2. The Bulldogs shot 50 percent from 3-point range, including three 3-pointers by Simons at the beginning of the second half, which gave ISU an eight-point hill to climb in regulation to force overtime.
Drake later used a zone defense to slow down ISU’s offense as the Sycamores had trouble attacking it.
“We have to keep moving the ball. We got stagnant a couple of times when we played up there. They went to a zone and we got stagnant and we can’t do that. We have to keep it moving. We have to attack the rim. We have to be aggressive and get foul calls,” ISU forward R.J. Mahurin said.
ISU — currently in fourth place in the MVC — still has plenty to play for within the conference.
Due to MVC tiebreaker rules, ISU owns the tiebreaker advantage over any team it would be tied with in a head-to-head scenario. Nonconference strength of schedule is the MVC’s second tiebreaker. ISU’s nonconference schedule is ranked 29th in the nation, good for second in the conference.
The only team that has a better nonconference strength of schedule in the MVC — Northern Iowa — was swept by the Sycamores in the season series, so ISU owns that tiebreaker too.
Because of that, it’s still mathematically possible for the Sycamores to earn the No. 2 spot in the MVC Tournament, though ISU would need Creighton to be swept in its final two games to get it, in addition to ISU winning its final two contests.
More likely for ISU would be to gain the Nos. 3 or 4 seeds at Arch Madness. ISU is also still on the periphery of NCAA Tournament consideration. Media outlets such as ESPN still have the Sycamores within range of a possible at-large tournament bid, but a strong finish is necessary to make that long-shot possibility closer to reality.
ISU broke a three-game losing streak with a 65-64 victory over Iona on Saturday. Drake had lost four in a row until last week when it recovered to defeat Bradley 92-84 in overtime. The Bulldogs then went on the road and won its BracketBusters game at Wisconsin-Green Bay 71-54.
“We’ve built a little momentum and played some good basketball over the last week. We’ll have to be at our best on both ends of the court to come out with a win,” Drake coach Mark Phelps said during Monday’s MVC coaches teleconference.
Drake played without blue collar forward Jordan Clarke in the game at Green Bay. Clarke has a knee injury, but is expected to play tonight. Clarke’s presence is vital as he provides the Bulldogs with grit in the paint.
Tonight is ISU’s last scheduled home game of the season. Normally, it would be Senior Night … but ISU has no senior players. With no seniors to honor, ISU coach Greg Lansing would like to pay tribute to the fans that have helped ISU achieve a 11-2 home record this season.
“We’ve been a good home team. We have to thank our fans. We don’t have any seniors, but we’ve only lost one conference games here. We want to give our fans a tremendous effort so they can get excited about St. Louis,” Lansing said.
Hulman Center could still host ISU games. If ISU were to play in the National Invitation Tournament, it could host a game or several games if the Sycamores were seeded high enough. There is no bid process for the NIT. The NCAA determines the host schools via seeding.
Drake at ISU
Tipoff — 7 p.m. at Hulman Center.
Broadcasts — Radio: WIBQ-FM 98.5. Twitter: @TribStarTodd
Last time out — ISU defeated Iona 65-64 and Drake beat Green Bay 71-54 on Saturday.
Series — ISU leads 40-36. ISU lost to Drake 74-71 in overtime on Feb. 2. Drake last won at Hulman Center in 2008.
The players
Indiana State Sycamores (17-11, 9-7) — G Jake Odum (6-4, Jr., 14.3, 4.4 rpg, 4.7 apg), G Dawon Cummings (6-4, Jr., 6.3), F Manny Arop (6-6, Jr., 12.6, 5.3 rpg), F R.J. Mahurin (6-8, Jr., 10.3) and C Justin Gant (6-8, So., 7.6, 4.7 rpg) are possible starters. G-F Khristian Smith (6-6, Fr., 5.4), G Lucas Eitel (6-2, Jr., 4.4), G Devonte Brown (6-3, Fr., 3.6), F Jake Kitchell (6-10, So., 2.8), G Brandon Burnett (6-6, Fr., 0.7) and F-C Rhett Smith (6-7, Fr., 0 ppg) are key reserves. For Drake, F Daddy Ugbede (thumb) is out. F Jordan Clarke (knee) is questionable.
Coach — Greg Lansing (52-36, 3rd year at ISU).
Drake Bulldogs (13-15, 6-10) — G Chris Hines (6-1, Sr., 9.6), G Richard Carter (5-11, Jr., 9 ppg), F Joey King (6-9, Fr., 7.1), F Ben Simons (6-8, Sr., 14.6), F Jordan Clarke (6-8, Sr., 9.5, 8.7 rpg) and C Seth VanDeest (6-11, Jr., 9.5, 4.8 rpg) are possible starters. G Micah Mason (6-2, Fr., 5.4), G Gary Ricks Jr. (6-1, Jr., 3 ppg), F Jeremy Jeffers (6-6, So., 3.5) and G Kori Babineaux (6-4, Fr., 2 ppg) are key reserves.
Coach — Mark Phelps (72-80, 5th year at Drake).
Injuries — For ISU, C Mike Samuels (foot) is out.
Next — ISU plays at Evansville and Drake plays host to Southern Illinois on Saturday.
High School
ISU looking forward to second chance against Drake
- High School
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Blank, Mundy named McMillan Award winners
Posing side-by-side for photos following Terre Haute North High School’s Senior Awards ceremony, seniors Calvin Blank and Chanli Mundy couldn’t look more different.
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North baseball pulls away from South in sectional opener
In high school baseball little things mean a lot, and the crack in the door doesn’t have to be open very wide.
Terre Haute North burst through that crack in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday evening at Terre Haute South, scoring seven two-out runs — all unearned — and going on to a surprisingly easy 12-2 victory over the host Braves in Class 4A sectional action. -
West Vigo baseball advances with 10-0 win behind Stewart's two-hitter
West Vigo got off to a good start in Class 3A high school sectional baseball action Wednesday evening at Dick Ballinger Field.
The Vikings scored four runs in the first inning of the first sectional game and went on to defeat Brown County 10-0 in five innings with Kevin Stewart hurling a two-hitter. -
Terre Haute South tennis claims regional crown
It was a lot tougher than some thought it would be, but the Terre Haute South girls tennis team won the Greencastle regional for the second year in a row Wednesday evening at DePauw University Tennis and Track Center.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
West Vigo softball holds off nemesis Edgewood in softball sectional
Ice cream was enough of a reward Monday night after the West Vigo Vikings beat eight-time defending champion Edgewood 6-2 in extra innings in the opening game of the Class 3A softball sectional at Edgewood High School. But that’s not what Vikings want.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Shakamak's Green hits two homers in win over West Vigo
Shakamak improved to 22-3 on the season behind a complete-game effort from Brett Yeryar, and Patrick Green hit two solo home runs in a high school baseball game Monday.
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Terre Haute North offense unable to get going in loss to Mooresville
Jack Kirchner chose to give credit Monday night to Mooresville pitcher Taylor Chitwood, not to the Greg Maddux-size strike zone she seemed to enjoy.
But if there were no excuses forthcoming from Kirchner and his Terre Haute North High School softball team, it wouldn’t have been hard to find a spectator or two to come up with extenuating circumstances about the Patriots’ 4-1 loss at the Class 4A Martinsville Sectional. -
Terre Haute North looking strong going into girls track regional
Terre Haute North might need an off night for anyone to catch them in the girls track regional at Evansville Central.
The Patriots are as well-rounded as they’ve ever been, and two relay teams are state contenders with times ranking No. 2 in Indiana among times recorded all spring.
Terre Haute South, Northview and Sullivan have athletes among the contenders in multiple events as well. -
South tennis ready for potential challenge in regional
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
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Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Terre Haute South, Northview vie for tennis regional title
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
Coach Bill Blankenbaker’s Braves will play Seeger at 4:30 p.m., while coach Emily Goff’s Knights will take on Crawfordsville about 6 p.m. -
Vikings win in extra innings at Rockville
West Vigo scored six runs in its first two innings Saturday, then needed a ninth-inning single by Lucas Fagg to escape with a 7-6 extra-inning win in nonconference high school baseball at Rockville.
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TH South beats Northview in Big Four makeup baseball game
Terre Haute South wrapped up a share of the MIC baseball title and finished up the Big Four Classic with an 8-1 victory over Northview in less than 24 hours on Saturday morning.
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Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title
Friday night, winning the second game 5-0 and earning a share of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title.
Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout. -
South wins first half of doubleheader against Lawrence North
Host Terre Haute South kept its Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title hopes alive — and clinched no worse than second place in the process — by downing Lawrence North 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Calleja pitches West Vigo past South Vermillion
Brandon Calleja had 13 strikeouts to lead West Vigo to a 5-1 victory against South Vermillion in high school baseball Friday.
Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC. -
Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown
His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot. -
South switches up lineup to defeat North in tennis sectional
Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker said two weeks ago that he would change the Braves’ lineup after the 3-2 dual-meet loss to Terre Haute North.
The Patriots knew it was coming, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it. -
PREP ROUNDUP: North slips past Northview in eight-inning baseball game
Colton Pittman drew a bases-loaded walk to score Zach Milam with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as host Terre Haute North edged Northview 8-7 in high school baseball Thursday at Jennings Field.
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PREP ROUNDUP: North and South to face off for tennis sectional title
The winner of the Terre Haute sectional for girls high school tennis will come down to Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South.
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Terre Haute North gets 10 event victories to claim 12th straight sectional crown
Terre Haute North won 10 events Tuesday night while winning the Indiana High School Athletic Association girls track and field section at South Putnam High School for the 12th straight year.
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North, South to meet in first round of baseball sectional
The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced pairings for the baseball state tournament Tuesday and the draw offered up a Vigo County battle in the opening game.
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PREP ROUNDUP: West Vigo softball clinches share of WIC title
West Vigo clinched at least a share of the Western Indiana Conference softball title with a 6-4 victory over Edgewood on Tuesday.
Jacy McClain and Bailee Waters had RBI singles in the fourth inning to break the game open for the Vikings. - More High School Headlines
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