TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State guard Harry Marshall watched the Sycamores’ men’s basketball exhibition against Rose-Hulman on Tuesday from one of the tunnels in Hulman Center. At the time, Marshall was indefinitely suspended due to a violation of team rules.
Watching instead of playing was one of the hardest things he’s had to do.
“It was very difficult to watch. I missed the guys, I missed being on the floor, I missed playing,” said Marshall on Friday before ISU practiced in preparation for today’s exhibition game against the University of Indianapolis.
Neither Marshall nor ISU coach Kevin McKenna wished to go into specifics about what the violation of team rules was that precipitated the suspension. However, both are pleased to be moving forward from it.
“I’m excited about having Harry back. He’s a good player for us. He’s as hard a worker as I’ve ever been around in my 20 years of coaching. He’s going to fit in well, he knows the system, he can share his knowledge with the other players from the point guard spot. That’s invaluable,” McKenna said. “He’s helping Jake Kelly out, he’s helping all our news guys out, Dwayne [Lathan] and Koang [Doluony] in particular. We count on him.”
“It’s great to be back. It’s a situation we have to put behind us, and hopefully, we’ll move forward from it,” Marshall said.
As one might imagine, it was a long week for Marshall. Not only did the senior guard have to endure the suspension itself, but all of the rumors — most unsubstantiated — that went along with it as fans speculated on what caused the suspension.
“It definitely hurt. I’m a person who started at the bottom and had to work myself supposedly to the top of this program. The situation is what it is, but what I heard about it hurt and many things were not true,” Marshall said. “Me being academically ineligible. Me being caught with drugs. It just wasn’t true. It hurt me and it hurt my family. That was their name that was getting bashed or slandered and it hurt me personally.”
Ultimately, Marshall said he’s worked too hard throughout his career to let a potentially promising senior season slip away. Marshall came to ISU as a walk-on in 2006 and worked his way to a scholarship, a valued role as a starting guard and into an All-MVC honorable mention selection going into this season.
“I’m somebody who came here as a freshman who put so much into this program. People who think I’m a bad person or a bad kid, tomorrow and the upcoming season give me a chance to prove the people who doubted me that they’re wrong,” Marshall said. “I’ve been knocking down doors since I was a freshman in high school. I knocked down doors to play college basketball. This is just another door I need to knock down and a door I need to step through.”
Moving forward, Marshall hopes he can be embraced as the leader he wants to be for the Sycamores.
“The team goal is to move forward. We need to work together as a team, we need to work together as a unit and we’ll come together,” Marshall said.
n Indianapolis visits — The degree of difficulty goes up for the Sycamores in their last men’s basketball exhibition. ISU handled Division III Rose-Hulman easily in a 89-50 victory. Division II Indianapolis, coached by former ISU assistant Stan Gouard, will be a tougher task.
Still, there are things ISU did well against the Engineers that McKenna thinks transcend the division the Sycamores were playing against.
“I thought we moved the ball and played unselfish basketball. We were into it, and whether that had to do with it being the first game or that we were playing someone else, that had something to do with it. Being in front of our fans, they were excited to play in front of them. Hopefully, we gained some fans with the way we played,” McKenna said.
There are things McKenna wants to see better executed against the Greyhounds.
“I want to see better execution, a little better off-the-ball defense. It’s improving, but still not where it needs to be yet,” McKenna said.
McKenna said no decision will be made based on the game whether any of the current Sycamores will be redshirted. McKenna anticipates a decision early next week.
“It won’t determine anything [as far as redshirting is concerned]. We’ve had some discussions with some guys about [redshirting]. We’ve got 15 quality players on our team. You can only play five at a time and to work 15 in, including tomorrow’s game, is a difficult thing,” McKenna said. “I’ve never been around a program that forced anyone to redshirt. We talk about it, we try to come to grips with what’s best for the young man and what’s best for the program. We try to give as much as advice and direction as we can regarding that, then it’s up to the player what they want to do.”
Among those on the Greyhounds’ roster is former Terre Haute North and Gardner-Webb forward Nate Blank. The junior transferred to Indianapolis in the last off-season. He averaged 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds last year at Gardner-Webb. Center Larry Woods is the only returning double-digit scorer for the Greyhounds (9-18 last season), he averaged 10.3 points. Despite that, the Greyhounds went to Valparaiso and knocked off the Crusaders 88-83 on Sunday.
The gregarious Gouard was a popular assistant coach when he was at ISU from 2005-08. Gouard coached under both former coach Royce Waltman and McKenna and was very well-regarded by both.
Marshall is looking forward to seeing his old coach again.
“It’ll be good to have one of our old coaches come in. I’ll be glad to see coach Gouard,” Marshall said.
Indiana State University
ISU's Marshall ready to put suspension behind him
- Indiana State University
-
-
One out away from win, ISU falls to Boilermakers
So close, yet so close?
-
Maynard to serve as interim president of ISU Foundation
The Indiana State University Foundation Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Jack Maynard to serve as the foundation's interim president. Maynard will remain provost and vice president of academic affairs for the university during his interim role with the foundation.
-
Indiana State’s Rupe gets test today at No. 13 Purdue
Indiana State’s late-scheduled baseball game at No. 13 Purdue today has many benefits, not the least of which is that ISU’s NCAA Tournament chances increase merely by playing the game as the Sycamores’ strength of schedule gets a shot in the arm.
-
Sycamores get brooms out: ISU needs 1 more win to claim MVC
Indiana State’s baseball team had won every Missouri Valley Conference series it had played this season, but one nagging thought was on the Sycamores’ minds as they suited up Sunday to play Southern Illinois.
-
ISU rallies for 2nd straight MVC title
A strong Sunday performance lifted Indiana State’s men to a second straight Missouri Valley Conference track championship Sunday at Wichita State.
-
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.
-
ISU gives Bacus run support, win
Starting pitchers tread on shaky ground when the topic of run support comes up. To broach the topic if they’re not getting it can be a dicey proposition in the clubhouse.
-
ISU adds showdown with Purdue
Butler’s overbooked baseball schedule is doing wonders for Indiana State’s baseball slate … and possibly … for ISU’s at-large chances for the NCAA baseball tournament.
-
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.
-
Bad day at the office: Factors within & beyond Sycamores’ control conspire in loss
Indiana State’s baseball team hasn’t chalked up many bad days during a 36-12 campaign, but Sunday’s 8-2 loss to Wichita State in the series finale between the two teams would be an exception.
-
Three Sycamores get wins at IU
Three Sycamores posted wins in the Billy Hayes Invitational hosted by Indiana University Friday in the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex.
-
Rapid response lifts Sycamores over Shockers
At some point last week, the Indiana State right fielder previously known as Robby Ort decided to shorten his chosen name and identify himself as Rob Ort.
-
Pickoff move a weapon for Manaea
If all Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea did right for the Sycamores was to retire batters at the plate, no one would have any complaints.
-
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.
-
ISU hurdler earns MVC track athlete of week honor
Indiana State sophomore Greggmar Swift has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Track Athlete of the Week, according to an announcement from the league office Tuesday.
-
Greg Goode to return to Indiana State as governmental relations director
Greg Goode is returning to Indiana State University as its executive director for governmental relations, ISU President Dan Bradley announced today.
-
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.
-
What do you want to be?
For more than 43 years more than 14,000 high school students have been able to explore what their future job could be like, experience college campus life and earn university credit during one-week seminars in the Summer Honors Program at Indiana State University.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Sycamores drop finale
Despite freshman Megan Stone hitting her second career home run in the last three games, the Indiana State softball team fell in the series finale 9-1 to Illinois State.
-
ISU defined by resiliency as Illinois falls
If you had to pick one game that best exemplified Indiana State’s baseball season to date, you’d be hard-pressed to choose a better example than ISU’s 6-4 victory over Illinois at Bob Warn Field on Tuesday.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
ISU comes up big
Indiana State’s weekend baseball series with Dallas Baptist was ballyhooed as a make-or-break opportunity for the Sycamores to state their case for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.
-
Sycamores tied for 6th in MVC
Indiana State got off to a solid start, but a rash of bogeys on the back nine slipped the Sycamores into a tie for sixth place after the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championships at the Country Club of Terre Haute on Sunday.
-
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
- More Indiana State University Headlines
-
One out away from win, ISU falls to Boilermakers
Court Records Detail Zimmerman Injuries
Police Confirm Missing Tucson Girl Was Abducted
Blood Drive for Woman With Flesh-Eating Disease
Local Community Prepares for G8 Summit
Deputies: Fla. Mom Killed 4 Kids, Then Herself
Woman With Flesh-Eating Bug Needs to 'Grieve'
Raw Video: Mladic's Genocide Trial Under Way
Fla. Mom Shoots, Kills 4 Kids, Self
New Guidelines for US Nuclear Plants
Romney Calls Obama a 'Disappointment'
GOP Lawmaker: Hearing Needed on 2B Trading Loss
Time Cover Shows Mom Breastfeeding 3-Year-Old
AG Race Tops Oregon Primary Interest
AP: Killer of 3 Tries Not to Think About Murders
AAA: Expect Packed Roads Memorial Day Weekend
National Strategy on Alzheimer's Unveiled
Raw Video: Crews Battling Wildfire, High Winds
Dimon Survives Votes on Pay, Chairmanship
Northern AZ Wildfire Grows, Prompts Evacuations
Man Bitten by Rattlesnake in Wal-Mart
J.Lo Rocks Revealing Swimsuits
Raw Video: Army Sergeant Beaten, Robbed
Did The Dictator Kill Clooney's Ex?
Raw Video: Daring Rescue From Chinese Flood
Melissa Rycroft's Post-Baby Bod
Mail carriers complain about peep show at nude colony
'Punk'd' Returns: Bieber to Be First Rotating Host
Man Turns Nerf Gun into 20,000-Volt Tesla Gun
Katherine Jenkins Gives Update on Her Back Injury
Miranda Lambert Likes Her Big Butt
Debate rages over owning exotic animals
Paltrow in Blue Cat Face Paint
Tom Cruise Is Shirtless and Ripped
Yosimite Falls now streaming online
Charlie Sheen's New 'Anger Management' Trailer
Behind The Scenes of Lady Gaga's Simpsons Episode
