TERRE HAUTE — Strong words, considering the Sycamores were picked seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, were 11-21 a year ago, and that ISU hasn’t had a winning season since 2001.
But Marshall said that’s kind of the point … the 2010 Sycamores have depth recent-vintage ISU teams have not had, so in Marshall’s estimation, why should past performance play a role in what ISU’s expectations are?
“I don’t know if it’s a ‘why not us?’ type of thing for the guys. We’ve kind of been a laugh in the Valley for the time I’ve been in the program. We’re picked seventh or eighth or worse every year. Teams around the conference take us lightly,” said Marshall, who noted that 2008 league champion Drake was picked ninth in the league in that year’s preseason poll. “No one thinks we can win, so we can’t we believe it? Why can’t we make them believe it?”
Marshall’s words likely ring true with many Sycamore fans, who are excited about the depth of talent ISU has at its disposal this season.
With the transfer of ex-Iowa guard Jake Kelly and the game-eligibility (after a NCAA-mandated two-game suspension) of ex-Louisiana Tech swingman Dwayne Lathan, ISU added 19.8 points per game to its arsenal based on Kelly and Lathan’s last seasons at their respective former schools, though Kelly was well above his season average of 11.6 ppg during his last month with the Hawkeyes.
Add that to a group that won seven of its last nine games last year — Marshall (13.6 ppg), guard Rashad Reed (11 ppg) and guard Jordan Printy (6.9 ppg) were among those who were key components in that run — and there’s reason for ISU to feel good going into the season, which starts tonight against Nebraska-Kearney.
Depth is oft-repeated strength of the Sycamores and for good reason. In addition to the five aforementioned players, ISU has swingman Aaron Carter (7.6), forward Carl Richard (6.1), center Isiah Martin (4 ppg), center Josh Crawford (3.7) and center Brant Leitnaker (2 ppg) in tow — and those are just the experienced players. Redshirt freshman Koang Doluony will also play after sitting out a season.
Given the depth, ISU will player a faster more athletic system that will take advantage of the depth and ISU’s guard-heavy roster, one that closer approximates what ISU coach Kevin McKenna intended to run when the came to Terre Haute from Creighton.
Finding minutes for everyone could constitute a problem, but in a way, that’s what thrills McKenna the most about the Sycamores’ depth.
McKenna hopes a mentality change will evolve among the players. For many seasons, ISU had to ride their best players for punishing amounts of minutes, whether it was David Moss, Gabe Moore (who worked out with the team on Friday), or last season, Marshall, Reed and others. That won’t be necessary now.
“We had games last year where Jordan [Printy] played 37 and 38 minutes back-to-back. The message we’re trying to get across now is we’re not asking them to do that anymore,” McKenna said. “What we are asking them to do is play harder, play faster and be more productive with the minutes they have. If they do that, they can be as productive as they were last season with fewer minutes played.”
McKenna said ISU isn’t close to a finished product yet. He pointed out that he wants to see better communication and more toughness, especially with ISU’s rebounding. The players said they need to work on their on-court chemistry. Because of the rotation changes McKenna plans, it will take longer for players to get accustomed to who’s where on the floor.
But when and if it all clicks, ISU could be a dangerous team.
“Winning the conference seems like something we couldn’t do to others, we were picked seventh, but I think winning the conference is realistic,” Reed said. “When we get things going, we’re going to be a good team. And once we win the conference, the sky’s the limit.”
McKenna also said on Thursday he hasn’t made a final decision on who will be redshirted, though it is known that Rockville native R.J. Mahurin will be at least one of the freshman who won’t see game action this season. McKenna said a decision will be announced on ISU’s other freshmen — Terre Haute native Jake Odum and Marshall, Ill. brothers Logan and Lucas Eitel — today.
n ISU opens against Nebraska-Kearney tonight — The Sycamores open their season tonight against the Division II Lopers. McKenna is good friends with UNK co-head coach Tom Kropp, who was drafted by the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, the NBA’s Washington Bullets and the (then) ABA Denver Nuggets.
“He’s one of the toughest, hard-nosed athletes that ever came out of Nebraska. He’s as good a guy and as hard a worker as I’ve ever been around,” said McKenna of his friend, with whom he once caught a 9 1/2 pound, 31 inch walleye.
UNK (11-15 last year) came to Hulman Center for an exhibition game in 2007. For ISU to handle the Lopers in real action, the Sycamores need to put the wraps on guard Max Froehlich, an all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference guard.
“They have a fast, uptempo game. They run a lot of motion and score a lot of points. They’ve had good players there through the years,” said McKenna, who coached at Division II Nebraska-Omaha.
The biggest question mark for ISU is the health of Reed, who bruised his knee in ISU’s Nov. 3 exhibition game against Rose-Hulman. Reed did not play Saturday against Indianapolis, but McKenna expects him to play tonight.
“He should be able to play … his vacation is over. He had a bad bruise, but Rashad is better conditioned than he was last year, which is a good thing. The knee injury also helped a groin injury he had as he got to rest,” McKenna said.
Reed admitted he isn’t 100 percent, but he wants to play.
“I’m still sore. I had a deep bone bruise. I’m about 80 to 85 percent, but I’ll be able to give the team a few minutes,” Reed said.
Lathan will sit out the first of two games after the NCAA levied a two-game suspension dating from Lathan’s time at Louisiana Tech when he played in an unsanctioned charity basketball tournament.
The biggest key for the Sycamores is to not overlook the Division II Lopers with Monday’s Preseason NIT matchup with LSU looming.
“You can’t look past anyone. We can’t come in and be thinking about LSU.. Everyone needs to come in focused on Kearney,” Reed said.
UNK at ISU
Tipoff — 7:05 p.m. today at Hulman Center.
Broadcasts — TV: WTWO-2. Radio: WSDM (92.7-FM). Internet: gosycamores.com.
Series — first meeting.
The players
Indiana State Sycamores (0-0) — G Harry Marshall (6-0, Sr., 13.6 ppg in ’09), G Rashad Reed (6-1, Sr., 11.0), G Jake Kelly (6-6, Jr., 11.6 at Iowa), G Jordan Printy (6-4, So., 6.9), F Carl Richard (6-5, So., 6.1 ppg, 6 rpg), C Brant Leitnaker (6-10, Jr., 2.1), G Aaron Carter (6-4, Jr., 7.6), C Josh Crawford (6-11, Sr., 3.7), F-C Isiah Martin (6-8, Jr., 4 ppg) are all possible starters.
Coach — Kevin McKenna (26-37 at ISU, 3rd year; 115-70 overall, 7th year).
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (0-0) — G Jeremy Cruise (6-0, Jr., 9.5 ppg in ’09), G Max Froehlich (6-4, So., 11.5), F Chris Deans (6-4, So., 8.3), F Drew Sankey (6-6, Fr.), C Josiah Parker (6-10, Sr., 11.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg) are projected starters.
Co-coaches — Tom Kropp (400-135, 20th year) and Kevin Lofton (47-41, 4th year).
Injuries — For ISU, G Rashad Reed (knee) is questionable. G Harry Marshall (foot) and C Brant Leitnaker (foot) are probable. Also, G-F Dwayne Lathan (suspension) is out.
Keys to the game
• With the loss of Lathan, ISU must compensate for his athleticism by hitting the boards and by forcing turnovers.
• The Sycamores must not look past the Division II Lopers in anticipation of their game at LSU on Monday.
Tidbit — UNK has played just eight games east of the Mississippi River. The Lopers’ only Division I win came against Southern Illinois in 1995.
Next games — ISU plays at LSU in the Preseason NIT on Monday. UNK plays Hastings on Wednesday.
— Todd Golden
Indiana State University
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