TERRE HAUTE — There’s no place like home, Kelsey Luna said Monday, even though the Indiana State senior guard is coming off three road games as arguably the hottest women’s basketball player in the country.
“It will be extremely, extremely exciting for us,” said Luna of today’s 6 p.m. game against Southeast Missouri State in Hulman Center. “It’s heartwarming to go on the road and still have more fans than the other team does. But to be at home, where there are people you know all around you and you can hear them calling your name … you can’t replace that.”
The Sycamores come into tonight’s game with a 3-0 record. Luna comes in averaging 29 points per game, also contributing mightily in the rebound, assist and steal categories, and has won the first two Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week awards.
“It’s nice to be able to come out and contribute to my team,” said Luna, who missed the end of last season with a knee injury. “I feel completely blessed to be a part of this program and to do the things I’ve been able to do lately.”
It’s a good thing she has, coach Jim Wiedie indicated Monday.
Although the Sycamores took momentum from a season-opening 77-73 win at Kansas State — where the Wildcats hadn’t lost a home opener since 1998 and had beaten 29 straight non-conference foes — into a road trip last weekend, they didn’t do as much with it as they could have, Wiedie indicated.
“We were really sloppy offensively, especially against Furman [a 62-47 win Thursday],” the coach said, “but defensively we were pretty good that night. Then on Saturday [an 80-72 win at South Carolina Upstate] we were sloppy offensively and sloppy defensively.
“If Luna and [sophomore center] Shannon [Thomas] don’t have those games [Thomas had a career high in scoring in each contest], and if we don’t hit 22 of 26 at the [foul] line, we could have been in trouble.”
Wiedie could almost see those performances coming, he hinted.
“Our practices [last] Monday and Tuesday were very lethargic, kind of going through the motions,” he said, “and I’m a believer that you play like you practice … we need to be more concerned with preparation.”
Lethargy shouldn’t be a problem tonight. Primed by those three season-opening wins, the Sycamore faithful — numerous and vocal for ISU’s two exhibitions — should be out in force.
“It’s very nice to be home, and we’re excited to play in front of our fans,” Wiedie said. “It feels like we’ve been away forever, and hopefully people will be excited to see this team.”
Indiana State has never lost to the Redhawks, although last year’s win was a 75-72 squeaker at Cape Girardeau.
“They were a veteran team last year but they have nine freshmen this year,” Wiedie said of the 2-1 Redhawks, who lost 72-46 Saturday at Missouri State. “On film, it looks like they haven’t found themselves yet … and its good to play those [kind of] teams early.”
Southeast Missouri State at Indiana State
Tipoff — 6 p.m. today in Hulman Center.
Broadcasts — Radio: WSDM-FM 92.7. Radio stream at Crock927.com. Live stats and live audio and video at GoSycamores.com.
Last time out — Indiana State won 80-72 Saturday at South Carolina Upstate. Southeast Missouri lost 72-46 that day at Missouri State.
Series — Indiana State is 4-0 against the Redhawks, including a 75-72 win last November at Cape Girardeau.
The players
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (2-1) — Bianca Beck (5-7 Soph., 8 ppg), Jasmine Davis (5-7 Fr., 11 ppg), Lauren Sharpe (6-0 Jr., 11 ppg), Bailie Roberts (5-10 Fr., 10.5 ppg) and Lesley Adams (6-2 Sr., 7.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg) are probable starters.
Coach — John Ishee (62-33 in fourth year at SEMo, 91-54 in sixth year overall).
Indiana State Sycamores (3-0) — G Kelsey Luna (5-5 Sr., 29 ppg, 5.7 rpg), G Brittany Schoen (5-6 Soph., 2.7 ppg), G Deja Mattox (6-0 Soph., 12.3 ppg), F Kelsie Cooley (6-1 Jr., 7.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and C Shannon Thomas (12.3 ppg, 9 rpg) figure to be the starters.
Coach — Jim Wiedie (158-108 in his 10th year; he is now the winningest coach in ISU women’s basketball history).
Injuries — ISU sophomore Chelsea Buher missed Saturday’s game and has some issues with her back; she’s questionable for tonight’s game. Freshmen Andrea Rademacher and Meaghan MacDougall are out for the season.
Keys to the game
• SEMO, which won home games against Missouri-St. Louis and Southern Mississippi before losing at Missouri State, has nine freshmen on its roster. That may have contributed to the one-sided loss in the Redhawks’ first road game, and they’ll be greeted with another loud and enthusiastic crowd tonight.
• Wiedie considers depth — even if Buher is unavailable — to be one of his team’s strengths, and the Sycamores should have a significant edge in that department.
• Indiana State has Kelsey Luna. Southeast Missouri State doesn’t.
Next — Both teams play home games on Sunday, ISU against Central Michigan and Southeast Missouri State against Wisconsin-Green Bay.
— Andy Amey
Indiana State University
After 3-game road stretch, there’s no place like home for ISU women
Sycamores host SEMO today at 6 p.m.
- Indiana State University
-
-
Is this ball rolling? Can Sycamores keep finding their shooting stroke?
Can Indiana State expect any carryover from its record-setting shooting performance Saturday when the Sycamores resume Missouri Valley Conference play against Illinois State at 7:05 p.m. today in Hulman Center?
-
Time for a pick-me-up
Indiana State’s magnificent 3-point shooting duo of Brittany Schoen and Anna Munn connected at crucial times Sunday in Hulman Center.
-
Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
When you’re a shooter and you’re in a slump, the boilerplate cure is to summon amnesia, forget about your struggles and keep on shooting.
-
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.
-
‘Frustrated’ Sycamores regroup to face Southern Illinois
Indiana State’s men’s basketball struggles have hit one Sycamore senior hard.
-
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.
-
Freezing in Peoria: Sycamores fall at last-place Bradley
When Indiana State’s men’s basketball team has excelled, it has done so via effort, concentration and grit as much as raw talent.
-
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.
-
Sycamores can’t slow down Stutz, Wichita State
All or nothing.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
ISU grinds out win
Drake’s men’s basketball played three overtimes on Saturday; Indiana State played two on Sunday.
-
Sycamores introduce 27 football recruits
Christmas came a bit late, or quite early, depending on your point of reference, but 27 recruits were welcomed to the Indiana State football program on National Signing Day at Hulman Center on Wednesday.
-
After 2 wins, Indiana State isn’t rolling quite yet
With a modest winning streak — two in a row would certainly qualify as modest — the Indiana State men’s basketball team would like to move on to momentum.
-
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?
-
Sycamores need 2 overtimes to claim win at Evansville
Indiana State men’s basketball coach Greg Lansing constantly talks about how the Sycamores need to match Evansville’s toughness.
-
Schoen scores 1,000th point in ISU loss
Brittany Schoen scored a game-high 20 points Sunday, becoming the 24th Indiana State women’s basketball player to reach the 1,000-point career mark, but host Wichita State pulled away in the final minutes for a 74-63 win over the Sycamores in Koch Arena.
-
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.
-
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.
-
VICTORY! Sycamores shake losing streak against UNI
With 4 minutes, 20 seconds to go, Indiana State’s men’s basketball led by 10 points and seemed to be on their way to a comfortable victory over Northern Iowa.
-
ISU not without options at quarterback
With the graduation of Ronnie Fouch, Indiana State coach Trent Miles has a big hole to fill at quarterback for the 2012 season.
-
MVC play-in round a stronger possibility for ISU
If you’re familiar with the Beetle Bailey comic strip, a classic scene depicts Sarge hanging from a branch growing out of the side of a cliff with Beetle looking down from above.
-
TILL IT'S OVER: Mahan’s emergence comes at a good time
In the preseason of her second year, Indiana State women’s basketball coach Teri Moren spoke with excitement about having more “pieces” to fit together for a winning puzzle.
-
Halfway to ninth: No. 18 Creighton blows out ISU
The defensive job the Indiana State men’s basketball team did on Creighton super sophomore Doug McDermott might be the envy of the Missouri Valley Conference.
-
TODD GOLDEN: Indiana State men caught between expectation, reality
The Missouri Valley Conference is hush-hush on how it puts together its matchups for the annual conference schedule.
-
ISU women focusing on turnovers today
The ISU women will be concentrating on hanging on to the ball today against Drake in Hulman Center.
-
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.
-
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.
- More Indiana State University Headlines
-
Raw Video: Kim Jong Il Statue Unveiled
Authorities: Houston Found Underwater in Tub
Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J.
Raw Video: Hearse Arrives at N.J. Funeral Home
Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death
Trial Opens for Ala. Man in Bride's Diving Death
Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star
First Person: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Obama's New Budget: The Winners and Losers
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches
Police: Houston Found Under Water, Unconscious
Gregoire: Marriage Equality Is Right for Wash.
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Coroner: Don't Know Houston's Cause of Death Yet
Sandusky Can See Grandkids, Have Local Jury
Attempted Bomb Attack Stopped in Georgia
Israeli Diplomats Targeted in India, Georgia
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Raw Video: Israeli Embassy Car Attacked
Sports Illustrated Cover Leaked
Kate Upton MLB 2K12 Commercial
Olympic Swimmer Proposes on Podium After Big Win
Whitney Houston Funeral Arrangements Set
Scarlett Johansson's Bikini P-D-A
Man Allegedly Drowns Wife While Scuba Diving
The 'Celebrity Apprentice' Cast Meets Donald Trump
Wash. becomes 7th state to okay same-sex marriage
Romijn's 60 Pound Weight Loss
Kissing contest heats up
Hugh Hefner's Son Arrested
Jacqueline Kennedy's personal papers released
Did Tyler Perry Have a Secret Wedding?
Iran denies Israeli embassy bombings
'Bachelor' Free Falls into the Ocean
Facebook Parenting: Father Posts Video Responding to Daughter's Post
Bobby Brown on Houston's Death
