News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Sports

Related Photos

  • Indiana State's Jake Odum (left) and Bradley's Walt Lemon Jr. collide under the basket in the first half Wednesday night at Carver Arena in Peoria. (Peoria, Ill., Journal Star/Matt Dayhoff)

    1 020812_bradleyindystate01.jpg

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
February 9, 2012

Freezing in Peoria: Sycamores fall at last-place Bradley

Todd Golden The Tribune-Star

Peoria, Ill. — When Indiana State’s men’s basketball team has excelled, it has done so via effort, concentration and grit as much as raw talent. Those intangibles are central to the Sycamores’ success.

When the Sycamores have their minds right and possess those three elements, they can beat, or at least compete, with any team in the country. When the Sycamores lack those qualities, they are capable of being beaten by anyone. ISU can’t walk into a gym and win on its talent alone.

So it was Wednesday at Bradley. The Sycamores were slow out of the gate and never conjured the requisite effort, concentration or grit to avoid a devastating upset bid by the Braves. Last-place Bradley defeated ISU 68-60 in front of 7,520 at Carver Arena.

“I gave Bradley a lot of credit. They played like the more hungry team, the team with a sense of urgency, the team that needed the win worse. They did a tremendous job competing harder than us and they deserve the win,” ISU coach Greg Lansing said.

Lansing was at a loss to explain the Sycamores’ missing sense of urgency. It seemed ISU had regained its mojo after it won three in four after a 2-7 start in conference play, but the first-half Sycamores re-emerged in Peoria.

“I say it about everyday [about sense of urgency], I really do, especially after the lessons we learned in the first half. These teams are good. Bradley has struggled and their record isn’t very good, but they’re good, they’ve competed,” Lansing said.

“For our guys to come out without a sense of urgency, [not] remember why we’re a good team and how hard we have to compete and work? We didn’t put forth the effort we needed to beat a hard-playing team tonight,” Lansing added.

The defeat was a huge blow for the Sycamores. ISU (14-11 overall) fell to 5-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference. While the Sycamores are still just a game out of a sixth-place tie – the final spot to avoid the MVC Tournament play-in round – there are only four league games left to play to climb out of the hole.

The die was cast from the opening tip. ISU failed to score on its first six and nine of its first 10 trips down the floor. Bradley eventually took a 13-5 lead.

“We thought we came out with a lot of energy. Looking back on it, I thought we did, things just didn’t go our way. Bradley out-played us for most of the game,” ISU guard Lucas Eitel said.

The Sycamores never gained the lead or tied the game. The closest ISU came was a 17-15 deficit at the 6:14 mark, but the Sycamores would score just two more points during the rest of the half and Bradley’s half-ending 9-2 run gave the Braves a 26-17 halftime edge.

ISU shot 27.6 percent from the field – including 1 of 7 from 3-point range – in the first half. Fumbled balls and missed cuts led to six first-half turnovers. Bradley’s nine-point advantage equaled its largest of a disappointing season.

“Maybe I should have stressed the importance of the game more. I stressed it a few times, but I didn’t want to put the weight of the world on the guys,” Lansing said. “We fumbled the ball all over the place. Their aggressiveness got us standing around. We had a good practice leading in, I’m at a little bit of a loss.”

It wouldn’t get any better in the second half. ISU remained ice-cold from the field. ISU made just 3 of 15 from the field to start the half – a cold-snap that lasted to the 6:07 mark. By then, Bradley had gained confidence, drained its first four 3-point attempts of the second half, and had taken a 46-30 lead.

ISU made a too-little, too-late effort with sand running out of its hourglass. An 8-0 run cut the Braves’ lead in half, but the Sycamores couldn’t sustain the outburst.

ISU got within five with 37 seconds left, but Bradley (7-19, 2-12) marched to the free throw line and made 12 free throws in the final 2:02 to clinch its second league win.

Walt Lemon Jr. led Bradley with 26 points, including 15 of 16 at the line. Dwayne Lathan led ISU with 16 points. Jake Odum added 15 points. “We can’t do anything about this game. We have to definitely give energy in the next one,” Eitel said.

ISU next plays host to Southern Illinois at 1 p.m. on Saturday.



INDIANA STATE (60) – Richard 2-7 0-0 5, Walker 2-4 0-0 4, Odum 5-14 4-5 15, Lathan 4-9 6-7 16, Printy 1-7 0-1 3, Kitchell 0-0 0-0 0, Eitel 2-7 0-0 5, Gant 0-1 0-0 0, McWhorter 1-3 0-0 2, Mahurin 4-11 2-2 10. 21-63 FG, 12-15 FT, 60 TP.

BRADLEY (68) – Brown 3-11 1-4 7, Prosser 4-8 3-6 11, Simms-Edwards 0-4 5-6 5, Eastman 2-6 1-2 6, Crawford 3-4 0-0 9, Woods 0-0 0-0 0, Shayok 0-0 0-0 0, Lemon Jr. 5-7 15-16 26, Thompson 2-5 0-0 4. 19-45 FG, 25-34 FT, 68 TP.

Halftime score – BU 26-17. 3-point goals – ISU 6-24 (Lathan 2-4, Eitel 1-5, Printy 1-5, Richard 1-3, Odum 1-3, Mahurin 0-4), BU 5-13 (Crawford 3-4, Eastman 1-3, Lemon Jr. 1-3, Brown 0-3). Rebounds – ISU 40* (Odum 11, Eitel 6, Richard 5, Lathan 5, Walker 4, Mahurin 4, Printy 2, Team RB 2*, Kitchell), BU 36 (Prosser 9, Brown 8, Eastman 5, Shayok 4, Lemon Jr. 4, Thompson 3, Simms-Edwards 2, Woods), Assists – ISU 9 (Printy 2, Eitel 2, Mahurin 2, Odum, Lathan, McWhorter), BU 13 (Lemon Jr. 4, Brown 3, Prosser 2, Eastman 2, Simms-Edwards, Crawford), Steals – ISU 3 (Odum, Printy, McWhorter), BU 5 (Prosser, Simms-Edwards, Eastman, Woods, Lemon Jr.), Blocks – ISU 2 (Walker, Mahurin), BU 7 (Brown 3, Thompson 3, Shayok), Turnovers – ISU 9 (Richard 3, Odum 2, Lathan 2, Walker, Eitel), BU 7 (Lemon Jr. 4, Prosser, Simms-Edwards), Total fouls – ISU 22, BU 19. Fouled out – none. A – 7,520.

Next – ISU (14-11 5-9) plays host to Southern Illinois and Bradley (7-19, 2-12) plays at Missouri State on Saturday.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Sports
SPT052612NvBB decker.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

Local Interest
SPT052612NvBB decker.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

High School
College
Sports Columns
Pro Sports
Terre Haute Rex
Colts
Auto Racing
IndyCar.jpg

AP/Dave Parker Dario Franchitti, center, of Scotland, leads teammate Scott Dixon, bottom, of New Zealand, and Tony Kanaan, top, of Brazil, to the finish line on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday.

Latest News
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Front page
AP Video
Evans: Serena in shock Mets host Banner Day at Citi Barfly: Analyzing African American QBs Barfly: Combating Concussions Barfly: To sue, or not to sue Stanley Cup Preview: Key Matchups Kendall: Indy 500 recap Celtics crush Sixers in Game 7 Montero signs extension On the Record: Anna Tunnicliffe Highlights: History 300 NASCAR on FOX: Charlotte preview Devils head to the Stanley Cup Finals French Open Preview: Women's draw French Open Preview: Men's draw Controversial Show Offers Alternative Listening for Women During Stanley Cup Finals Tebow Teased by Jets Teammates Over Virginity, Lolo Jones Jets learn Sparano's offense 1st Inning: Hakeem Nicks Tweet Talkback: Brandon Jennings
NDN Video
Los Angeles Bar Bans Bachelorettes Hamster Plays Dead Beyonce Shows Off 60 Pound Weight Loss at Concert Drunk Women Breaking Into Houses: A New Trend? LeAnn Rimes Rocks Short Shorts Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face Gordon Ramsay Carried Off Field Man Dies Getting Lap Dance Kim Kardashian Claims Items Stolen from Her Luggage Bear cools off in Calif. family's pool Ep. 3: Chopped Desserts Air Force dad surprises family at baseball game Justin Bieber Wanted for Questioning for L.A. Scuffle J.Lo and Marc's Friendly Reunion Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff Jet makes emergency landing after debris falls off Raw Video: Deadly Explosion at Minn. Paper Mill Cynthia Nixon Ties the Knot Woman, 80, Falls Out of Skydive Harness Mid-Jump Keira Reveals Engagement Ring
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

    March 12, 2010

activity