NCAAB TUES

Gonna put my plays in tonight and call it a late Monday/all Tuesday event bubba ... Keep roughing em up tomorrow ...

 UNC

Still working on the game but thought you guys would want to read this...

Sycamores hope to erase memory of Northern Iowa meltdown

By Todd Golden
The Tribune-Star

Springfield, Mo. — Indiana State seniors Rashad Reed and Josh Crawford said what anyone who saw Indiana State’s 62-40 loss on Saturday at Northern Iowa was thinking.

“It felt like we gave up. I know guys didn’t give up, but it looked like it with the way we handled it. It’s been a couple of days now, so everyone’s mind is on Missouri State,” Reed said.

“We have to play harder, we have to play with more intensity, we have to play like it means something to us,” Crawford said. “We gave it our all in the loss against Wichita State [an 84-73 defeat on Jan. 13 at home]. We didn’t give it our all out there [against UNI]. It was a bad loss. It was a lot different feeling in the locker room after that game.”

It was far and away the worst stretch of basketball that ISU has played since a second-half collapse at Southern Illinois on Dec. 29, which occurred in the wake of Jake Kelly’s knee injury. As ISU faces Missouri State in yet another tough road contest, it’s how ISU responds to its meltdown at UNI more so than rehashing the meltdown itself.

“Obviously, it was a big-time loss. The guys have talked about what we have to do to come to terms with what we were doing early on in the season,” Reed said. “We came out and had a good practice [Monday] to show that everyone still has their character. No one’s thinking about that loss. We’re going to move on and play a better game.”

Even though ISU produced just 40 points against the now-20th-ranked Panthers and shot an abominable 4 of 24 from the field in the second half, ISU’s players were focused more on their defensive lapses against UNI as they practiced Monday at the Hammons Student Center, former home of the Bears until they moved into JQH Arena last season.

Indeed, UNI was able to get the ball in one-on-one situations very close to the basket. UNI’s Lucas O’Rear and Adam Koch were both able to repeatedly exploit ISU defenders in the paint.

“We’ve been talking mainly about defense. Helping on defense, talking on defense,” Reed said. “We need to bring our defensive effort. We usually bring the offense, but we sometimes let our offense effect our defense. We want to make it different [today].”

ISU also needs to find scoring from someone other than Harry Marshall. In the last two losses, Reed, Jordan Printy, Aaron Carter, Isiah Martin and Brant Leitnaker have combined to score 35 points, an average of 3.5 points from that group in the last two games. Leitnaker did not have a rebound or shot attempt against UNI.

ISU (11-7, 3-4) has lost two games in a row and has slipped beneath .500 in the MVC. The Sycamores are tied with four other teams for fifth place, among them tonight’s opponent, Missouri State. The Bears, picked last in the preseason poll, have been a pleasant surprise. The Bears returned sophomore forward Kyle Weems, who leads the Bears in scoring at 15.4 points. Missouri State has added Adam Leonard (13.1) and Jermaine Mallett (10.3) to the mix.

“They’re a good team, especially at home where they’re 9-1. Weems is a nice player and they have a good mix of inside and outside guys. They’re a well rounded team,” ISU coach Kevin McKenna said.

The Bears (13-5, 3-4) were beaten by Bradley 74-56 on Saturday and have lost four of their last five games. ISU has played Creighton, Drake, Bradley, Northern Iowa, and now, Missouri State, after losses or lesser performances. The Bears, like the Sycamores, want to prove which team is on the right track in the Valley.

“People talk about it all of the time, it’s not so much who you’re playing, but when you’re playing them. The bottom line is we have to be ready [tonight], just like they do.

“It’s two teams that haven’t had a lot of recent success. The toughest team will win,” McKenna noted.

On the injury front, Koang Doluony practiced on Monday. Swingman Dwayne Lathan did not.

“Koang couldn’t make it through the game the other night and didn’t do anything [on Sunday]. His mobility is still limited, so I don’t know what we’re going to get out of him,” McKenna said.

As for Lathan?

“He’s still a ways away,” McKenna said.

Tonight’s game is the MVC Game of the Week and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest. Because of a contractual conflict with Fox Sports Indiana’s commitment to the Indiana Pacers, the game will be seen on Channel 24 on Time-Warner Cable in Terre Haute. Those with satellite service will see the game on Fox Sports Midwest.



ISU at Missouri State

Tipoff — 8 p.m. at JQH Arena, Springfield, Mo.

Broadcasts — TV: Fox Sports Midwest (on satellite service); Access Channel 24 (on Time-Warner cable). Radio: WSDM (92.7-FM). Live blog: blogs.tribstar.com/downinthevalley

Last time out — ISU lost to Northern Iowa 62-40 and Missouri State lost 74-56 to Bradley on Saturday.

Series — Missouri State leads 34-17. The Sycamores swept the season series for the first time last season.



The players

Indiana State Sycamores (11-7, 3-4) — G Harry Marshall (6-0, Sr., 12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg); G Jordan Printy (6-4, So., 5.9); G Rashad Reed (6-1, Sr., 8.7); F Carl Richard (6-5, So., 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg); and C Brant Leitnaker (6-10, Jr., 3.2) are possible starters. G-F Aaron Carter (6-4, Jr., 5.1); F Dwayne Lathan (6-3, So., 13.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg); F Koang Doluony (6-8, Fr., 3 ppg); C Josh Crawford (6-11, Sr., 3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and C Isiah Martin (6-8, Jr., 2.8) are key contributors off the bench.

Coach — Kevin McKenna (37-44 at ISU, 3rd year; 127-77 overall, 7th year).

Missouri State Bears (13-5, 3-4) — G Justin Fuehrmeyer (6-1, Sr., 3.7); G Adam Leonard (6-0, Jr., 13.1); G Jermaine Mallett (6-3, Fr., 10.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg); F Kyle Weems (6-6, So. 15.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and F Will Creekmore (6-9, Jr., 6.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg) are possible starters. G Keith Pickens (6-4, Fr., 3.7); C Caleb Patterson (6-11, So., 7.3) and G Nick Rafis (6-1, Jr., 5.7) are key contributors off the bench.

Coach — Cuonzo Martin (24-25, 2nd year).

Injuries — For ISU, G Jake Kelly (knee) is out for the season. Lathan (leg) is questionable. Doluony (ankle) is probable. For Missouri State, F Michael Porter (hamstring) is doubtful.



Keys to the game

n Have a short memory. The Sycamores looked visibly frustrated as they fell apart against Northern Iowa last Saturday. They have to resist the urge to push too hard and play within themselves in what is certain to be a louder crowd at JQH Arena.

n Someone besides Harry Marshall has to step up their scoring. Josh Crawford has done a good job increasing his output, but nearly every other Sycamore is well below their usual standard when the game has been on the line.

Tidbit — ISU never won in the old Hammons Student Center, but it is 1-0 at JQH Arena.

Next games — ISU plays host to Northern Iowa and Missouri State is at Creighton on Sunday.

— Todd Golden