[January 21, 2026] Indiana State (9-10) at Bradley (13-7)

[treeman]

I honestly checked out after listening to the introductory press a couple of years ago when he started explaining his thoughts on the transfer portal at the 16:50 mark. I don't think it's "okay" to be fine with guys leaving to "go to a higher level" or wherever. If a majority of the team isn't going to be all in there's really no reason for me to be either. Maybe I'm being too harsh because there is at least some honesty there in that we're not going to be able to hang on to players long term, but we're never going to compete at a high level if we're not at least going to act like a Division 1 school that competes at the highest level. If a vast majority of mid-major coaches, ADs, and presidents have this view point then maybe it's time for them to throw in the towel and promote 1AA Basketball where we can at least compete against like competition.

Holy shit I agree with 96 on something. I HATE how Graves consistently sells ISU short and how there are “higher” levels out there. Talk about how ingrained basketball is in the Wabash Valley and Terre Haute. Talk about how special the 79 season was and what can happen if you win consistently here (see 23-24 season). Sell recruits how we can media darling because of that Larry Bird and 79 season. He can talk about how great of a venue the Hulman is. Fact is there is a higher level. But we can be a really fun and frisky mid-major that plays an exciting brand of basketball that will pull national attention if done right. We’ve done it a couple of times now…..

 

[RunSyc]

Holy shit I agree with 96 on something. I HATE how Graves consistently sells ISU short and how there are “higher” levels out there. Talk about how ingrained basketball is in the Wabash Valley and Terre Haute. Talk about how special the 79 season was and what can happen if you win consistently here (see 23-24 season). Sell recruits how we can media darling because of that Larry Bird and 79 season. He can talk about how great of a venue the Hulman is. Fact is there is a higher level. But we can be a really fun and frisky mid-major that plays an exciting brand of basketball that will pull national attention if done right. We’ve done it a couple of times now…..

Good points. Agree with your mindset.

Not critical of HCMG introduction, though, given the context. Most of the team hit the portal for the first time. Fan base was hurting & confused.

But moving forward, yeah, I like your thoughts.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

Holy shit I agree with 96 on something. I HATE how Graves consistently sells ISU short and how there are “higher” levels out there. Talk about how ingrained basketball is in the Wabash Valley and Terre Haute. Talk about how special the 79 season was and what can happen if you win consistently here (see 23-24 season). Sell recruits how we can media darling because of that Larry Bird and 79 season. He can talk about how great of a venue the Hulman is. Fact is there is a higher level. But we can be a really fun and frisky mid-major that plays an exciting brand of basketball that will pull national attention if done right. We’ve done it a couple of times now…..

If I was going after a skilled big man who could pass and shoot, I'd remind them that when RA was at ISU, he was a media darling, and that when he went to SLU, he wasn't even a blip on the radar. There's a reason for that...

 

[Dymotic]

Anything I want to say has already been said. I’d be downright embarrassed as a player and coach after last night. 6 scoreless minutes to end the game. It felt like we were playing to not lose instead of playing to win last night. Too many long possessions that led to nothing. No spark, no intensity, just holding the ball until we inevitably turned it over.

 

[treeman]

Good points. Agree with your mindset.

Not critical of HCMG introduction, though, given the context. Most of the team hit the portal for the first time. Fan base was hurting & confused.

But moving forward, yeah, I like your thoughts.

I’m just in sales and I hate sleazy sales men but there is always selling points to hit. That’s what made Schertz so good, he’d fall into the more sleazy category but he would be able to articulate things and get total buy in from players, coaches, fans, media etc. it backfired because he lies about shit (I’m not even convinced Schertz was a great tennis player growing up - there isn’t shit about it anywhere) but there are a lot of great selling points about ISU. Talk about what we are and forget about what we arent

 

[jturner38]

We can disagree with Graves approach all we want however it doesn’t change the fact of the landscape. Mid majors were doomed when the flood gates opened.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

My bigger issue with both the coaches and players is we appear to have very poor situational awareness.

Game on the line and we really want Harding taking a 3? I honestly don't care if he is open or not, there are just certain situations where certain people should be expected or counted on.

 

[treeman]

We can disagree with Graves approach all we want however it doesn’t change the fact of the landscape. Mid majors were doomed when the flood gates opened.

100%.

we’ve said it before. We don’t have to compete with the P4, we have to compete with MVC peers and other top-tier mid-majors. You have to find and build value in other things. We have some great selling points, gotta lean into those. Money will always be a challenge, you are going to lose some because of it. But the leaders in the program have to do a better way getting buy in and selling the other great things ISU can provide an athlete

 

[jturner38]

My bigger issue with both the coaches and players is we appear to have very poor situational awareness.

Game on the line and we really want Harding taking a 3? I honestly don't care if he is open or not, there are just certain situations where certain people should be expected or counted on.

Especially coming back from a broken wrist. In that situation should been a DHO to Camp, or Young.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

We can disagree with Graves approach all we want however it doesn’t change the fact of the landscape. Mid majors were doomed when the flood gates opened.

But does the landscape matter? A non-protected class program's season pretty much always has revolved around their regular season as very few made it to the postseason. Now, I'd argue it is just even more the focus because postseason play will be dominated by those that buy old rosters. Hell, look at IU where essentially every dude looked like a 4 year NFL vet. Making the NCAA/NIT should just be viewed as free basketball.

IMO, those recent changes should just make us reframe what the seasons goals should be for long term program growth / sustainment. I think if you focus on STL, you're underselling the importance of the regular season. The most important goal should be to win 20 games every season. My reasoning there is you're now fighting declining fan sentiment and fan base decay due to lack of program association and fatigue from the new P2P system and being treated as an ATM.

So you have to win to keep engagement (especially when you've got 7-10 new players every year) and keep revenues, donos, sponsorship dollars coming in.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

But does the landscape matter? A non-protected class program's season pretty much always has revolved around their regular season as very few made it to the postseason. Now, I'd argue it is just even more the focus because postseason play will be dominated by those that buy old rosters. Hell, look at IU where essentially every dude looked like a 4 year NFL vet. Making the NCAA/NIT should just be viewed as free basketball.

IMO, those recent changes should just make us reframe what the seasons goals should be for long term program growth / sustainment. I think if you focus on STL, you're underselling the importance of the regular season. The most important goal should be to win 20 games every season. My reasoning there is you're now fighting declining fan sentiment and fan base decay due to lack of program association and fatigue from the new P2P system and being treated as an ATM.

So you have to win to keep engagement (especially when you've got 7-10 new players every year) and keep revenues, donos, sponsorship dollars coming in.

As always, winning solves everything. If you don't believe that, then I don't know what to tell 'ya...

I hope our coaches/administrators understand that...

 

[jturner38]

But does the landscape matter? A non-protected class program's season pretty much always has revolved around their regular season as very few made it to the postseason. Now, I'd argue it is just even more the focus because postseason play will be dominated by those that buy old rosters. Hell, look at IU where essentially every dude looked like a 4 year NFL vet. Making the NCAA/NIT should just be viewed as free basketball.

IMO, those recent changes should just make us reframe what the seasons goals should be for long term program growth / sustainment. I think if you focus on STL, you're underselling the importance of the regular season. The most important goal should be to win 20 games every season. My reasoning there is you're now fighting declining fan sentiment and fan base decay due to lack of program association and fatigue from the new P2P system and being treated as an ATM.

So you have to win to keep engagement (especially when you've got 7-10 new players every year) and keep revenues, donos, sponsorship dollars coming in.

While true but in the same breathe weren’t we as fans wanting to move on from Lansing (part of the reason) because we always got bounced 1st round. It’s unfortunately a catch 22 because while winning 20 games a year would be nice fans will eventually want to get past the 1st round in STL and I’m not what fan base including us would be satisfied with that. But again you hit really good points.

 

[BallLife]

My bigger issue with both the coaches and players is we appear to have very poor situational awareness.

Game on the line and we really want Harding taking a 3? I honestly don't care if he is open or not, there are just certain situations where certain people should be expected or

Especially coming back from a broken wrist. In that situation should been a DHO to Camp, or Young.

I would have to agree with you regarding the situational awareness. With that said why was Young on the bench the final 6 mins ((scoreless mins) in a game where he is 3 for 3 from 3pt on the 2nd half?

 

[BallLife]

Anything I want to say has already been said. I’d be downright embarrassed as a player and coach after last night. 6 scoreless minutes to end the game. It felt like we were playing to not lose instead of playing to win last night. Too many long possessions that led to nothing. No spark, no intensity, just holding the ball until we inevitably turned it over.

Offense was stagnant and there were too many turnovers when the game was on the balance. When you continue to lose close games I believe coaching is always a factor. This is not a 2-7 in conference team imo.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

Especially coming back from a broken wrist. In that situation should been a DHO to Camp, or Young.

Bingo. Its one of those or nothing.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

While true but in the same breathe weren’t we as fans wanting to move on from Lansing (part of the reason) because we always got bounced 1st round. It’s unfortunately a catch 22 because while winning 20 games a year would be nice fans will eventually want to get past the 1st round in STL and I’m not what fan base including us would be satisfied with that. But again you hit really good points.

Lansing only won 20 games twice -- his 1st year and his 4th year. After that, it was 15-16, 15-17, 11-20, 13-18, 15-16, 18-12 and then 15-10 in the abbreviated COVID year. We actually had unrealistic expectations to not get bounced in the first round in most years -- LMAO. That said, I would contend that if you're consistently winning 20 games per year, you're very likely winning the conference tournament and/or getting postseason basketball in some capacity more often than not.

If I were Graves, I'd design my schedule around coming out of the non-conference undefeated save for any necessary money game or playing in a MTE that can get us national exposure. None of the metrics work for us when it matters so I'd contend that trying to get a Q1/Q2 or high NET game for the sake of that is counterproductive. Outside of us nerds, the average Sycamore fan would rather the squad go 11-0 in non-con against "lesser" competition versus going 6-5 but having losses to power conference teams, especially since those are road games where they aren't even likely to watch if we're being honest. You go 6-5 in the non-con and now you have to go 14-6 in conference play to hit the 20 win marker -- statistically unlikely.

This is just employing the same playbook power conference schools do but mid-major style.

 

[jturner38]

Lansing only won 20 games twice -- his 1st year and his 4th year. After that, it was 15-16, 15-17, 11-20, 13-18, 15-16, 18-12 and then 15-10 in the abbreviated COVID year. We actually had unrealistic expectations to not get bounced in the first round in most years -- LMAO. That said, I would contend that if you're consistently winning 20 games per year, you're very likely winning the conference tournament and/or getting postseason basketball in some capacity more often than not.

If I were Graves, I'd design my schedule around coming out of the non-conference undefeated save for any necessary money game or playing in a MTE that can get us national exposure. None of the metrics work for us when it matters so I'd contend that trying to get a Q1/Q2 or high NET game for the sake of that is counterproductive. Outside of us nerds, the average Sycamore fan would rather the squad go 11-0 in non-con against "lesser" competition versus going 6-5 but having losses to power conference teams, especially since those are road games where they aren't even likely to watch if we're being honest. You go 6-5 in the non-con and now you have to go 14-6 in conference play to hit the 20 win marker -- statistically unlikely.

This is just employing the same playbook power conference schools do but mid-major style.

All facts. I mean Belmont kind of did that. So it can be done. We just have to not lose to Alcorn State’s of the world.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

All facts. I mean Belmont kind of did that. So it can be done. We just have to not lose to Alcorn State’s of the world.

 

[DyedBlue]

ISU 68 vs Bradley 75 in Peoria.
Lots of good, relevant comments above. I particularly like those emphasizing winning in the regular season, which is a seismic shift from folks saying only the tournament in STL matters. I never bought that argument.
19-3 on turnovers.
ISU losses are a Whack A Mole Exercise: Which will it be?: poor FT shooting, abysmal 3 Pt shooting, bad rebounding, low overall FG %, Turnovers. Fix one and one or two others pop up.
Joey comments ISU has led at the half in 6 conference games and is 1-5 in those games. Which is it: Good game plan and coaching having an undersized and limited team out front for a half, but the other team can adjust at the half, gain fire and motivation and blow by a less talented team?? Or is it a team that is being outcoached at half time that has the talent to both lead at the half and at the end. I am not smart enough to determine the situation.

Anyway, Ian Scott plays nearly 37 minutes so his number mirror the final result. I don't see how ISU fans can expect any more from him.
Stirling Young has been consistently producing for several weeks, but it seems his minutes are limited below his contribution level now. +9 last night
Xavier Hall played almost 29 minutes and was -15, by far the worst on the team. He did have 7 Assists to 2 TO's, but 1/5 shooting continues to hamper him
Alocen probably hit his season high in minutes. He was -8 in the +/- with his time on the floor with Hall being -12. Not a good pairing last night.

PLayer.........................Minutes............FG..........FT...........Rbds...........TP............A/TO..............+/-..............Comments
Scott................................36.75............6/12.......3/5...........8.................15...........2/3....................-7..............Delivers consistent results night in and night out
H. Harding.....................15.5...............1/2.........0/0...........3.................2.................1/1................-1.................Credible performance in +/- but not much on personal line
Young..............................16.25.............5/8.......3/4............4................13..............1/1..................+9..............His foul trouble was critical, but should have been on floor last 6 minutes
Wagner...........................24.75.............3/7........0/0..........2...................7...............0/2.................-7...................Quiet game. Coaches need to find a way to get him on the line
Hall...................................28.75.............1/5.........0/0.........1..................2...............7/2..................-15...............Couldn't get a foul call on drives & offensive output by team lagged
M. Harding...................12.75..............1/3.........0/0.........3..................3................1/3..................-6....................Not good in 13 minutes
Alocen..............................27.75.............3/4.........2/2.........5................10...............1/1...................-7...................Personal line is good; pairing with Hall was bad
ESB....................................15....................4/4........0/1.........2..................8.................0/3..................0...................3 turnovers, but otherwise really good 15 minutes. More time?
JVB....................................20.5.................3/7........2/2.........4..................8................3/3...................-1..................
SN.......................................2.25................0/0...........0/0......1..................0................0/0..................+1..................

Offensive Output when player is on the floor:

Player.............................Minutes...............+/-...............PPM ON..........PPM OFF.............Turnovers/MIn ON..............Turnovers/Min OFF
Young..............................16.25....................+9...................2.41..................1.22..............................0.31,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..........0.59.........................Outstanding numbers
Alocen.............................27.75...................-8.....................1.58...................1.97.............................0.58...............................................0.24..........................
JVB...................................20.5........................-1...................1.68....................1.74.............................0.49...............................................0.46........................Team averages pretty much
H. Harding......................15.5.......................-1...................2.18....................1.39............................0.32................................................0.57.....................Surprise to me. Nice
Wagner............................24.75......................-7..................1.78....................1.57...........................0.44.................................................0.52......................
Nordheim........................2.25..........................+1..............1.38.....................1.72...........................0.89.................................................0.45......................Not good output
ESB.....................................15..............................+9..............1.67.....................1.72...........................0.67................................................0.36.....................Bradley shut down with ESB on floor
M. Harding....................12.75..........................-6................1.18....................1.94............................0.46................................................0.62.......................Offensive output minimal
Scott..................................36.75........................-7................1.69.....................1.85............................0.46..................................................0.62......................Game Averages approached
Hall.....................................28.75.......................-15...............1.40....................2.46...........................0.45...............................................0.53................Bad offensive team performance night

Group Performance
Group......................................................................+/-.................PPM.....................PPP.....................Minutes
Alocen, Wagner, ESB, Scott, Hall....................-6...................1.01....................0.57......................5:55.................not good for sure.
Alocen, JVB, M. Harding, Scott, Hall.............-5....................0.8......................0.47......................5:00.................worse
Alocen, Wagner, M. Harding, Scott, Hall......-1....................1.82...................0.76......................4:57................still not a winning scoring rate
Young, H. Harding, Wagner, Scott, Hall.........+2.................2.50..................1.57.......................4:24.................100 ppg scoring rate
Young, JVB, H. Harding, Wagner, Scott.........+2................2.54..................1.48.......................4:20...................same
Young, Alocen, JVB, ESB, Scott..........................+7................3.04.................1.57........................3:37.....................OUTSTANDING
Alocen, JVB, H. Harding, Nordheim, ESB.......+1................1.38......................0.75...................2:10.......................Low output, but positive +/-
Alocen, JVB, ESB, Scott, Hall...............................0,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,0.99....................0.50......................2:01.....................same but 0
Young, Wagner, M. Harding, Scott, Hall........+2...................1.15....................0.58......................1:44..........................same bad output but positive +/-
Alocen, H. Harding, Wagner, Scott, Hall..........-1.................2.97.....................1.67......................1:41.....................Really short segments now
Young, Alocen, JVB, H. Harding, ESB...............-1.................2.81.......................1.50.....................1:04......................same
JVB, Wagner, M. Harding Scott, Hall.................-2.................0.0..........................0.........................1:01
6 Groups........................................................................-5.................0.5........................???.......................2:05.......................Low for < minute group play
Young, Wagner, M. H

 

[pbutler218]

News flash!! To win you have to be ahead at the end of the game. Graves has said being ahead at halftime is overrated. Ok then........that tells me someone is being outcoached in the (all important) second half of these games. He has also repeatedly said he has to do a better job of coaching. Still waiting..........