Published: November 26, 2008 11:48 pm         

3 the hard way: ISU men fall to 0-3 for first time since 2001

TERRE HAUTE — There’s several reasons why Indiana State’s men’s basketball ship strayed off-course in a 67-61 loss to Murray State on Wednesday. But among the questions facing the Sycamores right now is this: When the ship goes adrift, who can steer it back to a safe harbor?

In it’s way, it’s a question ISU is asking itself as much as anyone is asking of them.

ISU had rebounding woes, defensive breakdowns and offensive confusion in the loss to the Racers — ISU’s first 0-3 start since 2001. ISU still had several chances in the final 10 minutes to take the win, but and there was no player on the floor who could calm the Sycamores down. The result was that all-of-the-above doomed the Sycamores when the game was at hand.

“I thought we got out of our element a few times. We have our play calls. When someone goes off on their own and doesn’t execute that, it leaves everyone else wondering, ‘What’s he doing? What should I do?’ That happened a number of times. That’s why it looked like there was some uncertainty there,” McKenna said. “The bottom line, though, is we’re not getting it done defensively, we’re fouling too much and we’re getting worked inside.”

How acute were ISU’s problems? Murray State outrebounded ISU 38-27 and had 13 offensive rebounds — the third time in as many games that an ISU opponent hit a double-figure offensive rebound total. It led to 15 second-chance points.

ISU shot 40.4 percent overall, but just 28 percent in the second half as the offense wasn’t always run correctly. Murray shot 36.8 percent from the field in the second half, but was far more aggressive, going to the line 21 times after the break, making 17. The Racers were 21 of 29 overall at the line.

McKenna was demonstrably frustrated during moments of the game. After losses, ISU’s players have said the right things about pulling together, working hard on deficiencies, but similar problems keep cropping up. McKenna was asked how he would handle it as a player.

“I’d try to put some pressure on your teammates. We’re the quietest team I’ve ever been around. We don’t push each other in the games, we don’t push each other in practice. We don’t encourage each other to get after it, to compete, to fight. I think we’re back on our heels too much, waiting for something to happen, instead of making something happen,” McKenna said.

ISU center Jay Tunnell was a focus of ISU’s offense, and he led the Sycamores with 12 points, but he didn’t get the ball in his hands nearly as much as ISU wanted. This was due alternately to good Murray defense, but also, the inability to consistently feed him the ball.

Tunnell doesn’t think ISU’s players should be seeking a safe harbor … they’ve been playing together long enough to know where everyone should be.

“It’s hard [to find a safe harbor], but it’s almost December. We’ve been practicing since October and a lot of us were here during the summer. You can’t even really say everyone’s new. Yeah, we’re three games into the season, but most of us have been around for months. Our execution just isn’t there right now,” Tunnell said.

ISU led 35-33 at halftime as its 64.7 percent 3-point shooting covered up some deficiencies that would come home to roost in the second half. Five different Sycamores buried shots from beyond the arc.

Among those who hit ISU’s nine first half 3-pointers was walk-on forward Keenan Barlow, who got his first extended minutes of this career. His first career points came on an early 3-pointer and he went on to notch 11 points and five rebounds, his career bests by a long shot as he was one of the few bright spots for ISU.

“I know being a walk-on, it’s tough getting minutes. When I was called upon, I went as hard as I could. Two minutes, 40 minutes, it doesn’t matter,” said Barlow, son of former Notre Dame star Ken Barlow.

When the market correction came on ISU’s first half shooting, it had the same effect as the global financial crisis. ISU went stone cold to start the second half, making just 3 of 17 from the field in the first 12 minutes of the half.

Murray State (3-1) had taken the lead on a traditional three-point play at 15:15, but it took a 7-0 run ending at the 11-minute mark to help the Racers put a gap between themselves and the Sycamores.

It was 58-51 with 4:44 left when ISU got back in it. ISU finally was able to get the ball to Tunnell somewhat consistently and two free throws plus a 3-pointer pulled ISU within two. When Tyler Cutter stole the ball on Murray State’s next possession, it appeared ISU had momentum.

But the Racers didn’t panic. After a timeout, Cutter made an ill-advised pass near the top of the key was stolen by Isacc Miles. ISU fouled on Murray State’s next two possessions and the Racers crept back to a 61-57 lead.

A Carl Richard lay-up cut ISU’s deficit back to 61-59 with 1:19 left, but ISU couldn’t execute on either end to get over the top. Murray State patiently worked its offense to get Miles the ball at the top of the key. Guarded by Rashad Reed, Miles put a step-fake on Reed, got the space for an open 19-footer and buried it to give the Racers a multi-possession cushion.

Reed compounded ISU’s lot by taking a quick 3-pointer on the other end, Murray State rebounded the miss, and from there, the Racers’ free throw shooters didn’t miss.

ISU has no respite to try and right its ship. The Sycamores travel to DePaul on Saturday, the first of five games in nine days at three sites. Third-ranked Louisville is among the teams ISU will face in that stretch.

“We have to forget about what happened tonight. DePaul doesn’t care what happened to us. If we go up there and we’re not ready to play them … it could be ugly,” Tunnell said.