By Todd Golden
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE
December 02, 2008 04:16 pm
—
The disappointment etched on the faces of Indiana State’s men’s basketball players and coaches after a 56-54 loss to Arkansas State on Monday at Hulman Center was a given.
If disappointment is a given, the bewilderment about how and why ISU is 0-5 is what is most disconcerting to those inside a Sycamore program that is at its lowest ebb in recent memory. Coach Kevin McKenna took the blame, players illustrated after the fact what they think needs to be done to improve intensity and performance, but the shock in the faces of the Sycamores indicated that there’s no easy answers and no quick fixes to turn around what is now ISU’s worst start since 1993.
“It seems like we’re giving away games. We’re not taking advantage of opportunities and I’ll take all the blame because I’m not connecting with these guys and not getting them to believe that defense, tough rebounds and smart play wins basketball games,” McKenna said.
“When you don’t defend, follow scouting reports, and don’t rebound with toughness, and if you don’t execute simple plays when they’re called in timeouts, obviously, I’m doing something wrong and I’ll take the blame,” McKenna added.
ISU seemingly picked its spots when it came to execution and intensity on both ends of the floor. ISU was up 17-4 early in the game as Arkansas State started off 1 of 12 from the field. The lead had nearly dissipated by halftime as ISU led 25-23 at the break, scoring just five points in the final 8:20 of the first half.
It didn’t get any better in the second half as Arkansas State (5-1) controlled the first 15 minutes, building a lead that peaked at seven. The Sycamores made just one field goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half. At one point, McKenna removed the entire starting five to shake things up, but it had little impact on the scoreboard.
“I was trying to find guys who would fight, compete and do the things they were asked to do,” McKenna said. “The game is important to me and I’m trying to get the feeling it’s important to every one of our players too. I think it is, we just don’t show it enough.”
ISU rallied to tie the game twice. The first time, Arkansas State’s Brandon Ayers answered with a pair of second-chance 3-pointers, but the Sycamores fought back to tie it again when Carl Richard made a lay-up with 1:49 left.
After an Ayers miss, ISU appeared to catch a big break when Tunnell — a 91-percent free throw shooter going into the game — was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 1:10 left.
However, Tunnell missed all three free throws — one before a timeout and two after. On the possession after the miss, Arkansas State’s Donald Boone calmly rattled in a 10-footer with 41.3 seconds left to give the Red Wolves a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“They gave us a gift missing those three free throws,” Arkansas State coach John Brady said. “[Tunnell] hadn’t missed one yet.”
Indeed. Tunnell was 7 of 7 at the line until those misses.
“They all felt good coming off. There was only one I wasn’t sure was going in [the first one]. When you have a chance to go in front in a game in which we had struggled, it hurts and it puts a lot on your mind about how you could’ve won this game,” Tunnell said.
ISU still had chances to win after the Tunnell misses and Boone’s 10-footer. On ISU’s subsequent possession, the Sycamores worked the ball around in its offense and Carl Richard was found for an open lay-up attempt on the baseline.
However, Arkansas State’s Shawn Morgan closed down on Richard before he finished his shot and he blocked it out of bounds with 8.7 seconds left. Tunnell’s open 3-point attempt on the inbounds didn’t fall and ISU fouled Arkansas State’s Ifeanyi Koggu with 4.3 seconds left.
Koggu missed both of his free throws and Rashad Reed was unguarded on the right wing. But Reed stumbled as he tried to get a last-second shot off and it fell short.
Boone was the lone consistent go-to scorer on the floor for either team. He scored seven of Arkansas State’s last nine points and led all scorers with 26. Tunnell led ISU with 16.
Many ISU deficiencies that have plagued the Sycamores throughout its winless start were evident again on Monday. After a first half where Arkansas State had four offensive rebounds and two second-chance points, the Red Wolves ended up with 13 offensive rebounds and 11 second-chance points.
ISU has allowed double-digit totals in each of those categories in all of its games to date. ISU was outrebounded 40-32 overall.
The Sycamores shot 30.6 percent from the field, including 5 of 18 in the second half. Despite its terrible start, Arkansas State rallied to shoot 41.5 percent.
Intensity on the floor seemingly ebbs and flows and ISU is paying the price for it.
ISU will play No. 11 Louisville in the first game of Louisville’s Marques Maybin Classic on Saturday. Games with Lamar and Ohio follow. ISU has never started a season worse than 0-6, which occurred in 1991 and 1993.
“I’ve talked to the team about this. The good teams I’ve been around have been competitive and combative in practice to the point where good friends almost getting in fights because they’re so competitive. We haven’t come close to that yet,” McKenna said.
“It’s not a tooth-and-nail thing with out guys, that attitude just isn’t there that we’re going to fight and compete on every possession,” McKenna added. “I think the lackadaisical response when [an opponent has a run of success] is a result of our attitude. I take the blame for making our guys truly believe that. It’s frustrating that I can’t make that connection with these guys yet.”
Arkansas State 56
Player min fg 3pt ft r a pf tp
Morgan 27 1-4 0-0 0-1 4 2 3 2
Brown 18 3-6 0-1 1-2 7 1 5 7
McKinney 26 1-4 0-1 0-1 9 0 3 2
Koggu 34 2-3 0-0 0-2 6 9 1 4
Keaton 5 0-2 0-1 0-0 1 0 0 0
Bryant 5 0-3 0-2 0-0 2 0 0 0
Thomas 16 1-1 0-0 2-3 1 1 5 4
Ayers 16 3-10 2-7 0-0 0 2 2 8
Boone 32 10-13 2-4 4-5 4 0 0 26
Lance 21 1-7 1-5 0-0 4 1 0 3
Totals 22-53 5-21 7-14 40 16 19 56
Indiana State 54
Player min fg 3pt ft r a pf tp
Tunnell 27 4-11 1-3 7-10 5 2 2 16
Crawford 28 0-4 0-2 2-2 5 2 3 2
Reed 28 5-9 4-6 1-2 5 1 2 15
Carter 33 1-5 0-2 0-0 2 1 4 2
Richard 22 2-8 0-1 2-2 6 0 2 6
Barlow 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 3 0
Cutter 24 1-3 1-1 2-2 4 4 2 5
Martin 13 0-3 0-0 2-4 0 0 1 2
Printy 14 2-6 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 6
Donaldson 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 0
Totals 15-49 8-18 16-22 32 12 19 54
Halftime score — ISU 25, ASU 23. FG Pct. — ASU .415, ISU .306. 3-pt FG Pct. — ASU .238, ISU .444. FT Pct. — ASU .500, ISU .727. Turnovers — ASU 11, ISU 6. Steals — ASU 2 (Boone, Lance 1), ISU 4 (Richard 2). Blocks — ASU 6 (McKinney 5), ISU 2 (Crawford, Martin 1). (*) Team Rebounds — ASU 2, ISU 3. Att — 3,221.
Next — ISU (0-5) plays at Louisville on Saturday in the Marques Maybin Classic.. Arkansas State (5-1) plays host to Central Baptist College on Thursday.
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