January 10, 2007
Men’s Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SYCAMORES TOP SHOCKERS TO CLIMB TO TOP OF VALLEY

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State University Sycamores remained perfect at home with a thrilling 68-63 victory over Wichita State Wednesday in the Hulman Center. The Sycamores have now won six straight and seven of their last eight as they improved to 11-4 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. ISU is now 9-0 at Hulman Center this season. The six game winning streak is the longest current streak in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.

“Wichita is a very good team and that is about as good a game as we have played this year,” Sycamore head coach Royce Waltman said. “Gabe’s numbers weren’t there tonight but his leadership was a big key in the second half and Trent was working on one good leg in the second half but he did a great job.”

Indiana State connected on five of their first seven three-point attempts in the first half in building a 19-12 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the opening half. That lead grew to 12 by nine minutes left, 26-14, but then the Shockers came back. Wichita State whittled away the ISU lead to one with 2:28 left but the Sycamores took a 33-30 advantage into the intermission after Jay Tunnell tipped in a Cole Holmstrom miss.

The Sycamores jumped in front 43-32 early in the second half and it looked like ISU would pull away. Wichita State wouldn’t quit and kept coming back. The Sycamores led by just three points, 54-51, with seven minutes left and that was the closest Wichita State would come the rest of the game. The Shockers would continue to threaten to overtake ISU but the Sycamores found an answer each time.

“We knew we needed to get out fast and get on top of them early,” ISU’s Gabe Moore said. “I give a lot of credit to all my teammates for this win. With a team like that, you have to jump out in front early and stay in front. They have a good team.”

Indiana State had four players in double figures with Holmstrom scoring 16, Marico Stinson 13, Moore 12 and Tunnell 11. Trent Wurtz had nine points and led ISU with six rebounds.

The Sycamores will look to keep their winning streak alive this Saturday when they host the Bradley Braves in another Missouri Valley Conference game. Tip-off is set for 7:35 p.m. Wichita State has now lost six of their last seven in falling to 10-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference.