Sycamores envoke memories of Bird
Indiana State’s balanced scoring, free-flowing offense and its goggle-wearing big man have the program off to one of its best starts in years.
Now the Sycamores have something that hasn’t happened since Larry Bird played in Terre Haute: a spot in the AP poll.
Riding a nine-game winning streak, Indiana State debuted at No. 23 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll Monday, the Sycamores’ first ranking since reaching No. 1 in 1978-79.
“It’s a group that the community can really wrap their arms around and I think they have. That’s just great to see,” Indiana State Coach Josh Schertz told reporters recently. “I know Terre Haute. They love basketball. I know there’s a great history and tradition, from Larry Bird to John Wooden to Clarence Walker.”
Connecticut and Purdue kept the top two spots in the poll. The defending national champion Huskies received 45 first-place votes from a 61-person media panel and the Boilermakers had 16.
Schertz took over the Indiana State program during the pandemic, inheriting a depleted roster with no chance to get players to visit campus. Schertz cobbled together a team that won 11 games his first season and the Sycamores improved to 23-13 last season.
Indiana State (22-3) has been on a roll in Schertz’s third season, winning all 11 home games while taking a two-game lead over Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference at 11-1.
The Sycamores have five players scoring in double figures, led by dynamic 5-foot10 guard Isaiah Swope’s 17.7 points per game. Big man Robbie Avila has become a fan favorite with his goggles, averaging 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Indiana State is fifth nationally in scoring at 85.6 points per game, ninth in three-point percentage (39%) and is No. 1 in adjusted field goal percentage, according to KenPom. The combination has the Sycamores eyeing their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011.
“Our goal is we want to get to the NCAA Tournament and advance,” Schertz said. “You never want to put ceilings on yourself. You want to get to the tournament and win games and go as far as you can. You saw what happened last year with Florida Atlantic and San Diego State playing in the Final Four — there’s nothing outside of your reach.”
AT THE TOP
Losses by No. 6 Kansas and No. 7 North Carolina led to a shakeup in the top 10 behind UConn and Purdue.
Houston moved up two spots to No. 5, Marquette rose three places to No. 4 and No. 8 Arizona climbed three following a sweep of the Pac-12’s mountain schools. Tennessee, Duke and Iowa State rounded out the top 10. The Cyclones returned to the top 10 for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
RISING AND FALLING
Iowa State and No. 11 South Carolina had the biggest jumps in this week’s poll, each rising four spots.
No. 20 Wisconsin had the biggest drop, falling nine places after losing four straight games.
No. 22 Kentucky dropped five places after losing three straight games at Rupp Arena for the first time it opened in 1976. The Wildcats hadn’t lost three in a row at home since the 1966-67 season, when they played at Memorial Coliseum.