By Mark Bennett
Playing with two big men is a unique situation
for most college basketball teams.
The trick is making that a combination work.
Indiana State has a frontcourt duo of seniors Djibril Kante,
a 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward, and Terence Avery, a 6-9,
240-pound center. In the past two seasons, Kante and Avery typically
shared pivot duties.
Now they're both starters. Both have registered
big games this season -- Kante scored a career-high 19 points
against Murray State, and Avery did the same with 29 points at
Eastern Illinois. But getting enough shooting opportunities for
each on the same night is tougher.
In Saturday's 68-54 loss to 21st-ranked Ball
State in Hulman Center, Kante had 10 rebounds in just 19 minutes
of action. But he was just 0 for 3 from the field, and finished
with one point. Avery hit 6 of 11 shots, and scored 13 points.
In Wednesday's loss at Wyoming, they both
scored in double figures for just the second time this season.
Kante has worked to develop as a scoring threat
beyond the paint.
"That's just really a hard thing for
us. And I feel bad, because Djibril spent the whole summer, really
working on his outside game, to try and be able to make that
transition. But in all honesty, he's not made it well,"
said Coach Royce Waltman.
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"You shouldn't be governed by this, but
part us playing those two guys together is an allegiance to the
seniors and they deserve that opportunity. But I'm not sure we
play better that way," Waltman added. "I'm not sure
we have the answer as to the best way to play those guys."
Nonetheless, the seniors are ISU's top three
scorers, with Kelyn Block averaging 12.3 points, Avery 11.2 and
Kante 8.6.
Avery plays with pain
-- Avery sprained his ankle in a pregame drill when he landed
on a teammate's leg. He still played 34 minutes Saturday.
Also, sophomore guard Marcus Howard fell to
the court in pain in the second half. The problem was a cramp
in his left leg, and he later returned.
Block near top 20
-- With 17 points against Ball State, Block is now a point away
from moving into 20th place on ISU's all-time scoring list. Block
now has 1,141 points. He trails former Sycamore Rick Fields,
who totaled 1,142 from 1982-85.
Block also had seven rebounds, three assists,
one blocked shot and a steal in a game-high 37 minutes.
Cheap seats
-- ISU will sell tickets to next Saturday's men's and women's
doubleheader in Hulman Center for $2, on the day of the game
only. The men play Bowling Green at 2:05 p.m., followed by the
women vs. Illinois State at 4:30.
The Hulman Center ticket office opens at 1.
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