By Mark Bennett
Already short-handed, the Indiana State Sycamores'
roster has apparently grown thinner.
Junior point guard Batiste Haywood missed
practice on Friday and did not make Saturday's trip with the
team to Carbondale, Ill., where ISU lost 91-73 to host Southern
Illinois. Haywood did not show up for practice on Monday or Tuesday.
"I guess the best way to describe it
is that he has decided to leave the team," ISU Coach Royce
Waltman said Tuesday afternoon as the Sycamores packed up for
tonight's game at Northern Iowa.
The coaching staff has not heard from Haywood,
Waltman said.
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The Tribune-Star's attempts to reach Haywood
for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Ironically, Haywood's most recent appearance
with the Sycamores was his most prolific. In a 64-63 loss to
Wichita State a week ago in Hulman Center, Haywood had season-highs
of eight points and six assists. In nine appearances, he averaged
2.7 points, 1.3 assists and 1.1 rebounds.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Haywood came to ISU
as a walk-on from Northeast Community College in Nebraska, where
he averaged 18 points and 4.7 steals last season. As a high schooler,
Haywood played at Hammond.
His absence leaves freshman Lamar Grimes as
the only true point guard on the ISU roster. Earlier this season,
sophomore point guard Barry Welsh decided to transfer from Indiana
State.
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