By Mark Bennett
As they dueled formidable Bowling Green last
Saturday, the Indiana State Sycamore on the Hulman Center court
for the longest stretch of time was Matt Broermann.
The Sycamores' 3-point shooting ace played
a career-high 38 minutes in that 65-55 loss. Until then, his
lengthiest stint was 28 minutes in a win over Butler the year
before, and that was an overtime game.
Now, with senior teammate Kelyn Block sidelined
by a knee injury for at least three weeks, Broermann could stay
busy. He and the Sycamores (2-9 overall, 0-2 in the Missouri
Valley Conference) face Evansville (3-8, 0-2) at 4:05 p.m. today
in Hulman Center.
"Guys like [sophomore guard] Matt Berry
and Matt Broermann are going to have to be a little bit more
assertive," Coach Royce Waltman said Friday.
In that 38-minute performance last week, Broermann
had six points, three rebounds, two assists and no turnovers.
He hit only two of his nine shots. True to form, all were from
3-point range. Long-range shooting has been Broermann's niche
ever since he arrived on campus from Badin High School near Cincinnati.
In fact, through his three seasons as a Sycamore,
179 of his 198 shots have been from 3-point range. Fifty-seven
of those shots from beyond the arc have found their mark.
Broermann acknowledges his role, but realizes
Waltman needs more than shooting from him.
"Coach said somebody needs to step up
and talk a little bit more," Broermann said before Thursday's
practice. "So I did that last week, and I think it kind
of showed in my minutes."
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Waltman agreed, but added that Bowling Green
also presented Broermann with a suitable assignment on defense.
That aspect of Broermann's game has improved, Waltman said, but
the coaches are careful about matching him up with opponents.
During the previous four seasons, standout
guard Michael Menser's 3-point shooting forced opposing defenses
to chase him around the court. That often left gaps for teammates
such as Block and Nate Green.
"Bro's not that kind of shooter,"
Waltman said, referring to Menser, "but they do chase him.
And I think that's what led us to driving the ball and getting
to the free throw line so much [against Bowling Green]. Unfortunately,
we didn't make the free throws."
Indeed they didn't. The Sycamores missed 19
of their 36 free throws. Broermann didn't get to the free throw
line. He's shot only 13 free throws in three seasons, making
eight. That's because he typically plays outside the arc, and
defenders are careful not to foul on a 3-point shot, which would
give the shooter three free throws.
"A lot of times, you [draw fouls] by
going to the basket. I don't do that a whole lot," Broermann
said. "I need to improve myself on that."
Broermann also wants to improve on his 2-of-9
shooting performance from the last game. It that happens, defenders
have to guard him more tightly away from the basket and the lane
opens up for other Sycamores.
"Hopefully, if I start knocking them
down, things will go a little bit better," he said. "I've
been hitting them in practice pretty much. So hopefully, that'll
carry over to the games."
Broermann is averaging 3.5 points and 1.6
rebounds per game this season, the best numbers of his career.
But he's also the one experienced link between the seniors --
Block, Djibril Kante and Terence Avery -- and their young sophomore
and freshman teammates.
"When you're struggling, you tend to
turn to guys with experience and guys who know how to play,"
Waltman said, "and Matt falls into that category."
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