By Mark Bennett
Royce Waltman is ready for his new Sycamore
team to prove it has an identity without graduated stars Michael
Menser and Matt Renn.
In its post-Menser-and-Renn-era debut, the
2001-02 Indiana State basketball team lost an exhibition game
57-51 in two overtimes to NCAA Division II opponent Indianapolis
last Saturday. Tonight at 7:05 in Hulman Center, the Sycamores
will try again against the traveling Team Pella Windows in their
final exhibition.
New players and confidence must emerge, Waltman
said.
"Michael and Matt both brought a certain
air of confidence. And those were the two guys, on important
possessions, made plays," Waltman said this week. "And
yeah, we are struggling with getting used to making tough, smart
plays without those two guys."
Sophomore Matt Berry scored 16 points against
Indianapolis. Senior forward Djibril Kante added 13 points. And
Kante and center Terence Avery combined for 21 rebounds. But
the Sycamores hit just 25.7 percent of their shots, and were
out-rebounded 51-46.
Senior guard Kelyn Block, who made several
game-saving plays last season for ISU, scored six points and
hit just two of 15 field goals. It was Block's first game action
after offseason ankle surgery. But he wouldn't blame that injury.
"I don't think it was a major factor.
I just had a bad game," Block said before Wednesday's practice.
"I didn't go out and do the things I need to do to help
the team win."
A Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference
selection, Block acknowledged that playing without Menser and
Renn last Saturday was initially difficult. "I think was
kind of a transition at first, but as the game went on, we got
over it," Block said.
The goal tonight is to find new playmakers.
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"I think we just have to go out there
and play with a little more confidence," Block said. "I
think we kind of went out there [against Indianapolis] not knowing
what to expect. It was the first time for everybody really playing
together."
Waltman wants his Sycamores to get the ball
inside more often to Avery and Kante. Avery, Waltman said, played
well but struggled to hit his shots. Some of the passes will
come from freshman point guard Lamar Grimes, who could draw the
starting assignment, Waltman said.
He could be paired with a familiar Sycamore
nemesis -- former Creighton point guard Ryan Sears, who now plays
for the Iowa-based Pella team. Pella lost 72-59 at Western Illinois
on Sunday, with a different lineup than the one expected to make
the Terre Haute trip. This will be Sears' debut.
"That's fun that he's coming back,"
Waltman said. "That was great watching he and Michael compete
for four years."
But ISU isn't dwelling on Sears' return to
Hulman Center.
"We have bigger overall concerns about
playing together," Waltman said.
Welsh absent
-- Sophomore point guard Barry Welsh did not attend Sycamore
practices in Hulman Center on Wednesday or Thursday.
Waltman declined to comment Thursday on the
reason for Welsh's absence.
The 6-foot, 170-pound native of Abingdon,
Ill., played in 25 games last season, averaging 5.1 minutes,
0.8 points and 0.4 rebounds. He had 10 assists and 10 turnovers
playing behind Menser. He shot 4 for 14 from the field and 0
for 6 from 3-point range in 2000-01. In a victory at Wichita
State on Jan. 27, Welsh had season-highs of four points and four
assists.
In last Saturday's exhibition loss to Indianapolis,
the 20-year-old missed two field goals, hit 1 of 2 free throws,
grabbed two rebounds and had one turnover in 18 minutes off the
bench.
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