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Indiana State basketball is in complete rebuild mode. Meet the 8 new Sycamores players.

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Indiana State basketball is in complete rebuild mode. Meet the 8 new Sycamores players.


Indiana State basketball fans will always remember the 2023-24 season. But that’s all that’s left — memories. The coach and team that rejuvenated the Hulman Center are gone.

Josh Schertz left for Saint Louis. Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope followed. Jayson Kent and Julian Larry transferred to Texas. Ryan Conwell landed at Xavier. Masen Miller picked North Dakota State. Augustinas Kiudulas chose VMI. Jake Wolfe and Xavier Bledson graduated.

Only Aaron Gray, Jayden Daughtry, Derek Vorst and Cooper Bean remain from last year’s NIT runner-up team. Bean redshirted and the other three combined for 6.1 points per game last season.

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New coach Matthew Graves has been busy on his root-and-branch rebuild adding eight new players so far. Here’s a look at who Sycamores fans will need to get to know ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Merritt Alderink, F, Zeeland, Mich.

Alderink committed to the Sycamores when Schertz was in charge and stuck with the Sycamores after Schertz left for SLU. Ranked the No. 3 player in Michigan in the 2024 class, per 247Sports, the 6-6 Alderink checks in as a three-star prospect and No. 64 power forward in the class. He led Zeeland West to the best season in program history, with district and regional titles, and earned Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Best of the Best and Detroit Free Press all-state honors this season.

Picked ISU over offers from Kent State, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and others.

Bobby Cannon, F, Lewisville, N.C.

Cannon originally signed with New Orleans to play for Mark Slessinger. After 13 years at UNO, Slessinger decided to return home to Indiana and joined Graves’ staff as associate head coach. Cannon followed the coach to Terre Haute.

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“Bobby is a dynamic player with a dynamic personality,” Slessinger said when Cannon signed with UNO. “He plays with great energy and passion. With his size at 6-10 his ability to shoot the ball and spread the floor is tremendous. He has great skill level offensively handling and passing the ball beyond scoring.

“His length also gives him opportunities defensively to change a lot of shots.”

Cannon averaged 11 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a junior. Before committing to UNO, he had offers from East Carolina, Old Dominion and Winthrop.

Tyran Cook, Milwaukee (VMI)

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He started 23 of 32 games last season as freshman for the Cadets, averaging 12.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. A 6-2 guard, he shot 34% from behind the arc. He scored a season-high 28 points vs. Chattanooga on Feb. 8 when he went 6-of-6 from deep.

He graduated as Waukesha South High School’s second all-time leading scorer (1,913) and rebounder (650) and he finished second in the state in the high jump.

Markus Harding, F, Toronto (Central Michigan)

A 6-10, 255-pounder, Harding averaged 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and shot 53.3% from the field last season for the Chippewas. He junior forward started 39 of 46 games over the past two seasons. He hit 21 3-pointers at a 30% clip in 2022-23, but saw that number shrink to just seven 3s at a 19% rate last season.

He arrived at CMU via Eastern Florida State College by way of Toronto after only starting to play basketball at 14 years old.

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Jahni Summers, G, Evansville, Ind. (Coffeyville Community College)

The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference freshman of the year, Summers averaged 18.2 points, 4.5 rebounds a game and shot 37.1% from 3, earning second-team All-KJCCC honors. He also had offers from Appalachian State, Eastern Kentucky, UC Riverside, Winthrop, IU Indianapolis, FGCU and others.

A standout at Evansville Harrison, schools contacted him or his coach weekly. Division II programs couldn’t believe he didn’t have more offers. Division I schools wanted to watch his film. But between the transfer portal and the extra year granted because of the pandemic, no one provided him a chance.

“I had to come to the realization that it takes time,” he told Courier & Press reporter Kyle Sokeland in 2022. “Patience is something I had to go through. I’m just letting it sink in day by day. Trying to be in the gym every day and go hard.”

Samage Teel, G, Greenville, N.C. (Presbyterian)

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Teel started 21 of 32 games for Presbyterian last season as a junior, averaging 13.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 41.5% from behind the arc, with 54 makes from deep. The 6-2 guard scored over 20 points five times last season, finishing last year with a season-high 28 points in a CBI first-round loss to Montana.

He started his college career at Winston-Salem State, scoring 594 points over two seasons. In high school, he helped lead Farmville Central to two North Carolina state championships.

Camp Wagner, G, Dallas (Rice)

A 6-6 guard, Wagner played in 18 games last season as a freshman for the Owls, averaging 3.5 minutes a game (1.2 points). Coincidentally, he scored a career-high 11 points against… yup, you guessed it, Indiana State, hitting three 3s.

He played at Link Prep Academy (Mo.) where he averaged 16.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior.

Jayan Walker, G, Raleigh, N.C.

A 6-6 combo guard out of Charlotte’s Combine Academy (N.C.), Walker had offers from Marshall and Georgia State, and added new offers from Utah State and Kennesaw State. He was offered by Indiana State on April 22, visited campus on May 3 and committed May 4.

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Indiana

Are Caitlin Clark’s Air Force 1s the key to Indiana Fever’s playoff success?

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Are Caitlin Clark’s Air Force 1s the key to Indiana Fever’s playoff success?


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Caitlin Clark may not be able to play for the Indiana Fever, but she’s clearly trying to influence her teammates with her shoe game. The All-Star guard, who is out with a right groin injury, has worn black Nike Air Force 1 sneakers for the last three games of the playoffs.

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The Fever’s record in those three games: 3-0.

It started when the Fever were down 1-0 in their best-of-3 first-round series to the Atlanta Dream. She walked out on the court with the shoes, which exude toughness, and got a big reaction from teammates.

“I fear you, you mean business,” Fever All-Star center Aliyah Boston joked before Game 2. “Black Forces?! Them (refs) better watch out.” 

BE LIKE CAITLIN CLARK: Buy black Air Force 1s

Ever the superstitious type, after the Fever won Game 2, Clark wore same outfit and Air Force 1s for Game 3. After the Fever upset the Dream, they celebrated the shoes on the court.

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“I mean, they’re working, so,” teammate Lexie Hull said following the Game 3 win. “We told her she’s bringing them in her bag, wearing them every day.”

For Game 1 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces, Clark wore black and white Nikes to the Michelob ULTRA Arena. Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham was concerned, asking about the black Air Forces. Clark said: “Don’t worry, I’ve got them.”

Clark wore all black for the game, including the Air Force 1s, and the Fever stunned the Aces to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 semifinals.

Here’s guessing the black AF1s will be back for Game 2, Tuesday in Las Vegas.

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Notre Dame’s Misery Could Be Indiana’s Opportunity — Here’s Why

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Notre Dame’s Misery Could Be Indiana’s Opportunity — Here’s Why


Indiana made quick of Indiana State on Friday night, routing the Sycamores 73-0. One night later, roughly 200 miles north of Bloomington, Indiana, in South Bend, Notre Dame dropped another thriller. This one was a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M that dropped the Fighting Irish to 0-2.

Aside from the obvious in Texas A&M, Indiana may have just been the biggest winner in college football because of that.

Indiana Football’s Current Setting

Indiana football celebrates a touchdown against Indiana State in 202

Sep 12, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Jonathan Brady (0) and Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Alberto Mendoza (16) celebrate after a touchdown during the second half against the Indiana State Sycamores at Memorial Stadium. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Indiana sits at 3-0 after Friday’s drubbing of Indiana State and is now preparing for No. 9 Illinois in one of the biggest games in the history of Memorial Stadium. Both the Hoosiers and Fighting Illini have realistic College Football Playoff hopes, and Saturday’s showdown will go a long way in determining who has a step up.

A win by Indiana Saturday would put it in the driver’s seat for a College Football Playoff spot ahead of Notre Dame, even if the Irish win out and finish 10-2.

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Beating No. 9 Illinois on Saturday night would mean Indiana has a top ten win to its name, something Notre Dame is almost guaranteed to not have all year, as it sits 0-2 and only has one game remaining against a team that is currently ranked (Oct. 18 vs. No. 25 USC).

Indiana’s Remaining Schedule:

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza during a 2025 game against Indiana Stat

Sep 12, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs for a touchdown during the first half against the Indiana State Sycamores at Memorial Stadium. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Coaches hate looking ahead and understandably so. However, we’re not coaches here, and can look ahead without getting punished for it.

Of its nine remaining games, Indiana figures to be favored in seven. Only trips to Oregon and Penn State would appear to make the Hoosiers underdogs at this point.

College football rarely goes as we expect it to far out, but what happens if Indiana simply beats the teams, it should, with Saturday’s game against Illinois included in that?

Indiana would finish 10-2 and feature a top ten win. The best Notre Dame could currently do is run the table and finish 10-2, but that would almost certainly come without a win over a top 15 team, let alone a top 10 one.

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College Football Playoff Outlook:

Would the College Football Playoff committee agree? It can say it doesn’t favor brands over resumes all it wants, but sometimes the evidence is too strong against that. Notre Dame losing its two games by a combined four points only would be part of its case, but should margin of defeat even matter in CFP cases?

Indiana didn’t even play Saturday night but depending how the rest of the regular season goes, it may have just been the biggest winner in all of college football Saturday night, short of Texas A&M.



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Knicks Hope to Be in Pacers’ Shoes

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Knicks Hope to Be in Pacers’ Shoes


The New York Knicks hope to do what the Indiana Pacers were able to accomplish this past season by winning the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Pacers stunned the Knicks in six games to advance to the NBA Finals, where they pushed the champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7 despite losing star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles midway through the final matchup.

New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges Tyrese Haliburton Indiana Pacers

May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) dribbles the ball defended by Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the third quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Pacers should be different without Haliburton in the upcoming season, opening the door for the Knicks to take over as the top team in the East. Even though Haliburton won’t be on the court, the Pacers should still have a solid team.

Andrew Nembhard is expected to have significant duties as the team’s point guard while Bennedict Mathurin will likely be his partner in the backcourt.

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Aaron Nesmith, who torched the Knicks throughout the entire Eastern Conference Finals, will likely be the team’s starting small forward. Pascal Siakam will be expected to lead the team in scoring from the power forward position while the team has question marks surrounding the center spot.

Myles Turner won’t be with the Pacers for the first time in a decade after he signed a contract with the division rival Milwaukee Bucks over the offseason, so the team needs to figure out what it will do to replace him.

“By far, the biggest question with the lineup is the center position. There is no guaranteed starter, although Isaiah Jackson is the favorite. Jay Huff and James Wiseman will likely back him up,” Indiana Pacers On SI contributor Ryan Stano wrote.

“There’s a chance that Indiana changes who they want to start at center at some point during the season, so that is a fluid spot. Tony Bradley will fight Wiseman for the third-string minutes.”

The Knicks should be favored over the Pacers during the season, but this is a team whose core was one win away from winning the championship just a few months ago.

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Therefore, the Knicks have to take the Pacers seriously if they want to overtake them in the Eastern Conference hierarchy.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!



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