Sycamores Solid Effort Falls Short

  It has been said basketball is a game of runs, and the Indiana State men’s basketball team found that out the hard way Monday night in the season opener against Charlotte.

  Despite holding onto a three-point advantage at the half, the Sycamores dropped a 78-70 contest against the visiting 49ers, who were spurred by sophomore guard Keyshaun Tillery.

Keyshaun Tillery

photo by: Tony Harper/Indiana Sports Network

  The New Hampton School (NH) product and University of Cincinnati transfer finished with a game high tying 29 points and came alive from behind the arc in the second half to lift Charlotte (1-0). Tillery was 9-of-15 from the field and 7-of-10 from behind the three point arc, including drilling six three pointers in the second half for the 49ers, who outrebounded the Sycamores, 40-25, and got 29 bench points compared to 16 for ISU (0-1).

  Early on, the two teams traded baskets and felt each other out before the 49ers raced out to a 16-12 lead following a basket from Tillery and a three pointer from Rutgers transfer and forward Dylan Grant (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada).

Maguire Mitchell

photo by: Tony Harper/Indiana Sports Network

  The two would continue to trade baskets before a basket from sophomore guard Maguire Mitchell (Zionsville, IN), along with a pair of three pointers from redshirt sophomore guard Chance Puryear (Dallas, Texas) and Mitchell gave the Sycamores a 30-24 lead with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Chance Puryear

photo by: Tony Harper/Indiana Sports Network

Tillery would trim the deficit to 30-27 at the half and gave the 49ers momentum that would extend through the halftime break and into the second half.

Charlotte would start the second half hot, racing out to a four-point advantage, before a basket from   Indiana State senior forward Jackson Cooper (Portland, Oregon) would knot the game at 40-40.

 With 6:27 left in the second half, Indiana State found itself ahead 57-56. but Charlotte would take control with a 9-0 run, backed by a pair of three pointers from Tillery.

Redshirt senior Karmani Gregory (Palmetto, Fla) led the way for the Sycamores, as the guard scored 29 points and dished out eight assists in his Indiana State debut. Mitchell contributed with 15 points for the Sycamores.

Indiana State will look to pick up its first win of the season Friday when it travels to Ball State University for a 7 p.m. tip.