Game No. 5 - Indiana State Game Notes

Setting the scene
Date: Nov. 29, 2009
Location: Jonesboro, Ark.
Tipoff: 2:05 p.m. (CST)
Arena: ASU Convocation Center
Arena Capacity: 10,727
Webcast: AstateRedWolves.com

TIPPING IT OFF
The Red Wolves continue action at home with their second of a three-game homestand when they battle the Sycamores of Indiana State. Tipoff against ISU is set for 2:05 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

THE OPPONENT
Indiana State is an NCAA Division I opponent who competes in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Sycamores stand at 4-2 this season including wins past Sun Belt competition WKU (64-63) in their last outing. ISU's only losses have come at the hands of LSU (45-56) and Colorado State (60-65). ISU has two players averaging in double-figure scoring led by Dwayne Lathan, who is averaging 14.6 ppg and lead's the team in rebounding pulling down 5.2 rpg, while Jake Kelly who is averaging 10.7 ppg.

SERIES VERSUS INDIANA STATE
The Red Wolves trail the all-time series against the Sycamores, 1-2. ASU and ISU renewed their series last season, which dates back to the 1947-48 season. The Red Wolves took the game last season, 56-54 marking the team's first win in the series. Then junior Donald Boone was the only ASU player to score in double figures, putting in 26 for the Red Wolves.

THREE IN DOUBLE-FIGURES
ASU has three players averaging in double-digit scoring and none of those players is a junior or older. Sophomore guard Daniel Bryant leads the team averaging 14.8 ppg followed by freshman guard Brandon Reed who is averaging 14.0 ppg. Sophomore forward/center Martavius Adams is averaging 10.0 ppg while pulling down 4.5 rebounds per game, heleads the team shooting 55-percent from the field. Last season, ASU had one player averaging in double-figures (Boone, 13.6).
BIG BLOCKS
As a team ASU has averaged 6.3 blocks per game. Freshman Brandon Peterson leads the league with 14 blocks through four games, collecting five against MacMurray. Peterson has had multiple blocks in every game including four against UTM.

SHOOTING LIGHTS OUT
Sophomore forward Martavius Adams leads the team shooting 55-percent from the field connecting on 17-31 shots. Junior Justin Butler is leading the team shooting 86-percent from the free throw line connecting on 7 of 8 from the charity stripe.

BROWN DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Senior forward JeJuan Brown had one of the best performances he has turned in since coming to ASU against SEMO. Brown recorded the first double-double of his career with 11 pts and 13 rebounds, a career-high.

OPPONENT SCORING
Only two of ASU's opponents have managed to break the 50-point barrier this season. UTEP was the first team to surpass that mark when they put up 82 against ASU last Saturday. Arnette Moultrie was also the first single player able to score over 20 on the Red Wolves when he posted 23 in the contest. ASU is holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game while holding them to shooting 39-percent from the floor. UTM followed up in the next game scoring 66 against ASU.

IN THE SUN BELT
ASU is at the top or near the top of several statistical categories in the league through three games. The Red Wolves lead the league in three-point field goal percent defense (.188), blocked shots per game (5.7), assists per game (14.7) and defensive rebound percentage (.786). ASU ranks second in scoring defense (59.3), scoring margin (+14.7), rebounding defense (32.7) and rebounding margin (+10.3). ASU ranks third in offensive (13.7) and defensive (29.3) rebounding.

The Red Wolves also have some individual players at or near the top of the league statistically. Freshman Brandon Peterson ranks first in blocks per game (3.3) while ranking fourth in overall rebounding average (7.7), seventh in defensive rebounding (5.0) and eighth in offensive rebounds (2.7). Junior point guard Rashad Allison ranks sixth with a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio, while ranking eighth in assists per game (3.7). Senior JeJuan Brown is also one of the top-10 rebounders in the league ranking fourth in defensive rebounds a game (5.7) and ninth overall at in rebounding average (7.0).

OUTWORKING THE COMPETITION
Arkansas State has been scoring easier than they did a year ago in their first four contests.  ASU has outscored its opponents 302-244 a +14.5 average margin. The Red Wolves have also outrebounded the opposition this season 171-138 a +8.3 average margin. As a team ASU is shooting 43% from the field while connecting on 38% from the three-point line and 65% from the charity stripe.

TOUGH DEFENSE
The Red Wolves have continued their reputation of strong defense holding their first four opponents to shooting just 39% from the field (91-231) and shooting only 15% from three point range (7-44). ASU has also forced opponents into 32 turnovers and recorded 21 steals. Against SEMO, ASU held the Redhawks to 14% from the three-point line and allowed only one of the opponents players to score in double-figures (10). Versus Tennessee-Martin The Red Wolves held the Skyhawks to shooting only 8.3-percent from the three-point line (1-12).

SCORING IN DOUBLE FIGURES
Through four games so far this season ASU has had seven players score in double-figures. Bryant (18), Peterson (13), Reed (12), Sterrenberg (11) and Lance (10) scored in double digits against MacMurray. Reed then duplicated his performance and then some scoring 17 to lead the Red Wolves against SEMO. Brown (11) and Adams (10) also had double-digit performances at SEMO. Adams led ASU against UTEP scoring 14 while Bryant came up big again with 12. Bryant (20), Reed (19) and Peterson (11), then scored double-digits against UTM.

FINN TOUGH IN DEBUT
Arkansas State redshirt freshman Trey Finn had to miss his first collegiate game due to an injury, but that didn't stop him from coming out strong in his first career start at SEMO. Finn nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds, while recording four steals and a block.

ALLISON AT THE LINE
Junior point guard Rashad Allison posted a career-high nine points against SEMO, all of which came from the free throw line. Allison went to the line a game-high 12 times, connecting on nine of those shots from the charity stripe.

STEALING THE ROCK
Arkansas State continued its trend from last season for picking the opponents pockets. ASU has already recorded 30 steals through three games. Bryant and Finn lead the team with six each, while Brown and Adams ranks econd with four each.

BRYANT LEADS SQUAD VERSUS MACMURRAY
Sophomore guard Daniel Bryant led the Red Wolves  in their opening game of the season against MacMurray college shooting 6-11 for 18 pts. He was 3-6 from three-point range versus the Highlanders. Bryant also led ASU in their two exhibition contests scoring 19 points in each outing. Bryant shot 55% from the field on 12-22 shooting in the two contests while connecting on 90% from the free-throw line (9-10). Bryant also had five assists and three steals.

NEWCOMERS SHINE
In their opening game of the season the Red Wolves got great performances from their newcomers especially freshman forward Brandon Peterson. Peterson came off the bench to notch the first double-double for the Red Wolves this season (13 pts., 12 reb.) while he also blocked five shots. Freshman Brandon Reed also came off the bench to score 12 pts., leading all players with 31 minutes played. Freshman Adam Sterrenberg added 11 points while Martavius Adams had eight points and five rebounds.

STRONG DOWN LOW
Arkansas State had a good game in the paint against MacMurray outscoring their opponents 36-18 down low. The Red Wolves also outrebounded the Highlanders 53-30, 32 of which were defensive rebounds while holding MacMurray to only 12 offensive rebounds.

ASU AT THE CONVOCATION CENTER
Over the 22 years that ASU has competed in the ASU Convocation Center, the Red Wolves have compiled a 213-84 record (.720). Arkansas State has gone undefeated twice during a single season at the Convocation Center; they were a perfect 14-0 in 1988-89 and went 13-0 in 1990-91.

TOP RETURNERS
ASU's top returning scorer from last season Donald Boone returns for his senior season with the Red Wolves. Boone averaged 13.6 ppg a year ago while also leading the team with 54 steals. Senior JeJuan Brown returns as the top rebounder coming back from last season. Brown averaged 7.4 ppg while pulling down 4.8 rebounds per game.

FRESHMAN SHINES IN EXHIBITION OPENER
Freshman forward Brandon Peterson had a breakout performance in ASU's first exhibition contest against Henderson State. The Birmingham native had 10 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks playing 25 minutes off the bench for the Red Wolves.

NEW LOOK RED WOLVES
With eight new players on their roster from a year ago, ASU will look quite a bit different in their opening contest against MacMurray Monday. Returning for ASU are seniors - Donald Boone, JeJuan Brown and Mike Lance. Junior - Jeremy Thomas and sophomore - Daniel Bryant. Also back for ASU will be two players that did not play last season freshman Trey Finn and sophomore-transfer Martavius Adams.

PRESEASON HONORS/COACHES POLL
Arkansas State senior guard Donald Boone was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference third team. Also released at media day was the preseason coaches' poll where the Red Wolves were tabbed to finish sixth in the west division.
    The poll and preseason teams were released in conjunction with the start of the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball media days which kicked off Tuesday with the west division coaches participating in video conferences throughout the day. The east division coaches are slated to participate in media day on Wednesday.
    The preseason team and poll were nominated and voted on by the 13 league coaches. ASU received 36 points in the voting.
    ASU's top returning scorer from last season, Boone posted 13.6 points per game in 2008-09 and led the team with 54 steals which ranked second in the Sun Belt. Boone appeared in all 30 games a year ago, drawing 24 starts while pacing the squad in minutes played, averaging 30.4 per contest.
    WKU's AJ Slaughter was tabbed the preseason SBC player of the year and was joined on the first team by Denver's Nate Rohnert, MTSU's Desmond Yates, Eric Tramiel from North Texas and Brandon Hazzard of Troy.

McRoy Named Top-25 Mid-Major Assistant
Arkansas State assistant coach Elwyn McRoy garnered the no. 23 spot on the recent collegeinsider.com listing of the top-25 mid-major assistant coaches in the country.
    McRoy was described by collegeinsider as “arguably the best junior college recruiter in all of college basketball, much less the Mid-Major level, there is no coincidence that on-court success has followed McRoy throughout his entire career. During a span of five seasons in junior college, McRoy coached 28 players who went on to play Division I basketball.”
    This marks the second year in-a-row that one of Arkansas State's assistant coaches have been recognized as tops in the nation. Associate head coach Chad Dollar was ranked one of the top-10 assistant coaches by Fox Sports in 2008.
    McRoy was the only assistant coach in the Sun Belt Conference named to the list.

Head Coach John Brady
With a Final Four appearance and 281 career victories already to his credit, John Brady was announced as Arkansas State's 15th head men's basketball coach by Director of Athletics Dr. Dean Lee at a Wednesday morning press conference held in ASU's Convocation Center on March 19, 2008.
    During his first season with the Red Wolves, Brady helped lead ASU to one of the best starts in program history and achieved the No. 22 ranking on Collegeinsider.com's Mid-Major Top 25 poll. As a team ASU improved greatly its defending and rebounding finishing near the top of the conference in several statistical categories.
    Brady spent the last 10-plus seasons serving as LSU's head coach, leading the Tigers to six postseason berths, two SEC championships and three SEC Western Division titles. Twice named the SEC Coach of the Year,  Brady is a proven winner who brings a well-documented record of success and a long list of accomplishments with him to Arkansas State.
    Chancellor Robert Potts said that he is very pleased with the selection of Coach Brady as Arkansas State's new head basketball coach.
    Brady's 16-year tenure as a head coach at both LSU and Samford in Birmingham, Alabama, has been decorated with achievements.  He has coached a combined 25 All-TAAC and SEC selections, 48 academic all-conference choices, posted 11 winning seasons and collected five division championships.  Brady piled up the third most wins in LSU history with 192 and left Samford after the 1996-97 season as the Bulldog's all-time leader in coaching victories (89) as well.
    He quickly turned around an LSU's men's basketball program that had suffered four consecutive losing seasons prior to his arrival, leading the Tigers to a 28-6 record, an SEC championship and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in just his third season (1999-00) at the helm.  Under Brady's direction, the Tigers recorded six consecutive winning seasons from 2001-02 to 2006-07 while making three trips to the NCAA Tournament and two more to the NIT. The 2005-06 campaign saw LSU post a 27-9 record and advance to the Final Four for the first time in 20 years.
    Not only did Brady coach the Tigers to 23 wins versus ranked opponents, he also led them to victories over two teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll (Arizona in 2002-03 and Duke in 2005-06).  Additionally, he orchestrated a 19-game home winning streak over SEC opponents, the third longest stretch in LSU history.
    While at LSU, Brady coached two NBA Lottery picks and six current NBA players.  The Tigers signed nine Parade All-Americans and four McDonald All-Americans under Brady, who also coached three SEC Players of the Year, four players named SEC Freshman of the Year, one SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 17 All-SEC selections.
    Prior to taking over the reigns at LSU, Brady served as Samford's head coach from 1991-92 through 1996-97.  It didn't take long for him to turn around a Samford program coming off six straight losing seasons, either, guiding the Bulldogs to a 17-10 record in his second season.  He led Samford to three straight winning seasons (1995-97) for the first time since 1982-84, all leading up to a 19-9 record and division title in 1997.  Samford won the TAAC West Division each of Brady's final two seasons at the school for the first time in school history.
    His four winning campaigns at Samford were the first for any coach at the school, and he led the Bulldogs to an 89-77 record after they went 27-83 the four seasons prior to his initial year.  He coached eight All-TAAC and 14 Academic All-TAAC players over six seasons.
    The McComb, Miss., native earned his bachelor's degree in 1976 from Belhaven College, where he was three-year starter and scored over 1,000 points during his college playing career.  Brady was a two-time All-Southern States Conference selection and was later inducted into his alma mater's Hall of Fame.
    He got his coaching start as a graduate assistant with the Mississippi State men's basketball program while earning his master's degree from 1976-77.  Brady took his first head coaching position in Louisiana at Crowley High School in 1977 and led the basketball squad to a 129-49 (.725) record in five seasons.  He was named the 1981 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3-A Coach of the Year.
    Brady returned to the college coaching ranks in 1982 as an assistant coach at Mississippi State.  He spent the next eight years with the Bulldogs, the first four seasons under coach Bob Hoyt and the next four as a chief recruiter for coach Richard Williams.  Following his tenure in Starkville, Brady returned to Louisiana for the second time, this time to serve as an assistant coach at the University of New Orleans.  Brady helped lead UNO to the NCAA Tournament during his only season with the Privateers.