INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State’s storybook season fell one game short of a title, as the Sycamores fell to Seton Hall in a 79-77 heartbreaker Thursday night inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The Sycamores finish the 2023-24 season at 32-7, the second-most wins in a season in program history. Isaiah Swope led the Trees with 19 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Julian Larry added 18 points and six assists, while Jayson Kent and Robbie Avila had 13 points apiece. Ryan Conwell grabbed 12 rebounds in the contest.
Indiana State had an answer for every Seton Hall run in the first half, with Kent and Larry knocking down threes to tie the game at 16 eight minutes in. The Pirates took their largest lead of the game late in the first half at 36-26, but back-to-back three-pointers from Larry ignited the Sycamores inside the last four minutes of the opening period.
Eight of Larry’s 18 points came inside the last three minutes of the first half, as he capped an 11-0 Indiana State run to close the half with a layup inside the last 30 seconds. After facing a 10-point deficit at the final media timeout of the first, the Sycamores went into the locker room deadlocked at 39 with their foes from the Big East.
Seton Hall had the hot start coming out of the intermission in building a 51-42 lead, using an 8-0 run to build its advantage. Swope quickly responded for the Sycamores with 11 points in the first seven minutes of the half, as Indiana State rebounded from a sluggish start to knot the score at 53-all.
The Pirates maintained a slim lead through the middle stages of the half, but a dunk by Kent brought the crowd to its feet and sparked a rally for the Sycamores. Xavier Bledson converted on a three-point play just past the midway point of the half and Larry connected on another trey as Indiana State took its first lead of the second half with 8:42 left.
Indiana State’s biggest run came in the late stages of the game. Trailing 70-69 with five minutes remaining, the Sycamores went on an 8-0 run that spanned just over a minute to go in front 77-70. Kent put the Trees in front with a layup, and consecutive threes from Conwell and Swope sent the crowd into a frenzy as the Sycamores built their largest lead of the game with just over three minutes remaining.
As quick as the scoring run was, the Sycamores hit a dry spell following it, with Seton Hall scoring the last nine points of the game. A stepback three from Al-Amir Dawes followed by a layup from Dre Davis inside the last 30 seconds gave the Pirates a two-point lead and Indiana State was unable to find the equalizer. Threes from Swope and Conwell were off the mark, as the Sycamores’ magical run fell one possession short.
Seton Hall finished with the top two scorers in the game. Dawes had a game-high 24 points and was named the NIT Most Outstanding Player, while Kadary Richmond had 21 on his way to All-Tournament Team honors. Davis, who had the go-ahead basket, finished with 18.
News and Notes
- Indiana State closed the 2023-24 season at 32-7. The Sycamores reached the NIT Championship Game for the first time in program history and also won the MVC Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2000.
- Indiana State’s 32 wins were the program’s most since the 1978-79 season (33).
- Ryan Conwell and Robbie Avila were both named to the 2024 NIT All-Tournament Team. Avila, a First Team All-MVC selection this season, averaged 17.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the tournament. Conwell, the MVC Newcomer of the Year this season, averaged 19.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the tournament.
- Robbie Avila became the 42nd player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points in Thursday’s game. Avila finished the 2023-24 season with 1,007.
- Averaging 8.75 turnovers per game through the first four games of the NIT, ISU committed 15 miscues in the championship.
- Isaiah Swope had his best shooting night, finishing 7-for-12 from the floor. The 58.3% game is his best since January 13 at versus Belmont (61.5%).
- Ryan Conwell fell one shy of his career high in rebounds with 12.