INs t a t e s m a n

INs t a t e s m a n

NOTHING BUT NETIndiana State University’s finest take to the court for the 2013-14

season. For some, it will be the final season of their college careers.

www.indianastatesman.com Volume 121 Issue 29

Friday November 1, 2013

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Under the leadership of seasoned, all-star players and coaches, Indiana State basketball is anticipating a promising season.

Indiana State University has already been selected as a top pick in the Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball race, according to an annual poll of sports information directors, conference head coaches, as well as expert media announcers.

The men aren’t trailing far behind either, with a second place spot in the preseason. For Senior guards Anna Munn and Jake Odum, who are avidly seeking NCAA conference titles, the rankings aren’t taken lightly.

“Every team on the [conference] is tough,” Munn said during Missouri Valley Conference media day. “Every team will be a hard-fought battle. But I think we’re ready with this group of girls.”

Although the competition may be cutthroat, Odum said he feels honored that Indiana State ranks among the nation’s best. However, being at the top means the stakes are higher than ever.

“People are talking about us now, but if we lose one or two games early, people will turn their backs on us,” Odum said. “I think we’re doing more than we did last year with our experience and I think we’re looking forward to proving people right this time.”

Poll results brought additional acclaim to Odum and Munn, who have also been named to the 2013 - 14 preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference team. While Munn was selected as a second-team pick in the 2011 - 12 season, this is Odum’s third consecutive year as a top contender.

Junior forward Racheal Mahan and senior guard Manny Arop received honorable mention recognition in the preseason conference poll also.

Both teams are nearly even in last season’s performances. Women’s basketball is returning from an 18 - 13 season, and is showing up in the postseason for the first time since 2005 - 06, receiving 26 of 40 first-place votes and 378 total points, out-distancing Wichita

State (360). UNI (259), Drake (221), Missouri State (216) and Loyola (211) are nipping at the Sycamores’ heels.

Men’s basketball is back from an 18-15 season, and is no stranger to NCAA tournament. Having been to the tournament four years in a row, is hoping to return again in the spring. Veteran player Odum will no doubt contribute to the effort, given his history. Averaging 13.6 points per game and bringing the most assists of any returning player in the conference last season, Odum proves to be a threat. Arop (12 ppg, 26 assists) along

with fellow seniors Dawon Cummings (6.4 ppg, 60 assists) and Lucus Eitel (4.1 ppg, 31 assists), will reinforce the team’s backbone.

Munn, as well as the rest of her team, can’t be counted out either. She averaged 14.5 points per game last season, sunk 72 three-pointers, and also led Indiana State with a .857 free throw percentage. Mahan ranked in the league’s top-10 in four statistical categories, including points (13.0, 10th), rebounds (7.9, 6th), blocks (1.0, 5th) and field-goal percentage (.503, 2nd).

The Sycamores also return with sophomore forward Marina Laramie, a member of the conference’s all-freshman team a season ago, who averaged 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds. Juniors Natasha Zurek (3.8 ppg, 58 assists) and Travecia Franklin (2.8 ppg, 49 assists) and sophomore Kasey Johnson (3.6 ppg, 58 assists) also add depth to the Sycamore roster.

Sycamore basketball officially begins its 2013-14 season next weekend. The men will face off against Ball State Nov. 9 at 1:05 p.m. and the women go head-to-head with South Alabama at 5:05 p.m.

“The Forest,” Indiana State’s cheering section, rallies behind the men’s basketball team during their game against top-ranked Bradley last season (Photo courtesy of ISU Communications and Marketing).

Brianne Hofmann Editor-in-Chief

Polls predict an exciting season for the SycamoresDestined for greatness

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Missouri Valley Conference preseason standings:

Women’s (by school): • Indiana State University (378 Points) • Wichita State (360)• University of Northern Iowa (259)• Drake (221)• Missouri State (216)• Loyola (211)• Bradley (194)• Illinois State (166)• Evansville (104)• Southern Illinois (91)

Men’s (by school):• Wichita State (400 Points)• Indiana State University (352)• University Northern Iowa (318)• Missouri State (258)• Bradley (244)• Evansville (186)• Illinois State (139)• Southern Illinois (123)• Loyola (95)• Drake (85)

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Teri Moren, Indiana State University women’s basketball head coach, discovered her love of basketball at an early age.

Growing up in Seymour, Ind., where basketball is a popular sport, Moren said she realized she enjoyed playing sports when she was a child, competing with the boys in her neighborhood on a daily basis.

“I grew up in a neighborhood full of guys and it was just one of those things we did,” Moren said. “We played kickball, we played wiffle ball, you name it. If it had a ball in it, we played it.”

Upon graduating from Purdue University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation, Moren began making a name for herself. She lettered four years in a row in basketball and was a two-year starter for the Boilermakers, according to ISU Communications and Marketing.

Moren soon began traveling abroad to places like Australia, Tunisia and Paris, which gave her a better opportunity to network and remain active while being involved with a sport she loved, she said.

“The people I’ve met, the people I’ve worked for, the kids I’ve coached, I mean all those people have an impact in your life in some way,” Moren said. “You hope that you’re able to have an impact in their lives also.”

After being announced head coach for ISU’s women basketball team during the spring of 2010, Moren has played a major

Dijonna’e Morgan Reporter

Teri Moren, a Purdue University graduate who was named Indiana State University women’s head basketball coach in 2010, said she has enjoyed becoming a part of the Terre Haute community and is impressed by the team’s fan base (Photo by Drew Canavan).

ONE WORD: ‘DETERMINED’Teri Moren, Indiana State University women’s basketball head coach, is a friend and role model for players

ConTInUed on PAGe 5

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Continued from PAGe 4

role in the lives of her players.As the team prepares for the start of the

season on Nov. 9, Racheal Mahan, a junior criminal justice major who plays forward on the team, said Moren has inspired her and her teammates for three years now. She went on to express her appreciation for Moren during an evening practice on Monday.

“I think coach Moren is a good influence on our lives, because not only is she our coach, but she also cares about us,” Mahan said. “She cares about things that are happening in our lives. We’re like one big family so if there’s anything that I need to talk to someone about, I know that I can go to her and talk to her about it. She’s always there for me.”

Mahan has been playing for Moren since she enrolled at Indiana State and realized she is much different from some coaches who only point out mistakes on the court. However, Mahan said Moren gives positive feedback to all of her players in addition to suggestions about each of their performances.

“If I could describe coach Moren in one word it would be ‘determined,’” Mahan said. “She always wants what’s best for us

and she’s always determined to make us better — she’s very positive in our lives.”

Moren said she has enjoyed interacting with the Terre Haute community since becoming head coach, has commended fans on their attendance, support and knowledge of the game she has come to love.

“It’s a great relationship we have with the Terre Haute community and we hope they’ll continue to come out and support us,” Moren said.

“I think coach [Teri] Moren is a good influence on our lives,

because not only is she our coach, but she also cares about us. She

cares about things that are happening in our lives. We’re like

one big family.”

racheal mahan, a junior criminal justice major and forward on the indiana State university women’s

basketball team

Indiana State University women’s basketball head coach Teri Moren discovered the sport as a child. Above, Moren encourages her team in Hulman Center (Photo by Drew Canavan).

Page 6 Friday November 1, 2013 www.indianastatesman.com

Anna Munn says goodbye to her time as a Sycamore

Senior guard Anna Munn goes to the hoop for a layup to show her skills during the Women’s Basketball Block party last week (Photo by Drew Canavan).

As this year’s Indiana State University women’s basketball season begins, senior exercise science major Anna Munn said she has prepared with intense training and conditioning in the past couple months in hopes to succeed in her last year as a Sycamore.

“It is a very bittersweet moment, but I don’t think it will hit me until the games start. We have worked so hard since this summer for the season,” Munn said.

Ever since Munn was influenced by her older sister, who played basketball in high school, she became very familiar with the game. She began playing in sixth grade and continued through high school and then advanced to a travel team until her assistant coach informed her that Indiana State was interested in recruiting her.

At this point, Munn was a junior in high school; however, she automatically committed to Indiana State on New Year’s Eve of that year.

“It has been awesome to meet so many people and travel with our school. I have met so many people who are very supportive and I have been able to be very active on campus and throughout the school,” Munn said.

Munn and the team got the opportunity to travel to Miami, Florida and Kansas last season, and said she loved the traveling aspect of the team.

During her sophomore and junior

years at Indiana State, only 12 women played on the team as opposed to the 16

women on this year’s team. After stepping up in past years, Munn said she is now surrounded by one of the most talented teams in her college career.

“I love when the other girls come up to me and ask for advice or my experiences in order to make them a little better. I do feel like me and the other senior on the team definitely took leadership roles this year — just helping the other girls with simple steps or little ways they can improve or make it all worth it. I find this to be my most influential year in basketball because the whole process has been a learning experience, but this year especially I have learned so much,” Munn said.

The ladies’ first basketball game is Nov. 9 against South Alabama. Training for this season started after a week- long vacation in May. After that, it was back to training all summer in order to prepare for this season.

“I got to meet so many new people this summer during off-season training. It takes the pressure off a lot more now that we have more players, but it is still a lot of hard work, especially with school involved and me being an exercise science major,” Munn said.

After this season, which Munn said she hopes ends with a National Collegiate Athletics Association title, she plans to continue her basketball career overseas in Italy. She said her family is Italian, drawing her even more to the country so her family can experience the game.

“I am excited to hopefully go overseas and play because I love to travel, especially when getting to play the sport that I love. Being on the team at Indiana State has definitely changed my life and has made me a stronger person. I can see myself making decisions better and more wisely, having to deal with certain situations that may cause you to lose your spot on the team such as injuries. This whole experience has been a learning process and it has truly made me grateful for everything in my life,” Munn said.

AmAndA mArsh Reporter

“It is a very bittersweet moment, but I don’t think it will hit me until the games

start. We have worked so hard since summer for this season.”

Anna Munn, senior guard for Indiana State University’s women’s

basketball team

‘BITTERSWEET MOMENT’

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Lady Sycamore’s take it from the basketball court to the streets for Block Party

Below: The women’s team huddle to raise excitement in the crowd during their Block Party. Right: Sycamore Sam struts past the basketball band at a celebration for the Women’s Basketball Team. Above: Senior guard Anna Munn, sophomore guard Cierra Ceazar and freshman forward Rhagen Smith take a moment to pose with Sycamore Sam Last week at the Block Party, celebrating the beginning of the Women’s Basketball Season (Photos by Kira Clouse).

www.indianastatesman.com� Friday,�November�1,�2013�•�Page�9�Page�8�•�Friday,�November�1,�2013� www.indianastatesman.com

Basketball leaves one whirlwind season behind to start another

Sophomore guard Cierra Ceazer works on her layups, preparing for the upcoming 2013-14 season at last week’s practice (Photo by Drew Canavan).

Above: Senior guard Bilgis Abdul-Qaadir cuts loose during a recent women’s basketball practice (Photo by Drew Canavan). Below: Members from the men’s basketball team celebrate from the side line as Indiana State University scores at last season’s game against the Creighton Bluejays (Statesman file photo)

Senior guard Dawon Cummings looks on after a launching a free throw, hoping to sink the shot at a packed game against Creighton last season (Statesman file photo).

Above: Sophomore forward Marina Laramie attempts to blocks the offense. Below: Sophomore Devonte Brown keeps his eyes on one of Creighton’s own as he dribbles down the court (Statesman file photos).

Senior point guard and recreation and sport management major Jake Odum will be suiting up for his final season as a Sycamore after spending four years establishing a name for himself and Indiana State around the nation.

His journey into basketball began at a young age. Odum, a Terre Haute native, said he would play one-on-one games with his older brother in his family’s backyard.

“Growing up, I would be really competitive playing against my older brother, and it’s not fun losing all the time,” Odum said. “Ever since I’ve been young, I’ve kind of had a chip on my shoulder, always trying to be better, make my teammates better. And that’s kind of what I do as a point guard.”

Marcus Belcher, assistant coach, is one of the more recent additions to the basketball program going into his third year at Indiana State.

Belcher continuously witnesses Odum’s competitive spirit on the court. He said Odum is one of those guys who hates losing. Belcher said his ability to rebound is very unique for a point guard.

“He will do whatever it takes to will his team to victory,” Belcher said. “If he needs to score points, he’ll do that. If he needs to be a pass-first guy, he’ll do that. He has an uncanny ability to rebound for guys and you don’t think of most point guards to get in there and rebound, but he’ll do it.”

When Odum began attending Indiana State, he was side-lined as a red-shirted athlete. After a change in coaching staff, he began to see positive progression in the basketball and athletics program.

“The program and the coaching staff have been great,” Odum said. “We switched coaches my freshman year and personally, that’s the best thing that could have happened. They’ve been awesome to the team since we made it the NCAA tournament. The facilities have changed tremendously in the past couple of years. We’ve gotten a new locker room, new practice floor, practice courts in the Arena and you can definitely tell things are moving up for Indiana State Athletics, not only for basketball but for all sports.”

Odum said Indiana State was his only option while searching for schools to play basketball. This was only school that heavily recruited for Odum, and being from Terre Haute made his options simpler.

“I grew up watching the 2000 – 2001 team play and go to the NCAA tournament and that really inspired me when I was a young kid,” Odum said. “I would act like those guys in my backyard, throwing up three-pointers and that really just stuck into my heart. That’s why I decided to come here.”

Belcher said his local status made it easy for the coaching staff at the time to recruit Odum.

“He’s a local guy and kind of made a name for himself during his time in the [Amateur Athletic Union] and high school seasons,” Belcher said. “The guys have known about him for a long time and just picked up the recruiting as time went on.”

Odum, along with fellow senior guard

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THE MAKING OF A LEGEND Thomas Beeler Sports Editor

Senior guard Jake Odum is one of four players concluding their collegiate basketball careers as Sycamores (Photo courtesy ISU Communications and Marketing).Continued on PAGe 11

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Come see the Honoring a Legend Program with Larry Bird.November 8 at 8:30 p.m., Hulman Center Doors open at 8:00 p.m.

Show hosted by ESPN analyst, Jackie MacMullan.

All ISU Students receive one FREE ticket to the Honoring a Legend Larry Bird Program with a valid student ID. Tickets available Friday, November 8 starting at 12:00 p.m. at the Hulman Center Ticket Office.

The weekend continues on November 9 at the Hulman Center:

Larry Bird Statue Dedication—11:30 a.m.

Indiana State vs. Ball State Men’s Basketball Game—1:05 p.m.Special halftime presentation

Indiana State vs. South Alabama Women’s Basketball Game—5:05 p.m.

Be a part of ISU history!Lucas Eitel, received a taste of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament their freshman year and Odum drives to recreate that experience.

“Getting a taste of the NCAA tournament my freshman year and the fact that we haven’t been back since then drives me a lot and keeps me going,” Odum said.

Along with making the tournament a second time, he continues to play the sport to prove to those who had little faith in him that he has the ability to be a point guard.

“I just have that competitive drive,” Odum said. “I heard a lot people talk negatively about me, saying I’m not big enough, I’m too small, not quick or athletic enough. But that just pushes me.”

Belcher said Odum has grown as a basketball player in his three years here. He said Odum has become a more constant shooter, making 3-pointers more easily and has had a spike in con� dence with his jump shot.

“Some of the things that don’t show up on the statistics sheet, as far as being a leader and point guard and taking ownership of the team, I have really seen that gradually grow and it is actually at its highest right now,” Belcher said.

Odum said one of the most challenging parts of attending Indiana State was being a student-athlete and the demanding schedule he has to committed.

“College athletics is challenging within itself because you have to � nd time to manage your school with time in the gym, plus practice,” Odum said. “� e coaches break you down mentally and physically, but just staying focused every day is a challenge.”

Odum looks back to some of his priceless experiences while being a part of the program. He said making the “Big Dance” and winning the Missouri Valley Conference championship, that same year, were his most memorable moments in the program.

“When we made the NCAA tournament my freshman year,” Odum said “Getting a little taste of that and not being back for another two years takes a toll on you, and

winning the conference title were my two most memorable moments and hopefully, we can add a couple more of those this year.”

Odum said he is enjoying his time being a part of the basketball team and the university. He focuses on what the basketball team can produce today and lets the blocks fall into place.

“I’m the kind of guy who lives day-by-day,” Odum said “I really don’t look forward to too much. I live life in the moment because if you don’t pay attention to what is going on now, you’re going to let it pass by you. I’m thinking about what’s going on today and how our team can get better.”

Graduating from South Vigo High School, Odum lettered in basketball and

was selected as an All-State competitor his senior year. He was also named Most Valuable Player when his team won the Indiana High School Athletic Association Sectional Championship. Odum averaged 22 points per game, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. He currently holds the Terre Haute Vigo All-Time career assists record.

Odum is currently on two preseason watch lists as the team gears

up for their exhibition match against Rose-Hulman. He is a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award and has been named a member of the Lute Olson Preseason All-American team. During his career here, Odum has earned a spot on the 2012 – 2013 First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and is 35th member of the university’s 1,000 points Club. He sits � � h-best in school history in free throws with 175 and has been named to the All-Diamond Head Classic Team during their time in the Diamond Head tournament last season.

“Our stats and him being our number one guy speaks for itself,” Belcher said. “He put the school back on the national radar and is going to go down as one of the best in school history. Anytime you put yourself in that position, your body of work speaks for itself.”

Jake Odum “put the school back on the

national radar and is going to go down as

one of the best in school history.”

ISU Sycamores Assistant Basketball Coach

Marcus Belcher

Lansing is in his fourth year as head coach of the men’s basketball team. He previously spent eight seasons as an assistant coach and three as associate coach.

He was the second coach to lead a team to the NCAA Men’s Division I Tournament in school history during his rookie campaign.

Before joining the Indiana State staff, Lansing was head coach at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. The school went on a 12-year losing streak until

Lansing’s initial season. They had back-to-back winning seasons under Lansing. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of South Dakota, where he helped

the basketball team reach the NCAA Division II Tournament during his junior and senior seasons. Lansing then went on to receive his master’s at South Dakota and served as a graduate assistant for the basketball team.

Page 12 • Friday, November 1, 2013 www.indianastatesman.com

Statesman Q&A ...Greg Lansing

A “I think any time you play an exhibition game its more about ourselves, what we’re doing and us getting better. Playing the way we want to play and getting off to a good start, it’s a great opportunity to play another team. Our guys haven’t had a chance to do that yet, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Q How has the men’s basketball team prepared for the game against Rose-Hulman Sunday?

Q What role will the newcomers play going in the season?

A“I think we have great fans we just need more of them. We don’t want to see the upper bowl in the Hulman Center with a bunch of empty seats. I’ve made “The Forest” an emphasizing us with our posters, schedule cards and our commercials. I would love coming into game would be the thing to do for students, being a fun thing to do and a reason to stay on weekends and do something at night. The loyal great fans and community we’ve got just need to bring friends and we can increase what we have night-in and night-out in the Hulman Center.”

QWhat role does the community play?

Do you have anything to say to the fans of the men’s basketball team? Q

A “We have a veteran group back so the new guys are trying to find their way. We have guys that have returned that played a little bit for us last year that would like you earn more minutes this year and practices have been very competitive. The returnees along with the three new guys that we have on the rooster just all have to try to find their way and compete for playing time.”

A “Well, I said when I got the job I wanted our team to be something the community could take ownership for. I want them to celebrate victories when we’re playing well. I want to be hurt and upset when we lose and keep it in a positive way. This is high quality and high character group of guys that works awfully hard. They will play in a way that will make the community proud. I know we go out of our way to service the community, obviously he entire athletic department and university. We are just trying to do our part there.”

As the only international student-athlete in the men’s basketball program, senior guard and forward Manny Arop has been representing Indiana State and his home country, Canada, around the world.

Arop’s mother and four brothers left Sudan when he was nine years old, living in Kenya and then relocating to Regina, Saskatchewan. He now has dual citizenship in Canada and Sudan.

“I started playing basketball when I was nine years old,” Arop said. “First I was playing soccer, but my brother got me into playing basketball.”

Arop began his collegiate basketball career at Gonzaga University and played there for two years.

Arop is a criminal justice major, but he said wants to focus on the sports world and the conclusion of his senior year.

“My major was education, but I changed it to criminal justice,” he said. “When I’m done with my senior year, hopefully I continue to play basketball but if not, I at

least want to be working around the sport, being a personal trainer or something.”

Arop said he wants to make this season the best of his career and the coaching staff has made it easy for him to accomplish that.

“I just want to make it the best year as possible,” Arop said. “The staff has treated me very well. They’re remarkable.”

While attending Indiana State, Arop has played one season, but accomplished much in that short window of time. This summer he represented Canada in the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia.

He has been named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week twice following an 18-point performance against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, leading the team in points at the Diamond Head Classic. Arop is ranked 15th in the conference with an average of 12 points per game. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds which placed him 14th and pulling down 4.1 defensive

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Continued on PAGe 14

Thomas Beeler Sports Editor

Senior guard and forward Manny Arop traveled to New Zealand, Russia, Sudan, Canada, Argentina and the US for the love of his sport, basketball (Photo by Drew Canavan).

Player brings his international experiences to the court

Page 14 • Friday, November 1, 2013 www.indianastatesman.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

rebound per game ranked him ninth. A 79.6 free throw average ranked him seventh.

His freshman year at Gonzaga, Arop saw international play as he represented Canada at the FIBA U19 World Championship in New Zealand, placing seventh.

Arop went to Ross Sheppard High in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and received

his diploma at St. Mary’s Secondary Catholic in Hamilton, Ontario, also in Canada. His move to Hamilton involved him in the National Elite Development Academy (NEDA), which is Canada’s Junior National Team. In 2008 he played for Canada in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Americas Championships in Formosa, Argentina.

Senior Manny Arop shows his defensive skills during the men’s basketball game against University of Evansville (Photo courtesy of ISU Communications and Marketing).

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Senior guard Dawon Cummings has developed as a leader while being a part of the Indiana State men’s basketball team in the two years he has been here.

Basketball is a tradition in the Cummings household. It has always been a big part of his and his family’s life, Cummings said.

“If you were a Cummings, you played basketball,” he said. “It was just that simple.”

Originally from Kansas City, MO., Cummings attended Hogan Prep where he was noticed by Indiana State’s head coach Greg Lansing. He played two years of basketball at Coffey Community College, where associate coach Lou Gudion and assistant coach David Ragland witnessed some of Cumming’s games.

“Gudion and I went down to Coffeyville and watched Dawon play his two years there while recruiting another player,” Ragland said. “Gudion and Belcher watched him play in high school too. We’ve always known about him and we kept an eye on him.”

While playing at Coffeyville, Cummings averaged 13.8 points per game. He was 78 percent from the free throw line and led the team with 60 steals.

Ragland, along with the rest of the coaching staff, noticed Cummings’ natural instinct to lead a basketball team. He described Cummings as a born leader. They all work with Cummings to consistently send positive message to the rest of the plays, Ragland said.

“He is one of those guys; either you have it or you don’t,” Ragland said “And Cummings has it. That’s one big part of it. Guys will follow him whether he likes it or not. We try to get him to embrace the fact that he can influence people in a positive way.”

Cummings’ exceptional knowledge of how to play the game makes him stand out on the team. Ragland said he does a

good job of getting people shots where they need them and making shots himself.

“A lot of times as a guard when you’re able to do that, you are hard to guard,” Ragland said. “That just opens up another dimension to our team. Whenever you have a guard who knows how to play and score, that makes it hard for the other team to stop us.”

By supporting the team, Cummings gets play time and makes game-deciding plays for the Sycamores. When fellow senior guard Jake Odum has played his portion of time in a game, Cummings goes in to claim that role. The two also use their point guard knowledge together at times.

“It really helps to open things up when those two guys are playing together,” Ragland said. “Cummings is really good at reading the offense when he needs to. He knows to go and get steals, shots, the gap, get dunks, make some athletic plays and that gets

our team going. So we can build from the steal or dunk.”

On game day, Cummings stays calm and collected, but Ragland said that he wishes he could be more vocal.

“Whenever you’re a point guard, you have to be a leader,” Ragland said. “A point guard is kind of like a quarterback, you also see those guys talking and directing other people. During games, we tell him to start with himself. Make sure you’re doing what you are supposed to do, then lead by example and that will get the other guys to do it, as well. If they see you doing it then you speak it and they have no option but to follow you.”

As a Sycamore, Cummings’ made his debut in the 2012 – 2013 season with points that decided the outcome of the game. During the team’s contest with Winthrop, Cummings hit a pair of three-pointers in the second half of the game.

“His leadership and ability to do things defensively really helps us out,” Ragland said.

Briana Payne Reporter

Senior guard Dawon Cummings works on his shooting form at the team’s daily practice to prepare for Rose-Hulman Sunday (Photo by Drew Canavan).

Exposing the born leader Dawon Cummings is heading into his senior season

as a leader for the team

“He is one of those guys; either you have it or you

don’t. And Cummings has it. That’s one big part of it.”

David Ragland, assistant men’s basketball coach