From ISU Media Relations

TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State opened the 2023-24 season against in-town foe St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, defeating the Pomeroys 90-60 on Monday night.

Three Sycamores finished the season opener with double-digit scoring. Isaiah Swope recorded 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting. Ryan Conwell fell just behind Swope with 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Both Swope and Conwell drained five triples each and combined for 56% shooting from behind the arc. Jayson Kent added 14 points.

For the Pomeroys, Tarik Dixon led the scoring effort with 10 points. The Sycamores held SMWC to 37.3% shooting from the floor.

In the first half, Swope lit up the scorecard, accounting for 14 of ISU’s first 23 points. In that stretch, Swope shot 5-for-7 and made his first four threes of the game.

At the halftime break, Swope and Conwell combined for 35 of the team’s 44 points. Of those 35 points, Swope scored 20 and Conwell added the other 15. Xavier Bledson dished out eight of his 11 assists in the half.

Midway through the second half, ISU commanded the floor with a 19-6 run in a 5:43 stretch. That 19-point effort was generated from Conwell (9 points), Swope (6 points), and Kent (4 points).

With six minutes remaining in the game, the Sycamores extended their lead to 30 points off Bledson’s first three pointer of the game. ISU would hold that lead to capture the 90-60 victory in Hulman Center.

Inside the Numbers

• As a team, ISU shot 55.4% from the floor and 44.4% from three. Dating back to last season, the Sycamores recorded only three games with a higher team field goal shooting percentage.
• ISU’s 90 points marks the seventh 90-point game dating back to last season. ISU recorded two 100-point games last year (105 vs Trinity Christian; 101 vs North Dakota St.)
• ISU capitalized off SMWC turnovers, scoring 24 points. This number is higher than last season’s average of 15.4.

News & Notes

• ISU has won three consecutive season openers under Schertz’s reign. Last season, ISU downed Green Bay at home and in the 2021-22 season ISU defeated Rose-Hulman.
• Xavier Bledson recorded a career-high in assists with 11.
• Jayson Kent’s 14 points are his career high at Indiana State.

Up Next
Indiana State heads south to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to battle the Crimson Tide from the University of Alabama. This will be the first matchup between Indiana State and Alabama. The game will be aired on Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.