Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Every Missouri Valley team’s most successful season since 2000

By Shea Irish

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Missouri Valley Basketball Indiana State Sycamores (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Missouri Valley Basketball Indiana State Sycamores (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Indiana State Sycamores

Year: 2000-01

Record: 22-12 (10-8)

NCAA Tournament Results: 13 Seed- Advanced to the Round of 32

-Defeated (4) Oklahoma 70-68, Lost to (12) Gonzaga 85-68

Head Coach: Royce Waltman

Notable Players:

Matt Renn 6’6” SR (15.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG):

-2001 MVC 1st-Team Selection.

Michael Menser 5’11” SR (13.4 PPG, 5.4 APG):

-2001 MVC 2nd-Team Selection.

Kelyn Block 6’3” JR (14.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG)

Season Summary:

Head Coach Royce Waltman’s 2000-01 Indiana State team would win the Missouri Valley Tournament Championship and reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. After losing in the first round the year before, they would pull off a huge upset of the 4th seeded Oklahoma Sooners this time around.

With 44 wins over those two seasons, it was the best stretch in Indiana State’s basketball history since the late 1970s when eventual NBA legend Larry Bird was wearing a Sycamore uniform. In 1979, Bird led the Terre Haute, IN school to the National Championship game before falling to Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans.

Another Season Worth Honorable Mention: The 2010-11 Sycamores are the only team to get back to the big dance since that 2001 tournament team. They went 20-14 on the year, won the MVC Tournament, and received a 14 seed before losing to (3) Syracuse.