TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State Basketball non-conference schedule for the 2020-21 campaign got another addition as the Sycamores announced a non-conference home matchup with Wyoming and also added an exhibition contest against Rose-Hulman.
The Sycamores will host Wyoming on December 9 inside Hulman Center with Indiana State set to return the contest in Laramie, Wyo., during the 2021-22 season.
Indiana State's first game in newly renovated Hulman Center will be on Wednesday, November 4 when they host Rose-Hulman for The Royce Waltman/Jim Shaw Classic.
"We always like to get together with our friends at Rose-Hulman to honor two beloved former coaches," head coach Greg Lansing said. "The Royce Waltman/Jim Shaw Classic allows everyone in the community to honor those two greats and celebrate basketball in Terre Haute and the Wabash Valley. As an exhibition game, it will be the first game in the newly renovated Hulman Center."
"Any time you can get a home and home series with a program like Wyoming out of the Mountain West, you do it," Lansing continued. "We have played at each other's homes before and look forward to competing again."
Indiana State and Wyoming last faced off against each other in the 2015 edition of the Missouri Valley / Mountain West Conference Challenge with the Sycamores earning a 70-55 victory inside Hulman Center. The Cowboys hold a 3-2 edge in the all-time series. Indiana State finished the eight year Missouri Valley / Mountain West Conference Challenge with a league-high five victories, including wins in each of the last four years of the event.
The Sycamores and Fightin' Engineers last met in an exhibition contest on November 1, 2018 with Indiana State earning a 77-44 victory. The two teams have long history of playing each other with the first meeting occurring back in 1900. The Sycamores own a 30-23 edge in regular season meetings and have been playing in exhibition contests regularly in recent seasons.
The Royce Waltman/Jim Shaw Classic is played in memory of the former head coaches for both RHIT and ISU. Shaw was the head coach of Rose-Hulman from 1994-2014 when he compiled a 303-221 career record over 20 years at the helm of the program, including a mark of 82-29 over his final four seasons. His career winning percentage (.578) ranks second in school history. Coach Shaw passed away on Nov. 10, 2015 as the Wabash Valley lost a legendary figure and a wonderful personality who touched many lives over the years.
Former Sycamores head coach Royce Waltman served at the helm from 1997 until 2007 and led Indiana State to the 2000 NCAA Tournament as well as the Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Championship that season. In 2001, Waltman was at the helm of the Sycamores as they won the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as the No. 4 seed and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. Behind the dynamic duo of Michael Menser and Matt Renn, the Sycamores defeated No. 4 seed Oklahoma and pushed Gonzaga to the limit in a push to make the Sycamores' first Sweet Sixteen since the 1979 campaign. Waltman is second all-time at ISU in career victories and second in MVC wins. He finished his career with at least 100 victories at Indiana State, Indianapolis and DePauw. Coach Waltman passed away on April 7, 2014 after enjoying retirement and serving as the radio color commentator with Indiana Basketball.
The Sycamores have previously announced a non-conference matchup on November 13 inside Mackey Arena against the Purdue Boilermakers. Indiana State opens the season at North Dakota State on November 10 and will participate in the Gulf Coast Showcase near Ft. Myers, Fla., from November 23-25. ISU will also travel to Dayton on December 2 and hosts Ball State on December 19 as well as Southeast Missouri State on December 22.
