New school, same mindset: Former USI, Castle star Isaiah Swope thriving at Indiana State

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Isaiah Swope dribbled as he was clad in an all-black Indiana State sweatsuit, tossing basketball up and down a little past Hulman Center’s half-court line. He wasn’t to compete Saturday afternoon against the University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team, where he played for two years, due to a tweaked knee he sustained in a win over Northern Illinois.

So he stood and dribbled, as meticulous as he’s always been, even without the chance to face his former teammates.

“We’ve been on the same page since the summer,” Swope said. “We’re just trying to build day by day and they understand that it’s a process, it’s a journey. There’ll be ups and downs… It’s a family environment that allows us to pick each other up when we are down.”

Swope has been a revelation for the Sycamores so far this season, averaging 19.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists while leading the Missouri Valley Conference in steals. He recorded his first double-double against Northern Illinois.

“You can make a case he’s been the best two-way player in our league,” ISU coach Josh Schertz said. The third-year Sycamores lead man didn’t need to watch any highlights to know he wanted Swope when he entered the portal. He watched him score 28 against ISU in an overtime loss to the Screaming Eagles. “It wasn’t a question of could he play at this level. It was, 'Does he fit?'”

Isaiah Swope is shining in his first year truly away from home

The answer is obvious now. Swope coached some of the Sycamore guards during a media timeout against USI and has the numbers to back his words up. Preseason, though? In Indiana State’s two scrimmages?

“He stunk in both of them,” Schertz said with a reflective grin, perhaps thinking about how far Swope has come and can go. “All of the sudden, it’s like the light came on. The struggles were never of him. … It was never him not being bought in. He is, at his core, he loves to work, he’s a ferocious competitor, like, he speaks our language.”

Swope wasn’t shy about talking about the transition. It’s the first time the Castle High School graduate has truly been away from home. He likes that it’s just about a two-hour drive and can still make it back, but he’s away regardless. He didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving with his family; he can’t regularly get haircuts at the same place he always had. He's farther away from friends and family.

“It’s the little stuff,” he said. “You start to appreciate the little things a little more whenever you’re away.”

But since those scrimmages, Swope’s competitive edge has taken over. It’s the same thing that made him an All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team selection and a wanted commodity in the transfer portal. He’s fluent in Schertz’s language and the MVC is on notice.

“He makes the game much more simple for us,” Sycamores forward Robbie Avila said. “It allows me to get easy ones, allows (Jayson Kent) to get easy ones because if your attention isn’t on (Swope and the guards), they’re gonna go off for 20 a game.”

Swope on last season with the Screaming Eagles: ‘I tricked (ISU)’

It was hard not to get caught up in the given storylines of Saturday’s game at Hulman Center. Swope vs. his former team; friends turned to foes for 40 minutes; the rematch.

Swope vs. ISU last season: USI men's basketball makes statement with win over old 'big brother' Indiana State

Last season’s game served as Swope’s breakout. He entered shooting 7-31 — 22% — from the 3-point line. He was getting the right looks, the shots just weren’t falling. He broke out against the Sycamores, making a name for himself with a 28-point outburst on 8-9 shooting from deep.

“They told me I was playing. I tricked them,” Swope said of conversations with ISU teammates ahead of this season’s contest. “Coach always gives me a hard time about that. It’s pretty funny whenever they bring that up.”

Swope finished shooting 42% from 3 and was USI’s highest-usage player. When the Eagles needed a bucket, Swope had the ball in his hands.

He now carries the same role at Indiana State after trading red and navy blue for royal blue and white. Of course, the proverbial rematch was without its main character. But Swope, despite not playing, was there to coach and celebrate his teammates.

“He just takes a lot off everybody’s plate,” Sycamores guard Julian Larry said. “We have so many guys so it’s like, who do you key in on? … He definitely opens the floor and takes a lot off of my plate, Ryan (Conwell’s) plate, Robbie (Avila’s) plate, everybody’s plate.”

'He fits us unbelievably well'

Swope appreciates his time at USI. Coach Stan Gouard and his staff gave him his chance. He has relationships with some Eagles players and plays with them whenever he makes the trip south and even helps them with their own games.

“I’ve been really big on writing lately, and even talking to Isaiah Swope,” USI guard Sam Mervis said after the East-West game. “I know he wears different colors now … but he’s someone I’ve been talking to a lot, just the way we’ve been able to write our goals down.”

“I’m super grateful (for USI),” Swope said. “I wasn’t highly recruited out of high school. Great community, great people. … I had a great time and I grew a lot from my freshman year to my sophomore year, and that foundation is what helped me along in my college career.”

The Eagles planned on building around Swope, but the transfer portal is just part of modern college basketball. The Sycamores have that luxury now.

Swope has put an early All-MVC-level campaign together, with potential eyes on the Larry Bird Player of the Year trophy. He doesn’t let accolades, named after the ISU and all-time basketball legend or not, cloud his vision — “It’s just understanding what the main goal is. For each team it’s different, but I want to win a championship,” he said.

He’s part of the reason the Sycamores are among the MVC’s favorites and are beginning to catch some eyes nationally.

“With (Swope),” said USI coach Stan Gouard, while also saying ISU was the best offensive team the Eagles have faced, “they’re great.”

Despite the scenery change, Swope has the same mindset. Meticulous work, basketball at the forefront. He’s at home with a ball in his hands, even if it’s just dribbling at halfcourt because of a tweaked knee.

That work has Indiana State, and himself, at the front of many mid-major minds.

“He is a tough, tough competitor,” Schertz said. “(He’s) not scared of anything. … I think he’s gonna have an unbelievable career because we got that part right. He fits us unbelievably well.”

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Ex-USI, Castle star Isaiah Swope thriving for Indiana State basketball