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The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
Maguire Mitchell anxious to join rebuilding Sycamore basketball team
- Story byThe Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
- Maguire Mitchell anxious to join rebuilding Sycamore basketball team
Zionsville native Maguire Mitchell aims to be a spark plug for Indiana State's rebuilt Sycamore men's basketball team next season.
The 6-foot, 5-inch Indiana University-Indianapolis transfer is headed to Terre Haute. Mitchell entered the portal after the 2025-26 season at IU Indy and was a 2025 Zionsville High School grad.
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During that freshman season at IU Indy, Mitchell averaged 11.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
As soon as he entered the NCAA transfer portal, ISU showed interest, Mitchell said. Another factor was his friendship with former ISU men's basketball manager Chris Spillman, a former Zionsville High classmate. Spillman put in a good word with the ISU coaching staff, Mitchell said.
When Mitchell hits the court for the Sycamores, he intends to be a spark plug and do a little bit of everything. He wants to not just score but also get his teammates involved and win as many games possible next season.
But Mitchell acknowledged that ISU is putting a new team together and that 2026-27 could be a challenging season. Mitchell joins just a few other players, so far, to transfer in to ISU, after Sycamore coach Matthew Graves' roster experienced a mass exodus through the portal.
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ISU finished 11-21 overall and 4-16 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season.
From that squad, Martin Kaupanger is ISU's lone returnee and was a redshirt last season. E.J. McQuillan from LSU-Alexandria and Jackson Cooper from Oregon Institute of Technology are the other two acquisitions ISU has made through the portal, which closed to new entrants on Monday night. Players who've already entered the portal can continue to interact with prospective schools and make commitments.
ISU must refill most of its roster.
"It's not like we have a whole team coming back here," Mitchell said. "It's going to be a lot of new guys coming to do this thing this year."
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But that's a challenge he's ready to take on, and he thinks it will be fun and exciting. Mitchell plans to work hard this offseason and then put together a good season.
While Mitchell won't be playing as close to Zionsville as when he was at IU Indy, he said being within an hour and 20 minutes drive from his family is a perfect situation; his family can come to all of his home games. Mitchell said he also can continue to represent Indiana, his home state.
"All my conversations with every single one of the coaches were nothing but positive," Mitchell said.
The ISU coaches believe in him, Mitchell said. "That's really why I decided to come here," Mitchell said.
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Mitchell said stepping up to the college level last year was a learning curve.
His season high in scoring for IU Indy came on Feb. 25 as he dropped 25 points. His season high in rebounding coming back on Feb. 10 as he hauled down eight rebounds.
IU Indy finished 7-25 overall and 3-17 in Horizon League play.
"I really grew throughout the season and I got more comfortable with the speed of the college level," Mitchell said. "The strength [factor was important]. I had to be more savvy instead of going in there and trying to bang up with all these big dudes, bump off them. I definitely thought I got better throughout the season."
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On defense, he said he's very versatile and can switch if a small guard has a bigger guy on him. Mitchell said he can also switch and play down.
"I use my length and my athleticism to stay in front of these guards," Mitchell said.
He added weight and muscle last season at IU Indy and he can defend against big guys.
"I plan on guarding pretty much 1 through 4," Mitchell said, referring to point guards, shooting guards, wing players and forwards.
