Indiana State Interim Director of Athletics Angie Lansing announced Matthew Graves has been named the 27th men’s basketball head coach on Thursday afternoon.
Friday Press Conference: An introductory press conference will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in Hulman Center. The press conference will be streamed live via Indiana State Athletics YouTube Page and will be open to the general public. A separate Q&A session with the media will follow the conclusion of the press conference.
Graves had been serving as the interim head coach over the past week following the resignation of former head coach Josh Schertz. He has spent the last three seasons with the Sycamore program, including aiding in arguably one of the best seasons in program history in 2023-24.
President of Indiana State University, Dr. Deborah Curtis said, “Coach Graves has proven himself to be a well-respected member of the Sycamore men’s basketball staff over the last three years, and we are confident in his ability to lead our team. His depth of experience as a coach at several notable colleges and his ability to connect with our student-athletes and community make him a great fit. Our Indiana State men’s basketball team is coming off one of its best seasons in over forty years, and we look forward to continued success. Congratulations, Coach Graves.”
“I look forward to partnering with Coach Graves to capitalize on our success,” Lansing said. “He has been integral within our men’s basketball program and is absolutely the right fit for Indiana State Athletics. First and foremost, he is excited to be a Sycamore and understands the magnitude of the role he plays in the success of our student-athletes, our university and our community. Coach Graves is eager to maintain the momentum of our program and fan base, and he embraces the opportunity to lead Indiana State Basketball well into the future.”
Graves has spent over 20 years in the coaching industry with stops at Xavier, Evansville, South Alabama, and Butler. Well-known for his X’s and O’s acumen, the Switz City native and Butler alumnus brings a wealth of knowledge as a former head coach, an assistant with over a decade of experience, and as a Wabash Valley native.
“I am very excited and appreciative about this opportunity to be the head men’s basketball coach at Indiana State University,” Graves said. “I would like to thank President Curtis and Angie Lansing for their tremendous confidence in me and working judiciously under the unique circumstances in this hiring process. My wife, Susan, and our two daughters, Abby & Lily, are looking forward to embracing the Wabash Valley community for many years to come. Let’s Go Sycamores!”
Graves joined the Indiana State staff as the Associate Head Coach in March of 2021 and made an immediate impact helping transition the Sycamore basketball program into a more up-tempo unit. His recruiting knowledge helped the Sycamores add impact players in helping take ISU to the NIT Championship Game this season.
The Sycamores posted a 32-7 overall record recording the most wins in program history since the 1978-79 team, while recording an ISU record 17 Missouri Valley wins. The Sycamores led the NCAA in both three-pointers made (427) and effective field goal percentage (0.600), while playing an exciting brand of basketball that put Indiana State among the national leaders in scoring offense (84.8). In addition to ISU’s offensive excellence, Indiana State was also the Valley leader in defensive efficiency (100.3).
Graves served as special assistant to the head coach at Xavier University prior to Indiana State. He helped direct an offense that led the Big East in assists per game (17.57), finished second in the Big East in field goal percentage (.458) and fourth in scoring (74.8 points per game), while also assisting with a defense that ranked second in field goal defense (.413).
Graves spent a year working in the Missouri Valley Conference at Evansville in 2018-19. In his lone season with the Purple Aces, UE was second in the Valley in scoring (69.8 ppg) and third in rebounding (34.2 rebounds per game).
One of Graves’ best coaching attributes is his experience in the head coaching chair, spending five years as the head coach at the University of South Alabama from 2013-2018. Graves changed the culture with the Jaguars with the program posting their best GPA, while improving the team’s win total in each of the first three seasons.
Graves spent nearly two decades making a name for himself at Butler, first as a student-athlete and then as an assistant coach. He began his coaching career as coordinator of basketball operations in 2001 under Todd Lickliter and was promoted to associate head coach in 2010 by Brad Stevens.
With Graves on staff, the Bulldogs made a national tournament in each of his last eight seasons and achieved eight straight seasons with 20-or-more wins. The highlight of his tenure at his alma mater came as appearances in back-to-back NCAA Tournament Championship games in 2010 and 2011.
Before his coaching days, Graves was a highly decorated student-athlete for Butler. He was the third-leading scorer of the 1996-97 team that won the Horizon League and earned the Bulldogs their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 35 years. The sharpshooting guard was named Butler’s Most Valuable Player a season later, leading the Bulldogs to a return trip to the NCAA Tournament while leading the Horizon League in free throw shooting and being named All-Tournament team. He finished his playing career with 994 points.
Graves earned his bachelor’s degree from Butler in secondary education with an emphasis in chemistry in 1998 and his master’s degree in education administration from Butler in 2003. He and his wife Susan have two daughters, Abigail and Lillian.
Graves named Head Basketball Coach at Indiana State
