TERRE HAUTE Chemistry class was in session at Hulman Center on Thursday.

Indiana States mens basketball exhibition game against Lewis was as much about the team getting to know each others tendencies as it was about beating the Flyers.

The Sycamores defeated the Division II Flyers 79-66 and learned some things about themselves in the process.

It was kind of hard to know what we were going to have going in. We have a lot of talent. We have a lot of guys who can make plays, but until you go into a live situation with your teammates, you really dont know what you have, ISU forward R.J. Mahurin said.

In a nutshell, the Sycamores proved they could score, especially off of turnovers (16 points). What they also proved is that they need some work on the defensive end.

Team chemistry isnt derived after just one experiment. ISU coach Greg Lansing put the onus on ISUs veterans to get the experiment pointed in the right direction.

Theyre all trying. Theyre trying to say the right things and to do the right things, but we need the guys who have been through it before to be the voices more often than not, ISU coach Greg Lansing said.

Mahurin was ISUs leading scorer with 21 points. Mahurin scored seven consecutive ISU points in a late first-half run that turned an ISU deficit into a 23-22 lead with six minutes left in the half. The Sycamores would not trail the rest of the way.

Dawon Cummings added 12 points and Khristian Smith had 10. Justin Gant had eight points and eight rebounds and displayed vigor in the paint.

After ISU closed the first half on a 14-4 run to take a 37-26 halftime lead, the Flyers never seriously threatened. On the other hand, Lewis was never completely put away either. ISUs lead peaked at 21 with 12:27 left in the game, but late in the game when ISU turned to its least experienced crew and the Flyers pressed Lewis cut its deficit to nine.

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Chemistry class in session as ISU beats Lewis in exhibition basketball