The buck stopped here: Truman State transfers McKnight, Miller working to make their mark

Jul. 16—You might think that Cade McKnight and Masen Miller, both from Truman State and two of Indiana State's eight new faces on the 2022-23 men's basketball team, came to Terre Haute as a package deal.

That's not how it was conceived or planned, but the bucked stop at ISU for both Division II veterans.

McKnight and Miller took different paths to get to the same place from the same starting point. Now that they're both here, they're happy to work together and continue to forge a bond in ISU blue as each strives to achieve basketball career goals while at different stages of their own careers.

"Masen was my best friend at Truman, but we didn't even talk about where we would be going," McKnight said. "I knew this was an option for him, but I didn't say anything because I wanted him to do what's best for him. It's icing on the cake to be here together and to be together. He's going to breakthrough in the next few years."

Though both came to ISU from Missouri, home state of their former school's namesake, Harry Truman, both players hail from Iowa — McKnight from Grinnell, Miller from Iowa City — so the bond even stretches to their pre-college days.

Miller thinks the bond the two Sycamores have will translate to the floor too.

"We played together and became best friends there. Being here builds that connection and makes it even stronger. You get that big guard connection everyone talks about. I can find him, he can find me," Miller said.

What ISU hopes for is multi-faceted when it comes to the Division II pair. McKnight, a graduate transfer, brings winning experience as the alpha dog from a perennial tournament team. Miller, who has three years of eligibility left, not only has some proven experience, but also has a high ceiling.

Both demonstrated their talents at Truman State. McKnight was a two-time Division II All-American as he scored 1,608 career points for the Bulldogs, fourth-best in school history, while averaging 19.2 points in the 2022 season.

McKnight is your prototypical stretch forward. He converted 57.4% from the field overall, including 39.5% from the 3-point line. McKnight also snared 6.4 rebounds per game.

Miller is your classic spot-up shooter. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 14.2 points and 2.9 assists in 2022 for the Bulldogs. Miller drained 44.7 from 3-point range and hit 88.7% from the free throw line. Miller hit three or more 3-pointers in 18 different contests.

In 2021, Miller was the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year while averaging 11.1 points.

Beyond their statistics, ISU coach Josh Schertz said their work ethic is what has defined them so far.

"They beat you here in the morning and they're uber-competitive. In trying to build this team, things we're looking at is what our work ethic is like?" Schertz said. "Both of those guys work as hard as anyone in our program. They compete with each other and push the rest of the guys."

So how did the Truman State pair end up at ISU? McKnight was recruited first, and given that he has played against ISU, the Sycamores played the Bulldogs in recent years, he knew what he was getting into.

"We played here in a couple of exhibitions and I was familiar with Coach Lansing through Coach [Jeff] Horner and everything. And then Coach Schertz being from D-II, he was very transparent with me in what he wanted and what he saw from me. He felt a lot of competition would make me better. I wanted to grow this last year, to get out of my old environment and with a new one," McKnight said.

Miller came later and ISU had to win a battle with Drake to attain the guard. One big thing appealed to Miller, who agreed to come to ISU after players like McKnight, Trenton Gibson, Jayson Kent and Courvoisier McCauley had already committed.

"Coach Schertz, you could tell right away on my visit, that he's a super-good guy, a lot of winners are here and the offense appeals to me as a shooter. We play fast and with freedom," Miller said. "We're bringing a lot of winners together. We want a lot of guys who know how to compete and know how to win at a high level. I think that experience will help our chemistry and later on."

There was a small hiccup with Miller that has been resolved. He comes to ISU as a walk-on, but with a scholarship agreed upon after this season. Schertz explained the situation.

"If he accepted financial aid, he would have had to redshirt, but he's not, so he'll be able to play," Schertz said. "He had three years [of eligibility] left. He was going to take care of one [year] and we'd take care of two. That was how it worked out. ISU doesn't do much financial aid for transfers anyway, but we thought he might redshirt and it would be a he pays one and we pay three, but I think he's played his way into where I'd be surprised if we could afford to redshirt him"

Like everyone, the Truman State pair is in acclimation mode right now. McKnight is getting used to the offense, but he also knows he was brought here, partly, to be a guiding light in the locker room. It's a role McKnight takes seriously.

"Obviously, being a sixth-year guy, I've seen everything. I've seen everything. I made it to an Elite Eight and I know what it takes to get to that level. He wants me to be a vocal guy and a leader and create a lot of action," McKnight said.

Schertz is happy with what he's seen so far in terms of leadership.

"A lot of what he is imparting on these guys in terms of how he works, the kind of teammate he is, the way he talks to his teammates and how competitive he is, you hope those things are regenerative and that they last since we only have him for a year," Schertz said.

While McKnight is hoping to take on more of a playmaker role, Miller's fit is obvious as a shooter. Schertz noted that he never stops honing his craft.

"Masen understands who he is. He's one of the better shooters I've been around. He works on it endlessly and he does more than that. He understands how to play and has good IQ," said Schertz, who noted another important attribute.

"He also gets [his shot] off so fast. Last year, he made 98 threes at about 46% where teams were really honed in on him and he was a focus of the scouting report. With guys around him on this team, he should get more opportunities, or, be a guy with such gravity that he can space the floor, so they can't leave him and that will open up opportunities for his teammates," Schertz said.

The transfer portal might be tamping down the doubt there might be about Division II players moving up to Division I to be productive. Both Cam Henry and Xavier Bledson held their own a year ago. McKnight feels he can handle the jump too.

"Anytime you come up? People have a bit of doubt. There is some credence to that, but at the same time, but at Truman, we put some guys in the NBA and have had other competing at the [pro] level. I have a lot of experience, I'll do my best and I have nothing to lose with it being my sixth year," McKnight said.

In the end? While ISU's Truman State pair had their buck stop in Terre Haute, they both know their own fate will be determined by the effort they put into their time in an ISU uniform. Both are ready for the transition.

"I'd be lying if I said it was a cakewalk, but it's really starting to come together. It's been a month now and I'm getting a good feel for what coach wants. We've recharged after our [summer] break and we're working hard," McKnight said.