Sean Ezell loves to trash talk, but what separates him from the would—be trash talkers is the fact that he can support his words.

“I’m from Gary, Ind., so we have to back it up with our game,” said the 6—foot—2—inch outspoken guard. “It doesn’t matter; we are always going to have our game to back up our trash talking. You know you can beat someone when you trash talk. You can intimidate them. It’s a great feeling when you get in their head.”

Against DePaul earlier this season, the tables were turned, and it was the fans doing the trash talking. Ezell’s game took a dive, and he said the fans taunting him had a lot to do with it. DePaul fans told Ezell, who had corn rolls at the time, to get a haircut and that he had no game. Ezell finished with 13 points but on 4 of 12 shooting.

But the Proposition 48 sophomore used that situation to his advantage. In the next four games he started, Ezell averaged 10 points a game but started only two more games after that. And even though he’s not starting now, he still shows the same cocky attitude. So far this season, the guard is fourth on the team in scoring with 7.2 points per game and shoots a team—leading 77 percent from the free—throw line.

Ezell might take his cockiness a little too far, but for Stephen Jones, it is exactly what the Huskies need. Jones said this attitude rubs off on the team, especially in times of need.

“Since I have known Sean, he has always trashed talked,” Jones said. “Since the first day, he started trashing me. But that is how he gets his game going. When he is out there talking trash and a fight is about to break out, we don’t try and break it up & let him keep talking. If it works for him, then it is going to work.”

Things did not come easy for Ezell. The Gary native was forced to sit out last season because he did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements. He was

disappointed he could not play his freshman year or share the court with T.J. Lux, who graduated last spring. But Ezell felt those setbacks gave him an advantage over some other freshmen. Because he wasn’t allowed to play, he was able to grasp the offense better rather than being forced to play and make mistakes.

“Last season was really disappointing, but I used it as a learning experience,” Ezell said. “I was able to watch everyone and get a feel of what was going on, so I knew what was going on and made everything work.”

With three seniors leaving this season &Mike Brown, Steve Determan and Jones & the Huskies will have a big void to fill. Ezell feels that with him, Marcus Smallwood, Al Sewasciuk, Perry Smith (a transfer student from Illinois State who sat out this season) and incoming freshman Chris Lawson, NIU will be in good shape in the years to come.

Huskie coach Andy Greer knows that next year’s team will be very talented but said talent alone doesn’t win games.

“There is going to be a lot of talent & in fact, there is a lot of talent on this year’s team,” the interim coach said. “You have to combine talent with work ethic and determination, and that is what they are going to have to do a better job next year.”

Ezell said trying to replace the three will be a big task, but it can be done.

“We are losing some key players, but I feel that we got some good players coming back with me, Perry and all them,” Ezell said. “We have a nice foundation, and we are building that love and trust in each other. I’m still young; I am still trying to mature. I am just trying to look up to Leon [Rodgers] and Mike Brown to improve myself. Next year, we should be a pretty solid team.”