Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Having won two games in a row, Indiana State now hits the road to extend the streak when the Sycamores play at Loyola Chicago Friday evening.
 
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT in Chicago. The game will be broadcast live on The Valley on ESPN3 while Luke Martin will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Indiana State holds a 10-4 lead in the all-time series but the two teams are tied 3-3 in the series when games are played in Chicago. However, the trend is streaking towards the Sycamores as ISU has won four straight in the series.

LAST TIME OUT
Indiana State made a big fourth quarter stand, holding Illinois State to just one field goal in the final frame, as the Sycamores claimed the weekend sweep with a 52-49 win Sunday afternoon at the Hulman Center in Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
The momentum of the game swung like a pendulum throughout the fourth quarter with three lead changes but it came down to two things the Sycamores (5-13, 3-4) have not been known for this season – a late-game run and success at the free throw line – to pull out the win and seal the weekend sweep.
 
The visiting Redbirds (8-10, 2-5) would shoot 1-for-12 from the field in the fourth quarter and couldn't stop Indiana State's game-ending 7-0 run, save for two free throws with 0.9 seconds left. But while the Sycamores also struggled from the field in the final stanza, hitting only 3 of 11 shots (27.3 percent), the Trees were 7-for-8 from the free throw line and were perfect from the charity stripe in the final minute as the game teetered on a one-possession differential.
 
LOOKING AT LOYOLA
The rebuilding Ramblers have struggled throughout the 2017-18 season but their bread and butter lies in not adding any undue pressure on themselves as they rank 21st in the nation in fewest fouls committed and 34th in fewest personal fouls per game, both leading The Valley.

Loyola is shooting .354 from the field this year but that's only on 933 shot attempts; by comparison Indiana State has 1,074 attempts this year.

Abby O'Connor leads Loyola with 9.8 ppg and a .417 field goal percentage while also leading the team with 5.6 rebounds per game. The do-it-all forward also leads the team in blocks (21).

HOW SWEEP IT IS!
Indiana State claimed back-to-back victories over last weekend as the Sycamores registered their first weekend sweep in Valley play in over the year. The wins over Bradley (65-50) and Illinois State (52-49) marked the first weekend sweep for the Sycamores since sweeping the same teams at the Hulman Center last January.

Wendi Bibbins SCORES 500TH CAREER POINT
Indiana State senior forward Wendi Bibbins passed a milestone in the team's 52-49 win over Illinois State on Jan. 21 as the Louisiana native scored her 500th career point. A transfer from Jones County Junior College, Bibbins is in her second year for the Sycamores and has scored 207 points this season after tallying 296 points last year. She is currently at 503 career points.

BLOCK PARTY
Sycamore freshman Ty Battle hosted her own block party on Jan. 21 in Indiana State's 52-49 win over Illinois State. The Illinois native and daughter of two-time All-Big Ten forward Kenny Battle registered six blocks in the win over the Redbirds, the single most number of blocks of any Missouri Valley Conference player in a game this season.

KEISTER KARE
Since Josh Keister took over control of the program on an interim basis, he has successfully focused on taking care of the ball. Starting with ISU's Jan. 5 game against Evansville - Keister's first as interim coach - the Sycamores have only committed 61 turnovers, the fewest in any five-game span this season and matching 61 turnovers over a five-game stretch from Dec. 11, 2016 to Jan. 6, 2017.

KEISTER KARE - PART II
Not only are the Sycamores causing fewer turnovers since Josh Keister took over, they are winning the turnover battle. Heading into this game, Indiana State has committed fewer turnovers in all five games under Josh Keister's guidance.

THIEVING TREES
State doesn't discriminate. It takes and it takes and it takes. Credit the Sycamores as they enter this game ranked 60th in the nation and first in The Valley in steals per game (9.8) and 79th in the nation in steals (177), ranking second in The Valley.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Basketball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.