Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the Sycamore fans, it's more final weekend of action at the Hulman Center. For the Sycamores, it's two more battles in a pivotal weekend of play to determine the seeding for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. It all starts Friday when the Sycamores play host to Valparaiso.
 
Action between the Trees and the visiting Crusaders tips off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast digitally worldwide on The Valley on ESPN3 while Luke Martin will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Valparaiso makes its first trip to Terre Haute since 1995 and the first since joining the Missouri Valley Conference. After a win at Valpo on Jan. 28, ISU holds a 5-2 lead in the all-time series while the two teams have split evenly the games in Terre Haute, 1-1.
 
THE LAST TIME...
Indiana State 67, Valparaiso 54 - Jan. 28, 2018 - Valparaiso, Ind.
VALPARAISO, Ind. – For the second straight game, Ashli O'Neal led all players with over 20 points. And for the second straight weekend, Indiana State busted out the brooms.
 
O'Neal tied a career high 22 points and Indiana State swept its second straight weekend of Missouri Valley Conference play with a 67-54 win at Valparaiso Sunday afternoon.
 
The sweep marked the first time the Sycamores (7-13, 5-4) have swept two consecutive weekends of Valley play since the 2013-14 season.
 
But unlike Friday's 73-65 win at Loyola where the host Ramblers turned a blowout into a close game, Sunday's Sycamore squad responded with strength. Valparaiso (10-10, 3-6), a team that entered Sunday's game with an impressive 8-1 home record, cut a 24-point deficit to 11 before Indiana State responded with an 8-0 run.
 
And the defensive effort and tenacity that has come to define this team since Keister took over the program on Jan. 5 came shone through on the court again. The Sycamores forced 16 turnovers by the host Crusaders – a full quarter of them coming off Tierra Webb's four steals – and outscored Valpo 20-4 in points off turnovers.
 
LOOKING AT VALPARAISO
Beware the charging Crusaders. While Valpo has only registered one win in its last six games, the Brown and Gold have been one of the most troublesome teams in The Valley over that time span, especially last week. In their last game, Missouri State escaped Valpo with a 66-60 win while two nights prior Southern Illinois needed double overtime to get by with an 88-86 win.
 
It all starts with sound play and if you foul them, you will pay. Valpo ranks 25th nationally in free throw percentage (76.1) and 39th nationally in free throws made (382). The Crusaders rank 71st nationally in fewest turnovers (369) and their 67.9 points per game ranks third in the league.
 
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF LAST YEAR'S MVC WIN TOTAL
With a 74-70 win at Bradley on Feb. 18, the Sycamores claimed their seventh Missouri Valley Conference win of the season, eclipsing last year's conference win total of six. Additionally, Indiana State has been hot lately, winning six of their last nine games and maintaining a hold on fifth place in The Valley.
 
COMEBACK - PART II
Despite trailing by 15 points midway through the second quarter, Indiana State rallied back for a 74-70 win at Bradley on Feb. 18. That marked the second time Josh Keister has led the Sycamores back from a double-digit deficit this season. ISU trailed Evansville by 13 on Jan. 5 in Terre Haute but rallied back for a 56-48 win.
 
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
As Indiana State hosts Valparaiso (Feb. 23) and Loyola (Feb. 25) this weekend, it will mark the final home games for three Sycamore Seniors – Wendi Bibbins, Freja Christensen and Ashley Taia. The trio will be honored on Senior day on Feb. 25 as they play their final home game at the Hulman Center.
 
FREE FOR THREE
Indiana State guard Ashli O'Neal is pure money when she heads to the free throw line. Entering this game the guard, wearing No. 3, ranks 50th in the nation in free throw percentage with an 84.0 success rate at the charity stripe this year.
 
WIN THE QUARTER
Since Josh Keister took over as the interim head coach of the Sycamores on Jan. 2, his message has been simple: Win the Quarter. Slowly but surely the team has responded and begun to win more and more quarters. Finally on Feb. 2, Indiana State pulled through as the Sycamores won (outscored their opponent) in all four quarters, a first for the team this season.
 
KEISTER KARE
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 every game under Josh Keister's guidance than any of the opposing teams with the exception of the Feb. 16 game at Illinois State.

LAST TIME OUT
Indiana State 74, Bradley 70 - Feb. 18, 2018 - Peoria, Ill.
The Sycamores rallied from a 15-point second quarter deficit for their 12th win over Bradley in 13 tries, maintaining their hold on fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference and eclipsing their league win total over last year's mark in a thrilling 74-70 victory at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria on Sunday afternoon. Ashli O'Neal led all scorers with 21 points, Alexis Delgado broke out of a funk with a 5-for-7 performance from beyond arc and Indiana State (9-16, 7-7) snapped a three-game skid with the win.
 
But the Trees didn't get the win without a little help. Delgado missed a jump shot, hitting the backboard and barely missing the rim as O'Neal grabbed the rebound. Bradley's Anneke Schlueter, perhaps not realizing only six seconds remained on the shot clock, immediately fouled O'Neal.
 
With the shot clock turned off, Bradley (12-14, 6-9) was forced to foul O'Neal again, who promptly hit both free throws, pushing the lead to 73-70. After Gabi Haack, who led Bradley with 19 points and four 3-pointers, missed on a desperate 3-point shot, Indiana State's Ty Battle grabbed the rebound, got fouled, made a free throw shot with 0.8 seconds left in the game and clinched the victory.
 
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.