Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State enters the final weekend of regular season play currently in a tie for fourth place. As luck would have it, the Sycamores will get a shot to determine their own destiny Thursday night.
 
Southern Illinois, tied with Indiana State for fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, will play host to the Sycamores in a contest that could determine ISU's seed in The Valley's postseason tournament. Win and fourth is still a possibility, lose and the Trees will be the No. 5 seed.
 
Thursday's game will tipoff in Carbondale and will be broadcast live on The Valley on ESPN3 while Patrick Walsh will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network in the Wabash Valley on WIBQ and online worldwide at GoSycamores.com.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Salukis have a slight edge in the all-time series as SIU leads, 46-45, after claiming a 64-45 win earlier this season. SIU also has a close 20-16 lead in the series in games played in Carbondale.
 
THE LAST TIME VERSUS SIU
Southern Illinois 64, Indiana State 45 - Dec. 31, 2017 - Terre Haute, Ind.
Ashli O'Neal scored nine points and Wendi Bibbins brought down 12 rebounds but fourth quarter struggles reared their ugly heads again as Indiana State bid adieu to the 2017 calendar year with a 64-45 loss to Southern Illinois at the Hulman Center Sunday afternoon.
 
Indiana State (2-11, 0-2 Missouri Valley) claimed their first lead of the game with under two minutes to play in the third quarter thanks to a basket and a free throw by Bibbins but SIU (7-6, 2-0) would mount a 17-4 run over the next six-and-a-half minutes to pull away and put the game out of reach.
 
The Sycamores almost stopped SIU after 10 points in that run as AJ Thomas and Regan Wentland each scored a basket on either side of a reverse layup by SIU's Makenzie Silvey and the Saluki run seemed to wane, even come to a complete stop. But back-to-back baskets by Southern Illinois' Abby Brockmeyer – who led all players with 16 points – restarted the Saluki engine.
 
SYCAMORES CLINCH BEST VALLEY FINISH IN FOUR YEARS
Indiana State has clinched its best finish in Missouri Valley Conference play in four years as the Sycamores will place no lower than fifth this season. The Trees have not placed higher than sixth since the 2013-14 season when Teri Moren guided ISU to a share of the regular season title.
 
BIBBINS ON PACE FOR SECOND-BEST CAREER REBOUNDING AVERAGE
If Wendi Bibbins continues on the pace she has all season, she will finish her career at Indiana State ranked second in career rebounds per game. She enters this game with an 8.6 rebounding average to her credit and that is bested only by the 10.2 rebounds averaged by Karen Kramer (1974-78).
 

Career Rebounding Average
Rk	R/G	Name	Years
1.	10.2	Karen Kramer	1974-78
2.	8.6	Wendi Bibbins	2016-Pres.
3.	8.3	Amy Hile	1983-87

 
BIBBINS MOVING UP SINGLE SEASON CHARTS IN BLOCKS
With 38 blocks to her credit this season, Wendi Bibbins now ranks seventh in Sycamore history in single-season blocks. She is currently only six blocks from matching Kiwana Battle's 44 blocks (ranking sixth) during the 2000-01 season.
 
FREE FOR NUMBER 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 45th in the nation in free throw percentage with an 83.9 success rate at the charity stripe this year.
 
TAIA ON VERGE OF ENTERING 3-POINT CHART
A steady force on the court over the past three years for Indiana State, Ashley Taia needs only one more 3-point basket to enter the top-10 career charts at ISU. The Australia native has 128 made 3-point shots to her credit entering this game. Currently, Krissy Holden (1993-97) and Deja Mattox (2008-12) ranked tied for ninth in school history in made 3s, each having sank 129 in their career.
 
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 eight of their last 11 games.

LAST TIME OUT
Indiana State 74, Loyola (Chicago) 67 - Feb. 25, 2018 - Terre Haute, Ind.
Indiana State had four players score in double digits, led by 16 points out of both Wendi Bibbins and Ashli O'Neal, and withstood a second half rally in a 74-67 win over Loyola Sunday afternoon.
 
The win moves Indiana State (11-16, 9-7) into a tie for fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference Standings and clinches a finish no lower than fifth with just two games left to play in the regular season. That secures Indiana State's highest finish in The Valley since sharing the regular season championship during the 2013-14 season.
 
But to reach that height, the Sycamores had to dig deep. A 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter was whittled to three as the visiting Ramblers (7-20, 5-11 MVC) charged back midway through the final quarter. That is when O'Neal hit the crucial 3-point shot on an assist from Ashley Taia to end Loyola's 6-0 run.
 
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.