Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home to the Hulman Center Friday evening for the first time in three weeks as the Sycamores will play host to Northern Iowa. But the visiting Panthers will see a completely different team than they've seen before.
 
In their last meeting on Jan. 14, Indiana State had just one win in nine games. Now, under the direction of interim head coach Josh Keister, the Sycamores have won five straight and have moved from The Valley's cellar to just a half-game behind the Panthers in the league standings.
 
Indiana State will have the support of Sycamores past Friday as the school's Alumni Day will feature the return of several former Trees to the Hulman Center for a halftime recognition.
 
Friday's game will be broadcast live on The Valley on ESPN3 and will be carried in the Wabash Valley on the Sycamore Radio Network with Luke Martin calling the action. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
SERIES HISTORY
While ISU leads the overall series, 42-31, UNI has had plenty of recent success, winning seven straight. Overall the Panthers have struggled in Terre Haute as the Trees lead, 23-12, in home games.

LAST TIME OUT
The most unselfish player on Indiana State's roster seemingly made it all about her from the very start Friday evening.
 
Regan Wentland scored a career-high 18 points, registered two blocks and was a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown as Indiana State (8-13, 6-4 Missouri Valley) won its fifth consecutive game with a 66-57 victory at Meeks Fieldhouse.
 
It was an impressive – and important – performance from the junior guard who was on fire while her teammates struggled to click offensively.

Despite the fact that three other Sycamores reached double figures, including 16 points from the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, Ashli O'Neal, the Sycamores seemed out of sync. Indiana State shot 36.7 percent from the field but only shot 29.4 percent not including Wentland's 7-for-9 performance.
 
Numbers like that would make a coach cringe and force a team to feel added pressure. Yet Keister was all smiles and the Sycamores have never looked more relaxed in a fourth quarter this season.
 
Indiana State held Evansville (3-18, 0-10) at bay, even when the hosts refused to back down. But sometimes, even when things aren't going your way, confidence level can counteract being out of sync.
 
THE LAST TIME
Northern Iowa 59, Indiana State 53 - Jan. 14, 2018 – at Cedar Falls, Iowa
Ashli O'Neal scored 16 points and Wendi Bibbins added another 10 but Indiana State couldn't escape a tough road battle that featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes in a 59-53 loss at Northern Iowa Sunday afternoon.
 
The Sycamores (3-13, 1-4 Missouri Valley) shot the best they have from the floor as a team in conference play this season (38.9 percent) but missed their last three field goal attempts in the game while the Panthers (8-9, 4-2) hit five of six free throw attempts over the final 1:24 to secure the win.
 
"We had some great looks there late in the game," Indiana State interim head coach Josh Keister said. "Our kids took some good shots, they just didn't fall. That is part of basketball. We had a couple turnovers in there and Northern Iowa made the plays down the stretch that they had to. I thought we had excellent chances and if we get in that situation again I know those kids will knock down those shots."
 
Despite the misses late in the game, overall Indiana State showed improvement in its offense. The Sycamores not only posted a conference-season best 38.9 percent shooting from the floor, the 33.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc is also a best in a conference game this season.
 
LOOKING AT NORTHERN IOWA
Keep the Panthers far away and you may regret it. Northern Iowa enters Friday's game ranked among one of the best in the conference and in the top 75 nationally in 3-point field goals per game (68th, 7.5) and 3-point field goals made (73rd, 164). Don't try to launch the long ball to catch up either, UNI ranks 23rd nationally in 3-point field goal defense (27.7).

Megan Maahs remains the Panther's most potent weapon. She ranks 25th in the nation in rebounds per game (10.1), 30th in total rebounds (222) and 28th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (7.0), ranking first in The Valley in all three categories (Wendi Bibbins follows in second).

THE KEI(STER) TO THE TURNAROUND
Credit the job of interim head coach Josh Keister. Since he took over the reins of the program on Jan. 2, the Sycamores have gone 5-2 and improved in almost every statistical category.

 

	Under	Under
Category	Wells	Keister	% Δ
Points Per Game	58	62	6.90%
Points Allowed Per Game	66.2	58.4	-11.78%
FG Percentage	.355	.367	3.38%
3FG Percentage	.303	.265	-12.54%
FT Percentage	.645	.672	4.19%
FT Made Per Game	9.8	11	12.24%
Rebounds Per Game	34.2	36	5.26%
Assists Per Game	10.9	12	10.09%
Turnovers Per Game	15.8	11.8	-25.32%
Turnover Margin	1.8	5.4	200.00%
Steals Per Game	9.9	9.8	-1.01%
Blocks Per Game	3.1	5.1	64.52%
Attendance/Home Game	1318	1710	29.74%

WIN THE DAY 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 all eight games than its opponent 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 59th in the nation and first in The Valley in steals per game (9.9) and 86th in the nation in steals (207), ranking first 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.