TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State will wrap up the regular season Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores will play at Missouri State.
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3 while
Patrick Walsh will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network.
SERIES HISTORY
Beware the Bears. Missouri State currently holds a 58-18 advantage in the all-time series buoyed by an nine-game winning streak by Missouri State in the series, including a 77-63 win over the Sycamores in Terre Haute back in December.
THE LAST TIME
Missouri State 77, Indiana State 63 - Dec. 29, 2017 - Terre Haute, Ind.
Alexis Delgado scored 13 points while
Wendi Bibbins added another 12 but Missouri State held a 15-point lead at halftime that it would never relinquish as Indiana State fell in its Missouri Valley Conference opener Friday evening, 77-63, at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.
For the Sycamores (2-10, 0-1) a renewed energy and more consistent shooting for most of the second half was negated as Missouri State (5-7, 1-0) took a 15-point lead into the half on the heels of a 15-4 run. And the Bears claimed that halftime lead by taking advantage of several extra opportunities.
TAIA NINTH ALL-TIME IN 3s AT STATE
A steady force on the court over the past three years for Indiana State,
Ashley Taia reached Indiana State's all-time top-10 chart in career 3-pointers made. She enters the next game ranked ninth all-time at Indiana State having scored 130 career treys. April Kirby (1998-2002) ranks eighth with 166 career 3-pointers.
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 be the fifth seed 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 8.5 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. 8.5
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 41st in the nation in free throw percentage with an 84.3 success rate at the charity stripe this year.
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
Southern Illinois 54, Indiana State 43 - Mar. 1, 2018 - Carbondale, Ill.
Ashli O'Neal scored in double figures for the 10th straight game but Indiana State's offense overall could not overcome a sluggish start in a 54-43 loss at Southern Illinois Thursday evening.
The Sycamores (11-17, 9-8) solidified themselves as the No. 5 seed in next week's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The game, along with other results around the league, ensured that Indiana State will still have a chance to knock off the Salukis (15-13, 10-7) this year as the teams will get a rematch in the quarterfinal round of the league's tournament.
For their part, Indiana State struggled to overcome 28.1 percent shooting from the field, hitting only 16 of 57 attempts. But it seemed like a regular night for O'Neal, who hasn't been limited to single figures since Jan. 21.
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.
