Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – A familiar foe awaits Indiana State in the Quad Cities. Just eight days after facing each other in the regular season, the Sycamores will battle Southern Illinois in a quarterfinal game at the 2018 Hoops in the Heartland Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
 
The Sycamores have already achieved several notable accomplishments this year including the team's best finish in four years, a first team all-conference honoree for the first time in four years. Now this team is looking for its first win in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in that same time span.
 
Friday's game tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3. Luke Martin will have the call in the Wabash Valley on the Sycamore Radio Network and worldwide at GoSycamores.com.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Salukis have a slight edge in the all-time series as SIU leads, 47-45, thanks to three straight wins in the series. However, the Sycamores have a 12-8 advantage in neutral court games. The two teams have split the four meetings against each other in the MVC Tournament.
 
THE LAST TIME VS. THE SALUKIS
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.
 
But the rest of the Sycamores struggled to finish, despite opportunities to score. Wendi Bibbins scored seven points but was 3-for-13 in her performance. Ashley Taia's pair of 3-pointers placed her ninth all-time in made 3-point field goals (130) at Indiana State, but even layups seemingly refused to go in for the senior in a 2-for-11 performance.
 
The host Salukis weren't immune from the cold shooting, either. Abby Brockmeyer led SIU with 13 points but six of those came from the free throw line. Kylie Giebelhausen added 12 but was just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.
 
BIBBINS CLAIMS FIRST ALL-VALLEY HONOR IN FOUR YEARS
Indiana State forward Wendi Bibbins continues to make an impact on the Sycamore program as she was named to the MVC All-Conference First Team on Mar. 6. The first Sycamore to receive such an honor since 2014, Bibbins finished the year second in the league in rebounding (8.8 rpg), third in blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and fourth in steals (1.8 spg). A senior forward, Bibbins led The Valley with an average of 3.3 offensive rebounds per game and was second in defensive rebounds per game (5.4).
 
O'NEAL RECEIVES HONORABLE MENTION
Ashli O'Neal was recognized by The Valley as she was named to the league's all-conference honorable mention list. Averaging 12.2 points per game, her honor marks the seventh consecutive year Indiana State has had a student-athlete receive honorable mention honors.
 
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 at the MVC Tournament. 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.
 
BIGGIE CONTINUES TO SCORE IN A BIG WAY
Ashli O'Neal - known by her teammates as "Biggie" - has become a big scoring threat for the Sycamores. She has reached double figures in 11 consecutive games entering the postseason. More than that, Indiana State is 4-0 when O'Neal scores 20-plus points.
 
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 40 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.
 
ONE OF THE BEST IN THE VALLEY TOO
Not only has Wendi Bibbins' block numbers ranked among the best in school history this year, her numbers are among the best in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
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 44th in the nation in free throw percentage with an 84.3 success rate at the charity stripe this year.
 
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 131 career treys. April Kirby (1998-2002) ranks eighth with 166 career 3-pointers.
 
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
Missouri State 69, Indiana State 56 - Mar. 3, 2018 - Springfield, Mo.
Tierra Webb scored 10 points and grabbed four steals and Indiana State pushed Missouri State to the bring before the Bears would pull away with a 69-56 win in front of 2,412 at JQH Arena in Springfield Saturday afternoon.
 
Ashli O'Neal registered her 11th consecutive game in double figures as she led the Sycamores with 14 points while Wendi Bibbins added 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Indiana State (11-18, 9-9 Missouri Valley) trailed by only four points with less than three minutes to play before the Bears (19-10, 15-3) went on a 9-0 run in the final minutes to pull away from the upset-minded Sycamores.
 
The Trees were in position for an upset after swiping 10 steals as part of forcing 18 turnovers by Missouri State. Webb led the way with four steals while Wendi Bibbins and Ashli O'Neal, the two other Sycamores scoring in double figures, grabbed two steals each.
 
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.