TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 67-60 to Butler on Wednesday night in front of 7,144 fans at Hulman Center. The Sycamores are now 7-1 on the year after the in-state match-up with the Bulldogs, who lead the all-time series 11-9.
Senior Kelsey Luna led Indiana State with 26 points, going 10-for-20 from the field, with four rebounds, three steals and an assist. Luna also went a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line, which extends her streak to 37 free throws made since Nov. 14 at Kansas State.
Sophomore Shannon Thomas achieved her second double-double of the season with a 10-point, 10-rebound performance. She added two blocks against the Bulldogs, while junior Kelsie Cooley chipped in seven boards.
Cooley opened the scoring for ISU with a layup in the first minute, but Butler answered immediately with an 11-3 run capped by a 3-pointer from Alyssa Pittman. Thomas and freshmen Moriah Hodge and Taylor Whitley hit a combined five charity shots to get it to 16-11, followed by two straight treys from BU. Sophomore Deja Mattox and Luna then poured in two jumpers, and sophomore Brittany Schoen's long shot narrowed it to 18-24. The Bulldogs pumped in seven more points, and despite a field goal from Luna to narrow the score to five, Butler took a 10-point lead (33-23) into the lockerroom and gave Indiana State its first halftime deficit of the season.
After struggling with a 33 percent shooting performance in the first half, Indiana State looked to Luna offensively in the second stanza, as the senior put up 20 points. Luna and Cooley hit back-to-back layups early, but eight BU points in the first two minutes gave it a 14-point advantage. The Bulldogs stretched their lead to 20 midway through the last period, highlighted by 10 points from Melanie Thornton.
Luna almost singlehandedly cut the lead to three with a minute to go on three 3-pointers and two free throws, but eight Sycamore fouls and Butler's 11 ensuing free throws sealed the game at 67-60.
Butler had three scorers reach double figures -Pittman (16), Thornton (15) and Becca Bornhorst (10). Thornton nearly reached a double-double of her own with nine boards for the Bulldogs.
Indiana State looks to rebound against Eastern Illinois on Saturday, Dec. 11 in Charleston, Ill. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. (ET).
