TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? The Indiana State Sycamores (12-10, 8-3 MVC) led throughout the entire game against the Wichita State Shockers (10-13, 2-10 MVC) and defeated them by a 21-point margin, 71-50, Thursday night on Nellie & John Wooden Court at Hulman Center. Kara Schilli paced the Sycamores with 16 points and freshman Brittany Schoen scored a career-high 13 points. Indiana State is now 18-8 under head coach Jim Wiedie when dropping the two previous MVC meetings.
A fast-break layup by Schilli fed by Kelsey Luna is what began tonight's Missouri Valley Conference matchup between the Sycamores and Shockers. Luna also found Bianca Jarrett on a similar fast-break layup a few possessions later to make it a 6-2 Sycamore ballgame with just under 16 minutes to play.
Out of a media timeout, Daria Frazier registered her second bucket of the game inside the paint to bring the Shockers within two points at 6-4. However, Luna went 3-for-3 at the charity stripe after being fouled on a three-point shot and Kelsie Cooley sunk her first jump-shot to put the lead back up to five points at 9-4 with 13:30 showing on the clock.
A mini 5-2 scoring run by the Shockers where Val Siemens knocked down a three-pointer and Haleigh Lankster a two, forced the Sycamores to call a thirty-second timeout with 12:52 remaining and the score set at 11-9 in favor of Indiana State.
A timeout is just what they needed as they went on a 15-4 scoring run in the next five minutes to cushion their lead to 13 points for a 26-13 ballgame. Within that timeframe, Shannon Thomas made back-to-back layups, the Sycamores put down five free-throws (three by Jarrett), and the run was capped off by a Sarah Paul three-pointer, just her second of the season.
Hulman Center quieted, however, when Luna went down with an apparent right knee injury. The Sycamores experienced d?j? vu as they have already seen three of their key players go down with serious knee injuries. Luna later returned on crutches. She will be re-evaluated in Indianapolis tomorrow.
The Shockers managed to cut the lead down to seven points at the 5:49 mark of the first half after a three-ball by Jacie Hoyt and layups from Marisah Henderson and Frazier. However, just as Wichita State felt some momentum building up, Cooley slowed them down with a jumper and two free-throws. Thomas also converted her fourth layup, except this time she was fouled on the attempt and made the point-after charity toss.
Siemens tried to keep her Shocker team within reach after scoring eleven points in the first twenty minutes, but the Sycamores were too much and Wichita State saw themselves down by 11 at the break, 38-27.
Thomas led Indiana State in first-half scoring with nine points. She was followed closely by Cooley who chipped in eight with four rebounds. The Sycamores shot 46 percent in half number one on 12-of-26 shooting including a 13-for-16 mark from the free-throw line. Indiana State also held a 16-6 advantage in points scored in the paint.
For the Shockers, Frazier followed Siemens with six points and three rebounds. The visitors shot 38 percent from the floor on 11-for-29 shooting.
Second-half action began with freshman Brittany Schoen sinking consecutive three-pointers to stretch the Sycamore lead to 15 points early on at 44-29. However, those two baskets were the only Sycamore points scored until the 10:57 mark, nearly eight minutes without a home team bucket. By that time, Wichita State registered 11 points to cut the lead to eight at 46-38.
Indiana State increased their lead back to 12 points after Jarrett sunk two free-throws and found Schilli wide open in the lane for a 50-38 score. Megan Burton made a long jumper and Schilli knocked down a short runner in the lane on the next two Sycamore possessions to make it a 14-point ballgame, 54-40, with 8:00 showing on the clock.
It became a 21-point difference with 2:51 remaining thanks to six points by Schilli, two free-throws from Jarrett, and another three-pointer by Schoen, her third of the game.
The Shockers were unable to catch the Sycamores as they ran away with their second victory against Wichita State this season and their sixth straight against the Shockers at home. Schilli scored 16 points to go along with eight rebounds. Jarrett chipped in 15 including a 9-for-10 effort from the free-throw line. Schoen and Cooley contributed 13 and 10 respectively to the cause.
Indiana State forced 17 Shocker turnovers and came up with 11 steals. They finished with a 26-14 scoring advantage in the paint. The Sycamores shot 43 percent for the game on 23-for-53 shooting.
For Wichita State, Siemens registered 13 points and Frazier and Marcy Sudbeck chipped in nine. Ashley Gladden and Sudbeck also pulled down ten rebounds each. As a team, the Shockers shot 18-for-62 from the field, just 29 percent.
Indiana State will take home court against Missouri State this upcoming Saturday, February 14, at 2:05 p.m. EST. Saturday's game will be part of the WBCA Pink Zone at Hulman Center. WBCA Pink Zone is a global, unified effort for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to join the Sycamores in showing their support for the fight against breast cancer.
