Bonnie Ryan
GoSycamores.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Sophomore Shannon Thomas achieved her third double-double of the season, but it was not enough to carry the Indiana State women's basketball team in a hard-fought 69-65 loss at Missouri State's JQH Arena on Saturday. With the defeat, the Sycamores drop to 9-7 (0-5 MVC) on the season.
Thomas led her squad offensively with 16 points and defensively with a career-high 15 rebounds, as well as four blocks for her second-highest blocked shot total of the season. The Springboro, Ohio, native led the Sycamore defense to outrebound MSU, 40-31. Sophomore Brittany Schoen also reached double-figure scoring, pouring in 14 points on four 3-pointers.
"That's the most aggressive that (Shannon) has been all year long -- offensively and on the boards," Head Coach Jim Wiedie said. "We need that type of production from her."
Missouri State's Casey Garrison topped the charts with 27 points, while Christiana Shorter added 12 points and seven rebounds, and Jaleshia Roberson contributed 10 points.
Indiana State opened the game with two shots in the paint from Thomas and a jumper by junior Kelsie Cooley to go up 6-4, but the two teams kept it within two for nearly the first 10 minutes. Schoen hit her first two trey attempts to make it 17-15 ISU, followed by another at 6:47 to go up by four. Freshman Moriah Hodge and sophomore Amanda Pedro then banked in back-to-back baskets, and Schoen drained her fourth triple of the half to give the Sycamores a narrow 34-32 advantage at halftime.
ISU and Missouri State traded buckets for the first four minutes of the second stanza, tying the game for the eighth time at 41-41. Hodge, freshman Taylor Whitley and sophomore Chelsea Buher combined for seven points in less than one minute, and an inside shot and free throw by Thomas extended the lead to 10. Garrison then almost singlehandedly narrowed the gap with nine points, but Whitley chipped in a layup to push it to 57-51 in favor of ISU.
MSU's Garrison brought the Bears back with six more points, and Shorter and Kendra Roberts tossed in a jumper apiece, keeping the Sycamores at bay by six. Hodge had one basket and Thomas scored with two jump shots, bringing the MSU lead down to two with 1:03 left. Garrison, however, hit two charity shots with 22 seconds to go, giving the Bears a 69-65 final score.
"The demeanor and the energy level today was so much higher than it was on Thursday," Wiedie said. "You walk away proud knowing that if that's how you play on a consistent basis, you can beat anybody in the league. We have to play with more energy and more emotion, and I thought the team did that tonight. That was a positive. It's encouraging that other kids stepped up."
Indiana State returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 21, playing host to Evansville. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET) at Hulman Center.
