MIAMI - The Indiana State women's basketball team hit their first 25 attempts from the free-throw line on Friday night, as the Sycamores topped the Western Michigan Broncos, 71-66, in their first game of the FIU Thanksgiving Classic at U.S. Century Bank Arena in Miami.

With their win on Friday, the Sycamores (3-2) advanced to the tournament championship game on Sunday against tournament-host FIU with tipoff set for 4:00 p.m.

"It's great to get the first win on the road," said head coach Teri Moren. "The kids really battled out there. I was particularly pleased with Taylor Whitley's play, as her ability to attack the glass and get to the free-throw line was big tonight."

Sophomore Taylor Whitley led ISU on Friday, totaling a season-high 20 points while also pulling down six rebounds. Senior Kelsie Cooley and redshirt freshman Andrea Rademacher joined Whitley in double-figures, with Cooley adding 12 points and seven rebounds and Rademacher going a perfect four-for-four from the field to chip in 10 points.

Western Michigan (2-3) scored seven of the game's first nine points over the opening two minutes to take the early lead, but the Sycamores would respond with a 10-2 run of their own, capped by a pair of free-throws from junior Shannon Thomas at the 13:18 mark.

WMU would regain the lead on their next possession on a 3-pointer by Taylor Manley, but ISU would answer with a jumper by Cooley to take the lead for good at 12:43 of the first half.

The Sycamores took a 38-28 lead into the halftime break, on the strength of a perfect opening 20 minutes from the free-throw line. Whitley led the team with six free-throws in the first half, while Cooley, Thomas, junior Brittany Schoen and freshman Illyssa Vivo all knocked down a pair.

Whitley totaled 10 points in the first half, while Cooley and Rademacher both added eight. Rademacher went a perfect three-for-three from the field, hitting a pair of 3-pointers, the first two of her Indiana State career.

Although Indiana State never lost the lead in the second, the Broncos would not go away thanks to 17 second-half points from Manley. The Western Michigan guard finished the night with a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers.

As a team, the Sycamores shot 42.6 % (20-for-47) from the field, and five-for-14 (35.7%) from behind the three-point line. The free-throw line was key in ISU's victory as the Sycamores finished the night 26-for-32 (81.3%) from the line while WMU ended the night at 13-for-16 (81.3%). ISU entered the game shooting 66.3% from the line, at 57-for-86 through their first four games.

"For a team that's struggled at the line, it was great to be perfect at the line in the first half," said head coach Moren. "With the game being decided by just five points, the kids really hit some big free-throws."

Schoen and freshman Anna Munn both added eight points against the Broncos, with Thomas adding seven and junior Deja Mattox totaling six.

The Sycamores will look to win the FIU Thanksgiving Classic on Sunday, when they take on the host of the tournament, FIU, at 4:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on ESPN Radio 92.7 FM and AM 1300 and online at http://espnsportsradio.com.

"We're excited about another opportunity to play on the road against a good basketball team," said head coach Moren. "We're looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we can bring a championship back to Terre Haute on Monday."