Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Indiana State women's basketball team closed out non-conference play with a winning record for the eighth time in the last nine seasons as they took down visiting SIU Edwardsville by the score of 86-68 in front of 2,908 fans inside Hulman Center.

ISU improved to 6-5 on the season while the Cougars fell to 2-10.

The Sycamores were led in scoring by Taylor Whitley who scored 20 points, on the strength of an 11-of-12 shooting effort at the free throw line. Whitley's 11 free throws made tied her career high set earlier this season against Western Michigan.

Brittany Schoen added 19 points to the Sycamore effort, connecting on five 3-pointers. Schoen has now hit at least one triple in each of ISU's 11 contests this season. Joining Whitley and Schoen in double figures scoring was Deja Mattox who tallied 15 points.

The two-time reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player Of The Week Shannon Thomas finished the contest with eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

ISU built its largest lead of the contest with 8:17 left to go as they led 70-45. The Sycamores never trailed in the contest.

Indiana State was able to parlay a total of 11 offensive rebounds into a total of 19 second chance points, while also winning the rebounding battled by a 36-35 margin.

The Trees enjoyed a 29-of-33 shooting performance at the free throw line while the Cougars made just eight trips to the charity stripe, draining only three. ISU was whistled for only 11 fouls in the contest while SIUE committed 25.

SIU Edwardsville was paced by Jazmin Hill who scored 18 points while Melia Duncan scored 12.

Indiana State returns to action on Thursday, December 30 when they continue a season-long four game homestand against Northern Iowa at Hulman Center. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. The Panthers are 7-3 on the season and were picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll.