Deja Mattox's First Career Double-Double Leads Sycamores Past Bulldogs, 49-46

Box Score

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Senior Deja Mattox posted her first career double-double on Tuesday night inside Hulman Center, as the Sycamores picked up their third straight victory in a hard-fought battle against in-state rival Butler, 49-46.

The win moves ISU to 5-3 on the season and gives the Sycamores their first three-game winning streak since winning five in a row at the end of the 2009-10 season, from Feb. 14-28, 2010. Butler falls to 1-7 on the year.

ISU began the game on an 8-1 run over the opening 5:37, using a 3-pointer from sophomore Anna Munn, a layup by freshman Natasha Zurek and a trey by senior Brittany Schoen to drive their early lead. Butler's first point of the game came on a free-throw by freshman Hannah Douglas after four minutes of action.

Indiana State took their largest lead of the ballgame at the 13:05 mark of the first half, when a triple by senior Deja Mattox gave ISU an eight-point advantage, at 11-3. Butler battled back after that, although never taking the lead in the opening 20 minutes of play.

The Sycamores took a slim lead into the locker room, as Butler's Becca Bornhorst hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining in the half to cut ISU's lead at the break to one point, at 27-26. Senior Shannon Thomas paced ISU at the break, going for 10 points and four rebounds. Schoen and Munn both hit a pair of triples in the opening 20 minutes for six points each.

The first lead change took place on Butler's first possession of the second half, as freshman Haley Howard hit a runner in the lane to give the Bulldogs a 28-27 lead. Over the remaining 20 minutes, the teams traded six lead changes and sat even on the scoreboard on six other occasions.

From the 13-minute mark until four minutes remained in the game, both sides suffered long scoring droughts inside Hulman Center. Munn gave the Sycamores a three-point lead, at 38-35, with 13:04 to play when she knocked down her third 3-pointer of the game, but that was ISU's last field goal and last points until 4:01 remained in the game when Mattox ended to drought with a trey.

Butler was unable to take advantage of ISU's offensive struggles during the stretch, however, as the visitors were only able to muster seven points of their own during the nine-minute span. The Bulldogs tied the game on a triple by Bornhorst with 12:44 on the clock, took the lead on a layup by Howard with 11:10 remaining and added to their lead on a jumper by freshman Amanda Raker at the 7:40 mark.

After Mattox cut the lead to one with her three with 4:01 remaining, ISU and Butler traded baskets before Mattox knocked down a pair of free-throws with 1:20 remaining to give the Sycamores a lead, 45-44, an advantage that they would not give back.

A key miscue by the Bulldogs assisted ISU in holding the lead, as sophomore Sarah Hamm committed a lane violation with Zurek at the foul line shooting a one-and-one with 45 seconds left. Zurek missed the first attempt, but received another attempt after Hamm's mistake. Zurek went on to knock down the next two shots, putting ISU in front 47-44.

The Bulldogs cut the lead back to one on a pair of free-throws by Howard with 20 seconds left, but Mattox pulled down an offensive rebound following a miss at the line by Schoen with eight seconds to go and knocked down the next two attempts to put the final points on the board for the game as ISU came away with the win, 49-46.

Mattox posted her first career double-double on Tuesday, going for 12 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas came up one rebound short of a double-double, adding 11 points, nine boards, five blocks and a team-leading four assists. Schoen also joined her fellow seniors double-figures, chipping in 11 points while playing all 40 minutes. Munn also logged all 40 minutes on the court, going for nine points and three assists.

The win gives ISU their first three-game winning streak under head coach Teri Moren, as the Sycamores also improved to 4-0 this season and 16-0 overall under Moren when allowing fewer than 60 points.

The Sycamores will be on the road for their final four nonconference games this season, beginning with a trip to Eastern Illinois on Saturday, Dec. 10. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. (ET), 4:00 p.m. locally in Charleston, Ill.