Defense Guides Sycamores To MVC Victory Over Redbirds

Box Score

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Defense was the path to victory for the Indiana State women's basketball team on Friday night inside Hulman Center, as the Sycamores swept their three-game homestand to start Missouri Valley Conference play with a 67-53 victory over the visiting Illinois State Redbirds in front on 3,139 fans.

The win moves Indiana State to 9-6 overall and 3-0 within the MVC, as the Sycamores keep pace with the Wichita State Shockers (9-5, 3-0 MVC) for the early lead in the conference race. Illinois State fell to 7-7 overall, 2-1 in league play.

The Sycamores never trailed on Friday night, beginning the game on a 12-3 run over the opening seven and a half minutes of action. ISU spread their offensive attack around to start the game, as five Sycamores scored in their early run, led by four points off the bench from junior Taylor Whitley.

Indiana State's first-half lead would grow as large as 16 points, coming on a free throw by Whitley with 4:12 remaining in the half to push the ISU lead to 25-9.

The score sat at 29-18 in favor of the home side at the break, as the Sycamores forced the Redbirds to shoot just 5-of-30 (16.7%) from the field and 1-of-9 (11.1%) from long range. Illinois State entered the game shooting 40.7% as a team, ranking second in the NCAA at 41.1% from beyond the three-point line. By comparison, Indiana State shot 10-of-24 (41.7%) overall in the first half. Whitley, senior Deja Mattox and sophomore Anna Munn all tallied seven points for the Sycamores in the opening 20 minutes of action.

The Redbirds did not go away in the second half, beginning the second stanza with a 7-0 run to cut the ISU lead to 29-25 with 18:03 to go, capping their run on a triple by senior Katie Broadway.

Illinois State remained within striking distance for the next six minutes, as Indiana State held a six-point lead, at 43-37, with 13:22 remaining before the Redbirds hit a lengthy scoring drought.

Over the game's next eight minutes the Sycamores went on a 21-2 scoring run, pushing their lead to 25 points, at 64-39 with 5:11 on the clock. Illinois State went without a field goal for over 10 minutes, from 13:22 to go until just 3:16 remained.

Mattox and Munn powered the Sycamores in the second half, as Mattox scored 16 of her career-high 23 points after halftime. The senior went 7-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, with a 6-of-7 effort at the charity stripe. Munn tallied her second double-double of the season, posting 12 points and 12 rebounds. The sophomore had nearly identical halves, going for 7-and-6 in the first half against 5-and-6 in the second. Whitley also finished in double figures, posting 15 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Illinois State's Broadway entered the game averaging 15.3 points per game, good for fifth in the conference, but shot just 3-of-16 for the game and 1-of-8 from three-point distance to finish with seven points. Junior Candace Sykes led three Redbirds in double figures, totaling 17 points.

For the game, Indiana State shot 24-of-53 (45.3%) from the field compared to 17-of-61 (27.9%) for Illinois State.

The win improves Indiana State to 19-1 under head coach Teri Moren when allowing 60 points or less, and a perfect 7-0 in MVC play in her two seasons in charge.

The Sycamores hit the road for the first time in conference play next week, beginning with a matchup on Thursday, Jan. 12, at defending MVC champion Northern Iowa. The Sycamores and Panthers take the floor at 8:05 p.m. (ET) from Cedar Falls, Iowa.