Danny PfrankGoSycamores.com
TERRE
HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State women's basketball team
outscored the visiting Wichita State Shockers by 14 points in the second half,
sending their three seniors off in style with a 63-51 victory on Sunday inside
Hulman Center in front of 3,366 fans.
Indiana State improved to 13-15 overall and 7-10 in Missouri Valley Conference
play with the win. ISU also won for the 11th consecutive time on
Senior Day, a winning streak that dates back to the 2001-02 season. The loss
drops Wichita State to 17-10 overall, 11-5 in league play.
The score changed hands three times and sat tied on five other occasions in the
first half, as the Sycamores and Shockers battled back and forth.
Indiana State took their largest lead of the half following a free-throw by
freshman Travecia Franklin with 7:57 left until the break. Franklin's
free-throw capped a 7-1 run for the Sycamores and gave ISU a 23-17 lead.
ISU and WSU both went cold from the field to end the first half, combining for
just one field goal over the final eight minutes of the half. Despite ISU's
field goal drought covering the final nine minutes of the first half, Wichita
State held just a two-point advantage at the break, ending the half on a 6-2
run to take a 29-27 lead into the locker room.
Sophomore Anna Munn led the Sycamores with 11 points in the first half, while senior
Shannon Thomas added six. Senior Haleigh Lankster paced WSU at the break with
13 points.
Indiana State trailed for just 37 seconds in the second half, tying the score at
29-29 on layup by Thomas and taking the lead on another layup with Thomas with
18:24 to go.
A layup by WSU junior Jessica Diamond with 10:18 to play tied the score for the
third time in the second half, at 42-42, but Indiana State responded with a
14-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 12-point lead, at 56-44 with 5:35
remaining. Senior Deja Mattox capped the run with a three-pointer at the top of
the key.
Wichita State would never get closer than 10 points for the remainder of the
game as the Sycamores picked up the 63-51 victory.
Mattox became the 25
th member of the 1,000 Point Club at Indiana
State on Senior Day, knocking down a three-pointer with 14:24 remaining in the first
half. Mattox finished with a game-high 17 points, with 14 coming in the second
half. Thomas tallied 15 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots, while
Munn played the entire game, totaling 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Playing on a hurt ankle, senior Brittany Schoen played 20 minutes and did not
attempt a shot, but dished out three assists for the game.
Lankster led the Shockers with 13 points, but the ISU defense held her
scoreless in the second half.
ISU shot 63.2% (12-for-19) in the second half, while holding WSU to 26.7%
(8-for-30) from the field. The Shockers also went just 1-for-11 (9.1%) from
long range. For the game, ISU shot 55.3% (21-for-38) and 45.5% (5-for-11) from
beyond the three-point arc.
Indiana State closes out their regular season next week, traveling to Southern
Illinois on Thursday, March 1, and Evansville on Saturday, March 3.