TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Erasing a first half deficit, the Indiana State Women's Basketball team opened up the 2014-15 regular season with a 63-60 win over Saint Louis on Friday night at Hulman Center. First year head coach Joey Wells picks up his first career victory at the helm of the program, as ISU improves to 1-0 overall.

Senior guard Chelsea Small led Indiana State with 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting including a perfect 6-for-6 performance from the free throw line. She also grabbed five rebounds and added two assists, two steals and a block to help lead the Sycamores' effort on the night, improving to 5-1 all-time against the Billikens.  

Newcomers Joyea Marshall and Alexis Newbolt each chipped in nine points apiece to combine with sophomore forward Rhagen Smith and senior guard Natasha Zurek's six points each.

Senior forward Racheal Mahan led with six rebounds to combine with five from both Small and senior guard Travecia Franklin.

On the night, ISU shot 42.2 percent (24-for-57) including a 53.6 percent clip in the second half. However, the Sycamores went just 4-for-15 (26.7 percent) from behind the arc and 73.3 from the free throw line.

Looking stiff in the first half, Indiana State shot just 31 percent (9-for-29) and trailed by as many as 14 with 6:56 to play. The Billikens shot 44.4 percent in the opening frame, going 12-for-27 and 4-for-7 from behind the arc.

The Sycamores held SLU scoreless for the final 2:54 of the first half, allowing them to score seven straight points, including buckets by Marshall and an and-one by Small, to trail 29-22 at the break.

Opening up the second half, ISU went on a 9-4 run as it tied the game up, 33-33, on steal by Franklin who converted on the fast break layup. Neither team grew its lead larger than three until a Denisha Womack bucket gave SLU a 53-48 lead with 7:44 remaining.

Continuing to trail by four, Indiana State got back-to-back layups by Zurek to knot the score at 55-55 with 2:52 to play. She converted yet again with a baseline score to give the Sycamores three point lead and a pair of bonus free throws by Small made it 60-55 with :59 ticks to play.

SLU got a good bucket by Jackie Kemph and drained a 3-pointer to cut the Sycamores' lead to two, 62-60, with :15 seconds to play. After a SLU foul, Franklin sank one of a double bonus to help ISU hang on for a 63-60 win.

The Sycamores head to the state capital on Sunday to face in-state rival Butler. Tipoff is set for 1:05 p.m. ET at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Basketball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.