Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State will close out the non-conference portion of its 2017-18 schedule Thursday afternoon with a 2 p.m. tilt at the Hulman Center against Butler.
 
The game will be broadcast live on The Valley on ESPN3. Luke Martin will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network (WIBQ 1230AM in Terre Haute).
 
For the Sycamores, it is the final game before the holiday break and the final chance to claim a win after back-to-back close, heartbreaking losses.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Hoosier State rivalry between Indiana State and Butler currently has a slight 16-14 advantage to the Sycamores after Butler's 66-48 win last year in Indianapolis. ISU also has a slight edge in games played in Terre Haute by a 6-5 margin.
 
LAST TIME OUT
For Indiana State head coach Joey Wells, Tuesday's 68-56 loss to Miami (Ohio) again showed promise of what the Sycamores can be this year.
 
Wendi Bibbins scored over 20 points for the second straight game. Ashli O'Neal was in double figures for the second time in three games. And Indiana State (2-8) gave one of the top teams in the Mid-American Conference all they could handle in a close game that was tied 11 times.
 
The Sycamores even had a three-point lead going into halftime and were tied with the RedHawks (7-3) entering the final quarter.
 
But as much as the game gave Wells hope, it also gave him frustration. ISU would fall into another lull (it was the fourth quarter against Miami as opposed to the second quarter lull against MAC preseason favorite Central Michigan). Miami, which has now won five straight games, would use an 11-0 run in the final frame to pull away for the victory.
 
LOOKING AT BUTLER
Similar to Tuesday's opponent for Indiana State, Butler is a revitalized team traveling to Terre Haute on a hot streak. After the Bulldogs 64-52 win over Missouri Valley Conference foe Loyola on Monday, Butler is riding a three-game win streak including a 69-62 win over Wisconsin on Dec. 8. That vaults their record to 7-4 and the Bulldogs have already surpassed their win total (6-25) of last year.
 
Credit a transfer infusion of scoring for part of their turnaround. Whitney Jennings, a transfer from Iowa, sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules and has quickly made her mark in Indianapolis. The redshirt junior leads Butler with an average of 18.9 ppg while her 42 assists and 21 steals are also tops on the squad.
 
Tori Schickel (15.7 ppg) and Kristen Spolyar (11.9 ppg) are two other Bulldogs to keep an eye out for, averaging in double figures in scoring while Schickel is averaging 11.2 rebounds per game.
 
THREE FOR THREE
Ashli O'Neal, ISU's No. 3, has been hot from 3-point land lately. In her last three games O'Neal is shooting 47.6 percent (10-for-21) beyond the arc. That is an impressive mark above her 41.2 percent season average.
 
Her recent success makes it no surprise that she enters this game ranked 84th nationally and third in The Valley in 3-point field goal percentage.
 
THIEVING TREES
State doesn't discriminate. It takes and it takes and it takes. Credit the Sycamores as they enter this game ranked 73rd in the nation and first in The Valley in steals per game (9.8) and 95th in the nation in steals (98), ranking second in The Valley.
 
SWIPE RIGHT (AND LEFT)
A major reason Indiana State is ranked so high nationally in steals is thanks to the swiping ability of three players. A trio of Sycamores enter the game ranked in the top 10 with a total of four Sycamores ranked in the top 15 in the Missouri Valley Conference in steals per game.
 
MVC Steals Per Game

	STEALS	Cl	GP	No.	Avg/G
3.	Bibbins, Wendi	SR	10	16	1.6
4.	Webb, Tierra	JR	10	15	1.5
9.	O'Neal, Ashli	SO	10	12	1.2
13.	Delgado, Alexis	JR	10	11	1.1

 
FORCING THE ISSUE
In addition to Indiana State leading The Valley in steals, the Sycamores are tops in the league and among the best in the conference in turnovers forced. Ranked 118th nationally, ISU is averaging 17.70 turnovers forced per game.
 
TREES TOPS IN TURNOVER MARGIN
With ISU leading the league in steals per game and turnovers forced and second in steals, it comes as no surprise that Indiana State ranks 103rd in the nation – and atop The Valley – in turnover margin, with a +2.30 clip this season.
 
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.