TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Alexis Delgado scored 13 points while Wendi Bibbins added another 12 but Missouri State held a 15-point lead at halftime that it would never relinquish as Indiana State fell in its Missouri Valley Conference opener Friday evening, 77-63, at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.
 
For the Sycamores (2-10, 0-1) a renewed energy and more consistent shooting for most of the second half was negated as Missouri State (5-7, 1-0) took a 15-point lead into the half on the heels of a 15-4 run. And the Bears claimed that halftime lead by taking advantage of several extra opportunities.
 
"Our first half we gave up nine offensive rebounds and turned it over 10 times," said Indiana State head coach Joey Wells. "They had 10 more possessions than we did in the first half - well that's the 15-point lead right there. You have to play for 40 minutes. We did some things, we fought back a little bit but when you play a good team and you give them a 15-point cushion, they just are not going to give that whole 15 points back to you."
 
Indeed, Indiana State would use an 8-0 run in the third quarter to pull within five points before a foul by Wendi Bibbins with three minutes left in the third – her fourth personal foul of the game – send Missouri State's Shameka Ealy to the line to stop the Sycamore run.
 
With Bibbins receiving her fourth foul, with Tierra Webb receiving her fourth foul just 30 seconds later, the game plan for Wells and his staff was turned on its head. ISU would enter the fourth quarter with two starters tagged with four fouls, and 11-point deficit to overcome and a game plan that was forced to be changed.
 
"I felt like we were doing okay with the man (defense) but we just couldn't do it," Wells said of when his starters began to get in foul trouble. "If you look at the stats, the fourth quarter is where they shoot 53 percent and I think it was during that stretch we were in the zone (defense). But you do that knowing with four fouls that is the only way to keep Wendi (Bibbins) and Tierra (Webb) in the game and still have a chance to do some stuff. It does affect the way you play and the thought process of what you are doing."
 
Any glimmer of hope was shut down as the final period began as Missouri State started the quarter on a 12-2 run, taking advantage of Indiana State's forced zone defense with the foul trouble. Webb would foul out during that run with Bibbins and Ashli O'Neal following later that quarter while the Lady Bears extended their lead by as much as 21 points.
 
The halftime deficit came as Missouri State took advantage of a slow start by ISU and multiple extra opportunities. The Lady Bears had a 9-1 advantage in second-chance points at halftime and finished the game with an 18-9 margin over the Sycamores. Entering half, ISU gave up 10 turnovers in the first half while MSU had a 9-1 advantage in offensive rebounds.
 
Missouri State was led by Alexa Willard's 23 points while the Lady Bears had four players in total score in double digits.
 
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