TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Ashli O'Neal scored nine points and Wendi Bibbins brought down 12 rebounds but fourth quarter struggles reared their ugly heads again as Indiana State bid adieu to the 2017 calendar year with a 64-45 loss to Southern Illinois at the Hulman Center Sunday afternoon.
 
Indiana State (2-11, 0-2 Missouri Valley) claimed their first lead of the game with under two minutes to play in the third quarter thanks to a basket and a free throw by Bibbins but SIU (7-6, 2-0) would mount a 17-4 run over the next six-and-a-half minutes to pull away and put the game out of reach.
 
"We put ourselves in a position in the fourth quarter," Indiana State head coach Joey Wells said. "But we just can't fight through to make the plays and overcome that hump."
 
The Sycamores almost stopped SIU after 10 points in that run as AJ Thomas and Regan Wentland each scored a basket on either side of a reverse layup by SIU's Makenzie Silvey and the Saluki run seemed to wane, even come to a complete stop. But back-to-back baskets by Southern Illinois' Abby Brockmeyer – who led all players with 16 points – restarted the Saluki engine.
 
Trying to get back in the game, Indiana State put up shot after shot but the rims were unkind to the Sycamores on Sunday. ISU, which had recently been shooting the ball from 3-point land well, was just 1-for-20 from beyond the arc as their 5 percent 3-point shooting percentage matched the five-degree temperature in Terre Haute at tipoff.
 
"You shoot 1-for-20 and it is going to be tough in this conference," Wells said. "We have to continue to practice shooting, obviously, and gain some confidence."
 
The Indiana State rally to finally take a lead late in the third quarter came after a sluggish first quarter performance put the Sycamores behind the eight ball.
 
Trailing 19-7 after the first stanza, the Sycamores roared back and outscored Southern Illinois 30-18 before the Salukis started their run.
 
"The first quarter was a wakeup call for us," Wentland said. "Balls slipped through our hands and we had too many turnovers. Then they gave it to us but then it just fell apart in the fourth quarter."
 
Indiana State will look to ring in the new year with a win as the Sycamores return to action at the Hulman Center on Friday, Jan. 5 with Evansville coming to town for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
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.