CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Queens of the Comeback weren't required Thursday evening at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. But that royal experience that Indiana State gained over the first few weeks of the season came in handy in a 62-51 win at Southeast Missouri.
 
The Sycamores (4-1) had four players in double figures, registered 20 steals and hit clutch free throws and field goals late to secure the win and prevent the host Redhawks (2-5) from claiming the crown.
 
That was because ISU shot 44 percent from the field in the final quarter of play and hit 9 of 13 free throw attempts. And even if the numbers weren't that good, a stifling defense prevent Southeast Missouri from overcoming a game-long deficit by allowing only 8 of 23 shots to fall in the final quarter.
 
"The more we can get in these kinds of positions to make sure that we win games and solidify things, the better," Indiana State Head Coach Vicki Hall said of those late game situations. "And the more confidence we can gain by just continuing to play."
 
The previous three wins, all with the Sycamores rallying from behind, gave the team that confidence late in the game. But it was a different-looking Indiana State squad early on. Departing from the status quo of slow starts, the Trees jumped out to a 20-10 lead at the first quarter break with 12 steals in the first 10 minutes alone.
 
"I think it was great because it was the first game (this year) where we came out and threw the first punch and I love that," Hall said of the hot start. "We need to do that and get better at that. Now we need to learn how to be able to sustain that throughout a game. We get pretty good in quarters - two or three quarters, but we haven't quite had a four-quarter game yet. So, we just have to keep working on it. It is probably not going to happen anytime soon but we will keep working."
 
The 12 steals in the first quarter led to a total of 20 in the game for Indiana State – the most for a Sycamore team in a game since 1998 and the most by a Missouri Valley Conference team this season. Ashli O'Neal, who scored a team-high 15 points, was one of four Sycamores with four steals. She also drew a season-high three charges in the game.
 
Overall Indiana State would shoot over 46 percent from long range – the second time in three games ISU has eclipsed the 45 percent mark – and would claim its fourth road win of the year, matching last year's road win total in just the first month of this season.
 
But while the steals were notable, that led to another statistical category that was also notable. The turnovers, however, were not just one-sided. While Indiana State's 20 steals led, in part, to 35 total turnovers by the Redhawks, the Sycamores were responsible for 28 turnovers themselves.
 
"It was a wild game," Hall said. "We made it wild and they made it wild. It was a game of turnovers but we outlasted that."
 
Southeast Missouri was led by Tesia Thompson's 23 points.
 
Indiana State finally opens its home schedule on Monday when the Sycamores host IUPUI at the Hulman Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.
 
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.