NORMAL, Ill. – Ashli O'Neal scored 14 points and was one of three Sycamores in double figures but Illinois State was uncharacteristically hot shooting from downtown as Indiana State dropped a 63-53 decision Friday evening.
 
Illinois State (12-13, 6-8 Missouri Valley) has averaged under 27 percent shooting from beyond the arc this year and average just four 3-pointers per game but the Redbirds went 4-for-4 from downtown in the third quarter alone and shot 50 percent from long range.
 
The Redbirds were led by Simone Goods' 29 points and 10 rebounds while Katrina Beck (13) and Hannah Green (11) also scored in double figures.
 
"Obviously, Simone Goods was the difference tonight," Indiana State interim head coach Josh Keister said. "She'd been coming on lately. She is a tough matchup. I've seen her play a bunch in junior college and knew how good of a player she is and we had troubles with her."
 
Indiana State (8-16, 6-7) committed 18 turnovers in the game, the most since Keister assumed the head coach responsibilities on Jan. 2, while succumbing to foul trouble with 23 charged fouls called on the Sycamores. Illinois State was whistled only 10 times and the Trees only attempted 10 free throws.
 
Illinois State went on a 14-3 run early in the third quarter, taking the Redbirds from a one-point deficit to a 10-point lead. The Sycamores would spend the remainder of the game battling back and would pull within seven on three separate occasions
 
"It definitely was a key stretch," Keister said of that run. "That is what happens when Simone Goods is that good on the block because you start sagging down in there and they were able to knock down some 3s. We gave them some extra possessions and they out-scrapped us on the boards. Before the game, we talked about how we can't allow them to have second, third and fourth opportunities because it is going to be a lower-possession game so that stretch really hurt us and obviously it was the difference in the game."
 
While the Redbirds were hot, the Sycamores turned cold. Despite shooting 37 percent for the game overall, Indiana State shot just 22.2 percent in the third quarter and was outscored in the frame, 20-9.
 
The Trees tried to redeem themselves in the fourth quarter, hitting a pair of 3s and shooting 46.2 percent from the field but committed seven of the game's 18 turnovers in the final eight minutes of the game.
 
"I thought we were a little bit sloppy with the ball, we were a little disjointed offensively in the second half," Keister said. "We didn't move it as well as we needed to. I think it is a combination of those things there. It is something we definitely need to clean up and get better before we play on Sunday."

Ty Battle (12 points) and Regan Wentland (11) also scored in double figures.
 
Indiana State will now play at Bradley on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. The Braves (12-13, 6-8) are coming off a 92-47 win over Evansville.
 
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.