CHARLESTON, Ill. – In 2018, Indiana State was handed their worst loss in the Panther-Sycamore series, losing by 24. On Sunday, ISU got their revenge, handing Eastern Illinois their first loss of the season in the final seconds, 59-57.
 
LeAndra Echi continued to slice through defenses on Sunday, cutting up the Panthers for 11 points as well as 12 rebounds, giving the junior her first double-double in a Sycamores uniform. Freshman Sommer Pitzer also played a big role in the ISU offense, ending with 13 points and three steals.
 
As a team, the blue and white continued their balanced scoring attack, having six players with five or more points. ISU shot 41.1% from the field and 26.7% from three for the game, while EIU ended at 40.7% and 26.7% for the game. EIU ended the afternoon with a 12-7 advantage in the assist category.
 
Defensively, the Trees ended with 10 steals, led by Jamyra McChristine and Pitzer with three each. Eastern did hold the edge, however, finishing the evening with 13 steals.
 
ISU dominated in the paint, pulling down 47 rebounds, 15 of which were offensive, while only allowing 27 rebounds by the Panthers. Echi led the way with 12, but Hunter and McChristine tallied six of their own. Both teams ended with 30 points in the paint.
 
The commitment to defense was made clear right from the opening tip, as McChristine stole the ball on the baseline during EIU's opening possession. The junior then turned the Panther turnover into a layup on the other end. She opened the game with the first four points for ISU.
 
Indiana State took a 10-5 lead into the first media timeout and continued to emphasize and inside-out approach to the offense, as Pitzer lobbed a pass over top of the Panther defense right out of the timeout for an easy two for Pearl Dean.
 
Once the Sycamores pulled to a 14-9 lead, the Panthers got back-to-back triples from Abby Wahl and Taylor Steele to spark a 10-0 run to close the quarter. The Panthers took a 19-14 lead into the second quarter. The Panthers did not commit a foul in the first.
 
The Sycamores picked up their first three-point bucket of the game on the first possession of the second quarter as Del'Janae Williams broke free at the elbow for the trey. The blue and white then held the Panthers scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the second and earned eight-straight defensive stops, allowing them to tie the game at 19.
 
With 3:45 left in the frame, Williams converted an and-one opportunity to give ISU their first lead of the period, but the Panthers answered with a 9-1 run, capped off by a three pointer by Karle Pace with 1:14 left in the frame. Echi managed to end the run with a triple off of an offensive rebound and assist from Williams. After a mad scramble at the end of the half, Pitzer ended with the ball and found the bottom of the net from three-point range as time expired to close the gap to just one at halftime, 32-31.
 
Pitzer and the Sycamores started the second half just how they ended the first. The freshman guard converted an and-one opportunity off of a driving floater, which sparked a 9-2 run to open the third. Pitzer gave ISU a 40-34 lead after Kira Arthofer in the backcourt and converting layup off of a steal with 7:41 left in the period.
 
EIU utilized a 6-0 run over the next 2:30 to once again tie the game, but Echi cut through the defense and drew a foul, using a free throw to end the Panther control. ISU played lockdown defense for the remainder of the quarter, helped by a Pitzer defensive rebound and fastbreak triple with 3:00 left to push the lead to 46-40. The Trees ended the frame with a 48-43 advantage.
 
The offense cooled off for both squads in the final frame. Dean opened the fourth with a jumper, but ISU shot just 33% from the field halfway through the period. EIU pull back within three, but a big sequence from Marie Hunter, including a steal, offensive board and put-back helped hold-off a desperate Panther team, giving the Trees a 54-51 lead.
 
54-51 was the score for the next four minutes, but Pitzer came up with a steal and layup with 54.3 seconds to go to end the drought. The Panthers pulled within one multiple times, but three big free throws from Williams helped seal the victory for the blue and white, 59-57.
 
Eastern Illinois was led by Karle Pace with 20 points and five assists, while Abby Wahl pulled down five boards.
 
ISU will be back in action on Thursday, Nov. 14 when they head to Macomb, Ill., for a matchup with Western Illinois.
 
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.