TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State heads to the road for the first time in the 2021-22 season as the Sycamores make the trek to St. Louis, Mo. for a Sunday afternoon contest against the Billikens. Tipoff between the Sycamores and Saint Louis University is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
The Sycamores (1-0) enter the contest coming off a successful season debut under the leadership of head coach
Chad Killinger. Killinger became just the fifth ISU women's basketball head coach to win in his coaching debut with the Sycamores as Indiana State topped visiting Stephens (Mo.) this past Tuesday, 88-33.
Indiana State took advantage of a swarming defense and an opportunistic offense in the 2021-22 home opener against the visiting Stars in the Hulman Center. All 10 Sycamore players scored and recorded at least one rebound, while nine players recorded at least one assist in the Indiana State win.
The Sycamores were paced by
Adrian Folks' 16 points as five players scored double-digits in the opening game.
Anna McKendree (13),
Del'Janae Williams (12),
Caitlin Anderson (10), and
Natalia Lalic (10) were also in double-digits in the win.
The Billikens (0-1) fell in their season debut at home against Northern Iowa, 63-54. Saint Louis was paced by Brooke Flowers' 16-point, 19-rebound double-double, but UNI utilized a 7-0 stretch in the third quarter to pull away in the win.
About the Opponents
Saint Louis University heads into the Sunday contest coming off a 63-54 loss to the Northern Iowa Panthers this past Tuesday. The Billikens were paced by Brooke Flowers' 16-point, 19-rebound game against UNI, while Marisa Warren posted a 10-point, four-assist contest in the loss.
The Billikens were selected fourth overall in the Atlantic-10 Preseason Poll as selected by conference's head coaches coming into the year. SLU welcomed back the return of Ciaja Harbison and Brooke Flowers to the roster with both players earning Preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference nods. Harbison was named to the First Team, while Flowers was selected to the Third Team.
Saint Louis had a season to remember last year with the Billikens posting a 14-5 record overall and reached the quarterfinals of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). It marked Saint Louis' longest postseason run in program history.
Other players of note to watch from the Saint Louis roster include Harbison as the senior guard opened the year with a 15-poinnt, three-steal game against UNI. Julia Martinez added four steals, two assists, and four rebounds in the season-opening loss.
Offense To Remember
Indiana State made its 2021-22 season one to remember as the Sycamores put together one of the most complete performances in program history against the Stephens (Mo.) Stars. All 10 Sycamores that played in the contest were in the scoring column with five players hitting double-digits in the contest. The Sycamores combined to shoot 50.7% from the floor in the game led by
Adrian Folks 16-point performance in the win.
Anna McKendree (13),
Del'Janae Williams (12),
Natalia Lalic (10), and
Caitlin Anderson (10) were also in double-digits for the Sycamores in the win as Indiana State jumped out to a 22-point lead in the first quarter on their way to cruising to the win. Additionally,
Tonysha Curry (8) and
Florence Tshimanga (2) were also in the scoring column for the first time in their ISU career this year.
Taking It Away
Indiana State enters the weekend sitting eighth overall in the NCAA in total steals on the season following the season-opener against Stephens. The Sycamores posted 21 steals in the season-opener against the Stars with six different players recording a takeaway in the contest.
Caitlin Anderson led the way with a team-high six steals in the game, while
Anna McKendree and
Marie Hunter both had four apiece in the win.
Defensive Shutdown
The Sycamores put together one of the best defensive performances in the nation in the opening game of the year as Indiana State held Stephens (Mo.) to just an 18.4% field goal percentage in the opener against the Stars. The Sycamores held the Stars scoreless from the floor over the first 13:44 in the contest and limited Stephens (Mo.) to just 10 points prior to the halftime break. Overall, ISU limited Stephens to just 9-of-49 from the floor and 0-for-12 from the three-point mark in the season-opening win.
Hulman Center Upgrades/Guidelines
A $50 million and nearly two-year renovation project added several updates to the building including a new exterior facade and a glass entrance at the south end that adds square footage and event/meeting space. Light through the glass changes the feel of the building. Previously, the bowl was closed off. From the outside and upon entering, people will be able to glimpse the bowl and the building's high-energy events.
A new multi-purpose suite overlooking a new court as well as an open-faced area on the south end of the arena are immediately noticeable. Fans will enjoy new restrooms and concession stands while walking the new concourse area, while instantly noticing the new lighting for the court and an improved sound system.
One of the major parts of the update to Hulman Center was new utility systems, which will make the facility more comfortable while replacing unreliable and inefficient equipment, much of which dated to 1973.
First-Time Opponents/Non-Conference Schedule
Indiana State's 2021-22 non-conference schedule will feature an even blend of familiar faces and newcomers to the floor this season as the Sycamores will face-off against five first-time opponents, while also taking on six familiar foes this year. Indiana State boasts an overall winning record (56-36) record against their non-conference slate this year with their longest running rivalry coming against Eastern Illinois (38-24). ISU also boasts an all-time winning record against five of the six familiar teams on the non-conference schedule including a win in their lone contest against Nebraska back in 1994.
Out of the five newcomers on the 2021-22 schedule include home games against the home opener against Stephens (Mo.) and the December 14 contest against Illinois Chicago. The Sycamores will travel to IPFW on December 20 in their final game prior to the holiday break, while ISU will take on both Jacksonville State and Georgia Southern in the Georgia Southern Thanksgiving Classic held over Thanksgiving Break in Statesboro, Ga.
Additional home games for the Sycamores this season include a November 17 home date against Eastern Illinois, December 4 against Western Michigan, and December 14 against Illinois Chicago. The Sycamores head to Saint Louis (Nov. 14), Western Kentucky (Nov. 24), Chicago State (Dec. 1), and Nebraska (Dec. 11) to wrap up the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Preseason Poll
Indiana State was selected ninth overall in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason women's basketball poll as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. The Sycamores received 102 total points in the poll as voted on by the conference's coaches, sports information directors, and media.
The Sycamores return four starters from last season's team that finished 5-15 overall with a 2-12 mark in MVC play.
Sommer Pitzer,
Caitlin Anderson,
Marie Hunter, and
Adrian Folks return to account for 83.6% of the starting five scoring output on the year, while nine returners overall highlight the roster coming into the 2021-22 season.
Missouri State was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the MVC with the Bears receiving 362 points and 35 first-place votes. Drake (two first-place, 316 points) and Northern Iowa (three first-place, 298 points) round out the top-three in poll.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Women's Basketball, visit
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including
Twitter,
Facebook,
Instagram and
YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the
App Store and the
Google Play Store.
