TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State closes the non-conference portion of its schedule Monday night as the Sycamores travel to Purdue Fort Wayne for a 7 p.m. tip. The game will air on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Last Time Out
Caitlin Anderson scored a career-high 16 points off the bench and
Tonysha Curry posted her first career double-double to lead Indiana State past UIC in the Sycamores' final home non-conference game of the season, 76-50, inside the Hulman Center.
Curry finished with career highs of 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Sycamores, while
Mya Glanton also finished in double-figures with 10. Indiana State led by as many as 35 points in the game and made its presence felt inside, scoring 50 of its 76 points in the paint.
ISU went on a 15-2 run midway through the first quarter and never looked back. The Sycamores limited UIC to 10 points or fewer in each of the first three quarters on the defensive end, while shooting more than 50 percent from the field on the offensive side.
A Closer Look at Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne enters Monday's contest at 4-6 overall and 3-1 in Horizon Leauge play. The Mastodons have lost each of their last three, including a 78-41 setback in their last contest at #22/23 Notre Dame.
Riley Ott led the way for the Mastodons against Notre Dame with 21 points and was one of two Purdue Fort Wayne players to finish in double-figures. Aubrey Stupp had 10, while Amellia Bromenschenkel had a team-high nine rebounds.
Sylare Starks leads Purdue Fort Wayne with 14.7 points per game and is one of three Mastodons averaging double-figures for the season. Riley Ott adds 10.8 points per game, while Ryin Ott averages 10.3 points per game. Shayla Sellers leads the team in rebounds at 5.5 boards per game.
Series History Against Purdue Fort Wayne
Indiana State and Purdue Fort Wayne have previously met three times, with the Sycamores winning all three. ISU has won those three contests by an average of 47 points, including a 104-61 win in the last meeting between the teams during the 2003-04 season.
Five different Sycamores scored in double-figures the last time Indiana State and Purdue Fort Wayne met, back on Dec. 23, 2003 in Fort Wayne. Lisa Verhoff had a game-high 20 to lead ISU, while the Sycamores forced 33 turnovers on the defensive end.
Double Trouble
Indiana State has posted three double-doubles this season, including two in the month of December.
Adrian Folks had a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds in the Sycamores' second game of the season at Saint Louis.
Mya Glanton recorded ISU's second double-double of the season against Western Michigan, posting career highs of 22 points and 16 rebounds against the Broncos.
Tonysha Curry had a career-best 15 points and 12 rebounds in the last game against UIC for her first double-double in an Indiana State uniform.
Thievery
Indiana State's defense continues to remain among the nation's best as the Sycamores enter Tuesday's contest sitting in the top 25 in three different team defensive categories. The Sycamores are 23rd overall in steals (117) and 24th in both steals per game (11.7) and turnovers forced (22.20). Indiana State leads the Missouri Valley in all three categories.
Indiana State made their mark early in the season with a 21-steal contest against Stephens (Mo.) to open the year. Since then, ISU has recorded at least 10 steals in six of the last seven contests, including 13 in back-to-back games against Georgia Southern and Chicago State. Overall, it's been a team effort by Indiana State with four players posting double-digit steals on the year and 10 players overall recording multiple steals.
In addition to getting their hands on the ball, ISU has been constantly harassing the opposition and has posted six games with at least 20 forced turnovers on defense. The Sycamores forced a season-high 36 turnovers against Stephens (Mo.) and carried on with 26 forced turnovers against Saint Louis, 21 against Georgia Southern, 21 against Chicago State and 24 in back-to-back games against Western Michigan and (RV/RV Nebraska).
Defense to Offense
Indiana State has forced at least 15 turnovers in each of the first 10 games this season. The Sycamores have often converted those turnovers into points on the other end, as ISU has at least 25 points off turnovers in four of the last five games.
No Fly Zone
Indiana State's win over Georgia Southern marked the second time in the 2021-22 season that Indiana State held an opponent scoreless from behind the arc. The Sycamores limited the Eagles to a 0-for-14 performance behind the three-point line to shut down Georgia Southern in the 71-67 win.
ISU previously limited Stephens (Mo.) to a 0-for-12 mark behind the arc to open the year and have held opponents under .300 from the three-point line on six separate occasions this year. ISU has limited opponents to just a .261 three-point percentage on the year, a mark that ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference and inside the top 75 in Division I.
Indiana State limited UIC to a 1-for-14 mark (.077) from behind the arc in its last game, a 76-50 Sycamore win. ISU is limiting opponents to a .096 clip from deep in its four wins this season.
Banner Year
The 2021-22 season has already seen multiple Indiana State players set career highs in the scoring column. Overall, five different returning Sycamores have set new career bests in scoring this season, with a pair of newcomers also posting double-digit efforts this season.
Del'Janae Williams had a career-high 26 in Indiana State's road win over Georgia Southern in one of her two 20-point games this season, while
Adrian Folks had a career-best 24 in a double-double at Saint Louis.
Mya Glanton set career-high marks of 22 points and 16 rebounds in ISU's last home game against Western Michigan.
Marie Hunter (19 vs. Jacksonville State) and
Natalia Lalic (13 at Georgia Southern) have also set their career highs in scoring this season. In addition,
Tonysha Curry (15 vs. UIC),
Anna McKendree (13 vs. Stephens (Mo.)) and
Arianna Smith (11 at Western Kentucky) have hit double-figures in scoring during their first seasons in the Blue and White.
