FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Anna McKendree scored 14 points off the bench and Marie Hunter added 12 Monday night to lead Indiana State past Purdue Fort Wayne, 55-53, inside the Gates Sports Center.
 
The win was the second straight for the Sycamores, who improved to 5-6 on the season. Caitlin Anderson hit the go-ahead free throw with 1:08 left in the game, while Indiana State's defense forced 26 Purdue Fort Wayne turnovers.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne led by as many as seven, but ISU always remained within striking distance. The Sycamores closed the game on a 6-0 run and kept Purdue Fort Wayne off the scoreboard for the final four minutes of the contest.
 
First Half
Mya Glanton opened the scoring for the Sycamores with a pair of free throws, but it was the home side who had control in the early stages. Purdue Fort Wayne jumped out to an 11-4 lead midway through the opening quarter before the Sycamore bench provided a spark. Anna McKendree had three points, an assist and a steal in the late stages of the quarter, as Indiana State closed on a 7-0 run to tie the score at 13-all after the first 10 minutes.
 
The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets throughout the period. Marie Hunter gave the Sycamores their first lead of the contest early in the quarter with a floater, one of her three field goals in the second quarter. Hunter and Tonysha Curry combined to score 11 of Indiana State's 16 points in the quarter, but five Purdue Fort Wayne 3-pointers in the period gave the Mastodons a slim 30-29 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Second Half
Del'Janae Williams got things going for the Sycamores in the third quarter with ISU's first five points, including a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Indiana State the lead. Purdue Fort Wayne continued its barrage from behind the arc and led by as many as four in the quarter, but a late Arianna Smith jumper made it a one-possession game heading into the final quarter.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne opened up a seven-point lead early in the quarter before the Sycamores made a run of their own. Back-to-back baskets by McKendree, including a 3-pointer, followed by a Caitlin Anderson jumper evened the score at 47-all midway through the quarter. Indiana State's defense kept Purdue Fort Wayne off the board for the last four minutes of the contest and went on a 6-0 run to close the game. Anderson hit the go-ahead free throw with 1:08 on the clock to give ISU its second straight win.
 
Inside the Statistics

• Indiana State matched its 2020-21 win total Monday with its fifth win of the season.
• Indiana State forced Purdue Fort Wayne into 26 turnovers, the most for the Mastodons at home this season.
• The Sycamores led for less than five minutes in the contest.
• ISU made its presence felt down low with a 28-10 advantage in points in the paint.

 
News & Notes

• Arianna Smith pulled down a career-best nine rebounds in the win. Smith also had six points off the bench.
• Anna McKendree's 14 points were her most in an Indiana State uniform.

 
Up Next
The Sycamores take a break for the holidays before returning to action December 30 for their Missouri Valley Conference opener at Drake.
 
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