TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Del'Janae Williams had 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals Tuesday evening to lead Indiana State past visiting Evansville, 69-51, inside the Hulman Center.
 
Marie Hunter added 11 points for the Sycamores, who held Evansville to its lowest point total of the season. Indiana State had six different players score seven or more points in the contest. Indiana State led for the final 37:54 of the contest and gave Evansville fits throughout the game. The Sycamores forced 22 turnovers and never allowed the Purple Aces to get into a rhythm on the offensive end.
 
ISU limited Evansville to just two field goals in the first quarter and built a double-digit lead before a late 3-pointer before the horn. The Purple Aces cut ISU's lead to three late in the second, but that was the closest Evansville would get as Indiana State's offense came alive for 39 points in the second half. ISU used early scoring runs in both the third and fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
 
First Half
Indiana State's defense put the clamps on in the first quarter, as Evansville had a stretch of nearly nine minutes without a field goal. The Sycamores went on a 15-3 run during that span, building up a double-digit lead in the process. Williams and Caitlin Anderson were the hot hands in the opening quarter, combining for 10 points as ISU built a 15-8 lead after 10 minutes of play.
 
The Sycamores started the second quarter with a Williams layup and an Anna McKendree 3-pointer to push their lead to 20-8 before Evansville started to make a run. The Purple Aces used their press defense to cause trouble for Indiana State and were able to cut the Sycamore lead to three following a Myia Clark layup with two minutes left. Indiana State closed the quarter strong, as Arianna Smith and Williams both made late baskets to help send the Sycamores to the locker room with a 30-24 lead.
 
Second Half
Indiana State started the second half strong, quickly building its lead back to double-digits following a Williams 3-pointer. The Sycamores used a 7-0 run punctuated by a pair of Hunter free throws to push their lead to 13 midway through the third quarter, 39-26. Evansville's Abby Feit hit a 3-pointer to push the Sycamore lead back down to nine, but that basket with 4:18 left in the period marked the last time Indiana State led by less than 10 points. ISU continued to find success on the offensive end in the quarter, scoring 22 points in the period and taking a 52-41 lead into the final frame.
 
Williams came firing out of the gate in the fourth quarter, making a jumper and a 3-pointer on ISU's first two possessions of the quarter to force an Evansville timeout. An 8-0 Sycamore run midway through the quarter pushed the Indiana State lead to 21, its largest of the contest, as Tonysha Curry, Mya Glanton, Anderson and McKendree all contributed to the run. By the time Evansville ended the scoring run, the game was already out of reach as Indiana State closed out its eighth win of the season.
 
Inside the Statistics

• Indiana State recorded its 10th game of the season with 20 or more turnovers forced. The Sycamores have forced 15 or more turnovers in all 15 games this season and lead the Missouri Valley Conference in turnovers forced.
• Indiana State has forced 20 or more turnovers in three of its first four MVC games this season.
• Indiana State's last three Valley games with 15 or more assists have all come against Evansville following the Sycamores' 15-assist performance Tuesday.
• Despite Evansville using a press defense throughout the game, ISU forced more turnovers than UE (22-18).
• ISU shot at least 45 percent from the field in each of the last three quarters, including a 50 percent clip in both the second and fourth quarters.

 
News & Notes

• Indiana State is 3-1 in MVC play for the first time since the 2016-17 season. The Sycamores surpassed their conference win total from last season and matched their MVC win total from the 2019-20 season.
• Indiana State pushed its record above .500 for the first time since starting the season 1-0 after defeating Stephens College.
• Williams eclipsed the 20-point mark for the third time this season, the most on the team. It's her ninth game scoring in double-figures this season.
• Indiana State is 6-0 this season when holding opponents under 60 points. Head coach Chad Killinger is 205-31 in his career when opposing teams fail to reach the 60-point mark.
• Indiana State improved to 41-19 against Evansville this season, the best mark for the Sycamores against a Valley opponent all-time.

 
Up Next
Indiana State begins a two-game road trip Friday night at Valparaiso with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
 
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