VALPARAISO, Ind. – Del'Janae Williams had a game-high 24 points Friday evening, pacing Indiana State in an 85-65 win over Valparaiso at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
 
Williams added four assists and was one of four Sycamores to score in double-figures, including three starters. Marie Hunter had 19, while Arianna Smith recorded her first career double-double with career-highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Tonysha Curry finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards.
 
Indiana State led for nearly the entire contest, including all of the second half. The Sycamores never trailed by more than one possession and used a 13-1 run late in the second quarter to take the lead for good. ISU shot 51 percent from the field in the game and scored 48 second-half points to break open what was a tight game through the first half.
 
First Half
Indiana State came out shooting hot from the start, as Hunter opened the scoring with a midrange jumper right off the opening tip. Back-to-back layups by  Smith and  Williams gave ISU an early five-point lead, 8-3, before the home side started to claw back. Valpo and Indiana State traded 3-pointers late in the quarter, but it was a pair of free throws in the closing seconds that saw the Beacons go ahead after one quarter, 19-18.
 
The Sycamores and Beacons traded punches early in the second, but it was Indiana State that took control of the later stages of the quarter. The Sycamores went on a 13-1 run spanning nearly five minutes, using defensive pressure to create transition baskets and easy shots on the offensive end. Smith, Williams, Mya Glanton, Curry and Caitlin Anderson all contributed to the scoring run, which sent Indiana State to the halftime break with a 37-29 lead.
 
Second Half
Hunter opened the scoring in the second half with a three-point play, following up a missed shot with a putback while being hacked. Valpo cut the Sycamore lead to six early in the quarter, but that was the closest the Beacons got for the remainder of the contest. Indiana State crashed the glass and finished with eight offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points in the third, with Curry grabbing three offensive boards and scoring eight in the period. A Hunter layup with just over a minute left pushed the ISU lead back into double-digits, where it would remain for the rest of the game. The Sycamores took a 63-52 lead into the final quarter.
 
ISU opened the fourth on a 7-0 run with Williams quickly scoring three fastbreak layups to put the game out of hand. The Sycamores held Valpo without a field goal for the first 4:30 of the quarter on the defensive side, while Williams put on an offensive clinic with 11 points in that same span. Valpo had a late 9-2 run but by then the outcome was already decided. Hunter and Williams capped the evening with baskets inside the final 70 seconds, as Indiana State finished off its third straight win.
 
Inside the Statistics

• Williams recorded her second consecutive 20-point game after also scoring 21 Tuesday against Evansville.
• Indiana State dominated the interior, finishing with a plus-21 rebound margin (41-20) and scoring a season-high 58 points in the paint.
• Indiana State had 18 offensive rebounds in the game, converting those into 26 second-chance points.
• The Sycamores had the advantage in points off turnovers (19-12), points in the paint (58-18), second-chance points (26-8) and fastbreak points (17-9), while also being tied in bench points (16-16) despite only seven players seeing minutes Friday.
• ISU tied its season low with just 10 turnovers Friday.

 
News & Notes

• Indiana State is 4-1 in Valley play for the first time since the 2016-17 season. The Sycamores doubled their conference win total from last year with Friday's 85-65 win over Valpo.
• ISU had four double-figure scorers for the second time in conference play this season. The Sycamores also had four in double-figures in their win over Drake. Indiana State is 4-0 this season when having four in double-figures.
• Indiana State's streak of 15 straight games with 15 or more turnovers was snapped Friday, with Valpo only turning the ball over 14 times.
• Del'Janae Williams (16.0) and Marie Hunter (15.0) are combining to average 31 points per game in conference play, with both players ranking inside the top five in the MVC.
• Indiana State leads the Valley in scoring offense during conference play at 72.6 points per game.

 
Up Next
Indiana State closes its two-game road trip Sunday afternoon at Loyola Chicago, with tipoff set for 2 p.m.
 
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