TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State basketball rallied from an 11-point deficit but ultimately fell to Valparaiso 75-73 Saturday afternoon at the Hulman Center. Cameron Henry matched a career-high with 25 points, including 14-straight points in the second half.
 
The Sycamores (8-10, 1-5 MVC) allowed Valpo to take 15 more shots in the game after turning the ball over 13 times and allowing 11 offensive rebounds -- 10 of which came in the second half of play. The Beacons were able to turn the ISU turnovers into seven points while scoring seven second-chance points during the game.
 
First Half
The first half featured 11 lead changes and eight ties. Both offenses picked up their pace midway through the first half after a slow start that saw a 4-3 score nearly five minutes into play. ISU struggled to find a consistent lineup throughout the first 20 minutes as both Xavier Bledson and Zach Hobbs battled foul trouble.
 
Forward Kailex Stephens strung together a strong first half off the bench for the Sycamores as he paced ISU with 12 points while hitting a trio of 3-pointers. Micah Thomas added eight points for the Sycamores as he hit three of his six shots.
 
The Sycamores reeled off a 5-0 run in the final minutes and took a 40-35 lead into the locker room. As a team, ISU shot 53 percent while Valpo shot 35 percent from the field in the first half.
 
Second Half
Valpo came out on fire in the second half, erasing their deficit with a 7-0 run to open play. The Beacons (10-10, 3-5 MVC) put together their biggest run of the game midway through the second with an 8-0 run to extend their lead to 61-50 after a Kobe King transition basket.
 
Trailing by 10 with 8:48 remaining in the game Henry converted an and-one opportunity to cut into the Valpo lead. ISU took advantage of favorable matchups with Henry throughout the rally as the guard was switched to a Valpo forward allowing Henry to get to the free-throw line several possessions in a row.
 
The Hulman Center crowd was energized by two-straight defensive plays from Simon Wilbar that ended with henry layups to cut the Valpo lead to five points before VU's Preston Ruedinger connected on a contested 3-pointer to steady the Beacons.
 
ISU stood strong though, scoring eight consecutive points capped off by a steal on a VU inbound play and Julian Larry tying the game with a pair of free throws with 36 seconds left to play. After a timeout, Valpo would get its first points in three minutes when Ben Krikke got into the post and finished his shot with six seconds on the clock.
 
Inside the Stats

• ISU was outrebounded in the game 38-36, including 10-3 on the offensive glass.
• Valpo did not record a turnover in the first half and finished the game with seven while ISU had 13 miscues.
• The 25-point effort is the third 20+ point game this season for Cameron Henry.
• Three Beacons scored in double-figures led by Krikke's 21 points. Kevion Taylor added 17 for VU while King had 15.
• The game featured 16 ties and 11 lead changes.

 
UP NEXT
ISU returns to the hardwood on Tuesday, January 25 when the Sycamores host Missouri State. Tipoff with the Bears is set for 7 p.m. from Hulman Center. Fans wishing to purchase tickets can do so by clicking HERE, by calling 877-ISU-TIXS, or by visiting the Hulman Center Ticket Office.
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, be sure to 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 both the App Store and the Google Play Store.