TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State opens its 2022-23 season Monday morning when it welcomes the Saint Louis Billikens for an 11 a.m. tip inside Hulman Center. The game will be carried on ESPN3.
 

Indiana State Women's Basketball vs. Saint Louis
Date	Monday, November 7 | 11 a.m. ET
Location // Venue	Terre Haute, Ind. // Hulman Center (9,000)
Preview Info	Indiana State Notes // Saint Louis Notes
Live Stats	Live Stat Feed
Watch	ESPN3
Tickets	Tickets Starting at $6
Social Media	@IndStWBB // @IndStAthletics

 
Last Time Out
Chelsea Cain and Caitlin Anderson scored 14 points apiece Thursday evening, leading Indiana State past Lincoln (Mo.) in an exhibition, 75-66, inside Hulman Center.
 
Bella Finnegan added 11 off the bench, while Anna McKendree finished with 10. Cain led the Trees with eight rebounds, while Adrian Folks had eight points and six boards in her first game action since a season-ending injury last November.
 
After a tight opening 20 minutes, Indiana State pulled away with a 46-point second half, shooting 57 percent from the field in the third and fourth quarters. The Trees cut down on turnovers in the second half and, aside from a late fourth-quarter spurt, kept the visitors in check on the offensive side.
 
Early Riser
Indiana State has a rare opportunity on Monday, as the Sycamores are among the first games to kick off the 2022-23 season. Monday's game against Saint Louis is one of nine 11 a.m. ET tipoffs on the opening day of play for Division I schools.
 
New Year, New Look
After playing most of the 2021-22 season with an eight-player rotation due to injuries and COVID concerns, Indiana State head coach Chad Killinger has a plethora of options at his disposal for the upcoming season.
 
All 13 players who were dressed for the Sycamores' exhibition contest against Lincoln (Mo.) last week saw game action, with 11 of those 13 players seeing eight minutes or more of playing time. Four of the five newcomers scored five or more points, with two of them finishing in double-figures (Chelsea Cain 14, Bella Finnegan 11).
 
Burger's Breakout Year
Indiana State guard Del'Janae Williams burst on the scene in a big way during the 2021-22 season, emerging as a leader in the Sycamore backcourt while establishing herself as one of the top guards in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
Williams averaged 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals, for the season, numbers that increased to 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in conference games.
 
Lalic Lights it Up
After averaging less than 12 minutes per game during the 2020-21 season while only averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, Natalia Lalic had a breakout 2021-22 season where she emerged as one of the Sycamores' top 3-point shooters.
 
The Australian started 26 of the 29 games she appeared in, scoring 7.9 points per game, including a career-high 20 in a conference-opening win over Drake, while knocking down 33 percent of her attempts from behind the arc. She also added 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
 
Thieves Avenue
Indiana State tended to make things difficult for opposition offenses last season, as the Sycamores led the Missouri Valley Conference in steals (313, 10.1 per game) and turnovers forced (560, 18.1 per game).
 
The Sycamores had a penchant for forcing turnovers in bunches during the 2021-22 campaign, as Indiana State forced 20 or more turnovers 11 different times during the season. Indiana State forced a season-high 36 turnovers against Stephens College and also forced 30 turnovers in its conference-opening win on the road at Drake.
 
Saint Louis at a Glance
Saint Louis was picked to finish 12th in the A10 this season, as voted on by the head coaches in the conference. The Billikens have a new leader at the helm, as Rebecca Tillett takes the reins of the program following a four-year stint at Longwood.
 
SLU finished last season at 9-18 overall and 5-9 in A10 play. Following the season, the Billikens overhauled the roster. Nine new faces joined the program this season, including six transfers. SLU placed two on the A10 Preseason All-Conference teams in Brooke Flowers and Kyla McMakin.
 
The Billikens also played an exhibition game Thursday, falling at home to Maryville 78-70. SLU trailed by as many as 29 in that game before staging a comeback attempt that fell short.
 
Series History Against Saint Louis
Indiana State and Saint Louis have previously met 11 times, with the Sycamores going 7-4 against the Billikens. ISU is 2-3 against SLU in Terre Haute.
 
Last Game Against Saint Louis (Nov. 14, 2021)
Adrian Folks had a career-high 24 points along with 10 rebounds but a late fourth quarter spurt pushed Saint Louis past Indiana State at Chaifetz Arena. The game was Indiana State's first road contest of the 2021-22 season handed the Sycamores their first loss of the year.
 
The Sycamores led by a slim 49-48 margin after three quarters, but Saint Louis outscored Indiana State 17-9 in the fourth. A 13-0 Billiken run midway through the final frame proved to be the difference in the game, as SLU hit three 3-pointers during that span.
 
Up Next
Indiana State remains at home to face Central Michigan Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Women's Basketball, 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 the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.