KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Del'Janae Williams had a season-high 23 points Saturday effort, but a second-half rally sent Western Michigan past Indiana State, 77-67, inside University Arena.
 
Chelsea Cain added nine points, while Adrian Folks had eight off the bench. Williams also had a team-leading five rebounds, while Anna McKendree finished with a season-high seven assists.
 
Indiana State shot lights-out in the first half, making 63 percent of its attempts from the field to take a double-digit lead. The Sycamores led for large stretches of the game, but WMU controlled the tempo in the second half and outscored the Trees 39-25 in the final 20 minutes to come from behind and win.
 
First Half
Indiana State opened the game on a 5-0 run following a pair of free throws by Anna McKendree following a technical foul and a Del'Janae Williams 3-pointer from the Bronco logo. The Sycamores got all the friendly rolls early with Williams and Chelsea Cain both hitting jumpers to tack on to the lead. Indiana State went on an 11-0 run midway through the opening quarter to push its lead to double-digits at 25-13, with Williams responsible for seven points during the run. The Trees led 27-18 after the first quarter.
 
ISU continued its strong start into the second, with Alona Blackwell hitting a 3-pointer from the corner and Adrian Folks converting a fastbreak layup to push the Sycamore lead to 34-21. WMU countered with a 13-2 run to get back in the game, with a layup by Folks accounting for the only Indiana State points during the run. Folks closed the quarter strong with a pair of layups, and Cain added a basket on the fastbreak to give Indiana State a 42-38 lead at the break.
 
Second Half
Williams got the scoring started for the Sycamores in the second half with a 3-pointer that she banked in from the corner. She added another triple shortly after to make it 48-45 in favor of the Sycamores, but WMU answered and took its first lead of the game midway through the quarter. Hattie Westerfeld put the Trees back in front with a layup, but the home side closed the third on a 12-2 run and put the Sycamores in a 62-54 hole entering the fourth.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Westerfeld kept the Sycamores within reach early in the fourth, but a WMU 3-pointer midway through the final quarter proved big and pushed the Broncos' lead to double-digits. McKendree hit a 3-pointer late and Mya Glanton added a layup bit it was too little, too late as Western Michigan held serve at home with a 77-67 win.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Del'Janae Williams became the second Sycamore this season to score 20-plus points in a game after Anna McKendree had 23 against Central Michigan (Nov. 16, 2022).
• Free throws played a difference Saturday, as Western Michigan was 24-for-34 compared to Indiana State's 10-for-15.
• Adrian Folks (eight) and Hattie Westerfeld (seven) both finished with season highs in scoring.
• Nearly half of Western Michigan's points came from Lauren Ross, who finished with a game-high 30.

 
News & Notes

• Indiana State's 27 points in the first quarter were the most in an opening frame for the Sycamores this season.
• Anna McKendree's seven assists were her most in a Sycamore uniform, surpassing her previous high of six against Bradley last season (Jan. 9, 2022).
• Del'Janae Williams hit a career-high five 3-pointers Saturday. Her previous best was four, which she accomplished on four occasions.
• Western Michigan was the first team that the Sycamores played last season to defeat the Sycamores. Indiana State defeated Saint Louis and Chicago State earlier this season and still has return games against Western Kentucky and Purdue Fort Wayne upcoming.

 
Up Next
Indiana State begins a five-game homestand Thursday morning against Western Kentucky, with tipoff set for 11 a.m. The Sycamores will welcome middle school students from across Vigo County to Hulman Center for the contest.
 
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