TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Bella Finnegan recorded season-highs of 14 points and five rebounds Thursday evening, but visiting Missouri State escaped Hulman Center with a 71-62 win over Indiana State.
 
Chelsea Cain added 12 points and seven rebounds, her third double-figure scoring game in the last four, while Anna McKendree, Adrian Folks and Caitlin Anderson scored eight points each. Mya Glanton had six points and a season-high 11 rebounds for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State struggled from the field offensively, allowing Missouri State to take an early double-digit lead. The Sycamores took advantage of their trips to the free throw line in the first half, cutting the deficit to one, and later took the lead in the third quarter. A 14-1 run in the third quarter proved crucial for Missouri State, and despite cutting the deficit to three late in the fourth, the Sycamores were unable to fully recover.
 
First Half
Cain scored Indiana State's first points with a layup off a missed 3-pointer, but Missouri State controlled most of the opening quarter. Indiana State's inability to hit shots allowed the visitors to jump out to a double-digit lead early on. The Sycamores made just two shots in the first quarter, as Missouri State led 16-7 after the opening period.
 
Indiana State got to the free throw line 11 times in the second quarter, which allowed the Sycamores to claw their way back into the game. A pair of free throws by Glanton and jumper by Cain gave Indiana State its first lead of the contests with just over two minutes to play in the half, and McKendree tacked on a 3-pointer to give the Sycamores their largest lead of the half at 25-23. A late 3-pointer for Missouri State sent the teams to the intermission with Indiana State trailing 26-25.
 
Second Half
Missouri State pushed its lead up to four points early in the third with a 3-pointer, but Cain kept the Sycamores within reach with eight points in the period. A layup by Anderson followed by a three-point play for Cain put Indiana State back in front midway through the quarter, with Anderson added a fastbreak layup to give the Sycamores their largest lead of the game at 39-36. Aided by a questionable intentional foul call, Missouri State went on a 14-1 run late in the quarter to go back in front by 10 at 50-40. 3-pointers for McKendree and Finnegan inside the final 30 seconds helped Indiana State get within 52-46 heading into the fourth.
 
Del'Janae Williams opened the fourth quarter with a layup to cut the deficit down to four, but Missouri State answered with a 3-pointer and later pushed its lead up to nine at 57-48. Finnegan caught fire with nine points in the final frame, including a 3-pointer to cut the Sycamore deficit to 59-55 midway through. Glanton added a free throw later on to get Indiana State within three at 63-60, but Missouri State's ability to convert from the free throw line late allowed the Bears to squeak past the Sycamores.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Indiana State finished with 15 offensive rebounds for the second straight game. The Sycamores turned that into 14 second chance points.
• Bella Finnegan's 14 points and five rebounds were both season highs.
• Indiana State was within one possession late despite shooting a season-low 29.8 percent from the field.
• 30 of Indiana State's 62 points came from the bench, with three reserves scoring eight or more points (Bella Finnegan 14, Caitlin Anderson 8, Adrian Folks 8).

 
News & Notes

• Thursday's loss was the first time since the 2019-20 season that the Sycamores dropped their MVC opener.
• Indiana State dropped to 18-22 in MVC/Gateway Conference openers.
• Mya Glanton's 11 rebounds were the most in a game by a Sycamore this season. Glanton was also the last Sycamore to record double-digit rebounds in a game, doing so in the MVC Tournament against Evansville last season.
• Thursday's game marked the first time this season that Indiana State played fewer than 11 players. Nine Sycamores saw the floor against Missouri State.

 
Up Next
Indiana State has a quick turnaround before facing Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
 
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