TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State begins a stretch of three games in six days Tuesday evening when it takes on Loyola Chicago inside Gentile Arena. Tipoff between the Sycamores and Ramblers is set for 6 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.
For Those Attending…
Loyola University Chicago Athletics announced health and safety COVID-19 protocols for fans attending games at Gentile Arena. The guidelines mirror those put in place this week by the City of Chicago.
In accordance with the city's mitigation efforts, fans age five and older must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the entrance to Gentile Arena, while those age 16 and over will also need to provide identification that matches their vaccination record. Proof of vaccination is defined by the City of Chicago as a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or an official immunization record from the jurisdiction, state or country where the vaccine was administered, or a digital or physical photo such as a card or record, reflecting the person's name, vaccine brand, and date administered.
Gentile Arena guests age two and older are required to wear masks inside the arena at all times, except when actively eating or drinking, in accordance with current City regulations.
For more information on Loyola's policy, click
HERE.
Last Time Out
Evansville outscored visiting Indiana State 24-6 in the fourth quarter Saturday evening, rallying from an 18-point deficit to beat the Sycamores 58-56 inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
Del'Janae Williams led the Sycamores with 15 points, while
Marie Hunter added nine.
Tonysha Curry and
Arianna Smith both had double-digit rebounds, with Curry pulling down a game-high 13.
Indiana State started slow, but picked up pace in the third quarter, using a 21-5 run to take a double-digit lead into the last 10 minutes. The Sycamores went cold in the fourth, though, and Evansville capitalized on ISU's mistakes to come back and win the game.
A Closer Look at Loyola Chicago
Loyola Chicago enters the week at 13-10 overall and 5-7 in Valley play. The Ramblers split a pair of games last week, falling to league-leading Illinois State before rebounding to beat Bradley in their last game.
Allison Day leads the team in both scoring and rebounding at 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Maya Chandler also scores in double-figures at 10.1 points per game while Bre Hampton-Bey, Sitori Tanin and Sam Galanopoulos all average at least seven points per contest.
Loyola has been a tough task for teams inside Gentile Arena. The Ramblers are 9-2 on their home court this season.
Series History Against Loyola Chicago
Indiana State has a 13-9 lead in the all-time series after the two teams split the season series last year. Loyola Chicago has a slim 6-5 lead in the games played in Chicago.
The Ramblers and Sycamores split their regular season series in Rogers Park back in 2020-21, with Indiana State recording a 63-48 win before Loyola responded with a 59-52 triumph less than 24 hours later.
Adrian Folks led the Sycamores in scoring in both games, with 14 in the win and 11 in the loss.
Caitlin Anderson added 10 in the series-opening win.
See You Again
Tuesday's game is the first of back-to-back games for Indiana State against Loyola Chicago. The Sycamores and Ramblers will meet again Friday evening at the Hulman Center in what will be the final regular season game between the schools as Missouri Valley Conference foes. Loyola Chicago is departing the conference for the Atlantic 10 beginning next season.
Jam-Packed Valley
Tuesday's game begins a crucial three-game stretch for the Sycamores, who are currently sixth in the Valley. Indiana State is a half-game ahead of seventh-place Loyola Chicago and a half-game behind fifth-place Valparaiso, with all three games for the Sycamores this week coming against those two schools.
This week's games could have a major impact in determining who avoids playing on the opening day of Hoops in the Heartland. The top six teams at the end of the season will begin play in the quarterfinals, while the bottom four teams will have to play an opening-round game.
Crashing The Glass
Indiana State had a trio of players post their career high in rebounds in the Sycamores' last game at Evansville, including two in double-digits.
Tonysha Curry had a game-high and career-high 13 rebounds against the Purple Aces, while
Arianna Smith grabbed 11 boards.
Natalia Lalic also posted five rebounds, her most in a Sycamore uniform.
Out of the Break
Indiana State's third quarter against Evansville was one of its best quarters against a Division I opponent this season. The Sycamores outscored the Purple Aces 24-10 in the quarter while shooting 55.6 percent from the field (10-for-18).
Four of Indiana State's five 3-pointers in the game came in the third quarter.
Balanced Attack
Indiana State's offense doesn't necessarily have a marquee scorer, but that plays to the benefit of the Sycamores. Eight different players have led the Sycamores in scoring in a game this season, with
Del'Janae Williams having a team-high seven games as the Sycamores' leading scorer.
Night and Day
Indiana State's splits in day games versus night games are staggering. Eight of the Sycamores' 10 wins this season have come in night games, defined as games with a tip time of 5 p.m. or later.
Indiana State is averaging nearly five more points per game in night games (66.6) compared to day games (62.0), while also allowing nearly eight fewer points in night games (60.7) compared to day games (68.9).
What's Up Next?
Indiana State begins a two-game homestand Friday against Loyola Chicago. The home game against the Ramblers is the first game of the Sycamores' Alumni Weekend. Indiana State will present its annual Brenda Howell Award prior to Friday's game.
In addition, Sunday's game against Valparaiso will feature another special moment. The Sycamores will retire the jersey of Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame member and all-time leading scorer Amy Hile, with the presentation for that set for halftime.
