TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Del'Janae Williams scored a team-high 24 points Sunday afternoon, helping Indiana State overturn an early double-digit deficit in a 62-56 Alumni Weekend win over Murray State inside Hulman Center.
 
Williams led the Sycamores in scoring despite not hitting her first basket until the final minute of the first quarter. Chelsea Cain added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while eight different Sycamores found the scoring column.
 
Facing a 10-point deficit midway through the second quarter, Indiana State responded by shooting 50 percent from the field over the middle 20 minutes. Williams went on a personal 9-0 run as part of a 17-5 Sycamore run to close the first half, and Bella Finnegan hit a 3-pointer early in the third to give the Trees the lead for good. Murray State made it a two-point game in the fourth quarter, but Williams knocked down a clutch 3-pointer from the corner inside the final minute to seal Indiana State's first home conference win of the season.
 
First Half
Indiana State got off to a slow start, with Murray State scoring each of the first two baskets. Mya Glanton opened the scoring for the Blue and White with a putback layup, and Anna McKendree hit a 3-pointer to cut the Trees' deficit to one at the media timeout. Adrian Folks gave the Sycamores their first lead of the game with a layup, but Murray State used a strong end to the first to take a 17-14 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Murray State's momentum carried into the early stages of the second quarter, as the Racers opened up a double-digit lead at 24-14. Free throws from Cain and a second chance basket from Lily Niebuhr cut it down to six, but the Racers responded to lead 28-18 at the media timeout. From there, the momentum shifted in Indiana State's favor to close the half. The Sycamores went on an 11-0 run, with Williams scoring the first nine points in that span, to pull ahead 29-28 and Cain closed the half with four late points as Indiana State took a 35-33 lead into the intermission.
 
Second Half
Murray State evened the score early in the third quarter, but a Bella Finnegan 3-pointer from the top of the key off a Niebuhr pass gave Indiana State a lead it did not relinquish. Baskets by Cain and McKendree tacked on to the lead for the Blue and White, as Indiana State pulled ahead but six heading into the media timeout. Indiana State took its largest lead of the third quarter at 48-41 following a pair of Williams free throws, but Murray State closed the period on a 5-0 run. The Trees took a narrow 48-46 lead into the final frame.
 
Back-to-back baskets down low by Cain to start the fourth quarter helped Indiana State push its lead back out to two possessions. The Sycamores led by eight following a floater by Williams to make it 56-48, but a cold stretch from the field allowed Murray State to claw its way back. The Racers cut the Sycamore lead to as little as two in the later stages of the fourth, but Indiana State remained calm. Williams knocked down a clutch 3-pointer from the corner as the shot clock was winding down in the final minute and Indiana State's defense stood tall, as the Sycamores prevailed 62-56 for their first home conference win of the season.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Indiana State shot 50 percent from the field across the second and third quarters (12-for-24), outscoring Murray State by five (34-29) during that stretch.
• Indiana State forced 20 Murray State turnovers, the most by the Racers during conference play. The Sycamores converted those turnovers into 25 points on the other end, the most for Indiana State against an MVC foe this season and most for Indiana State since scoring 32 points off turnovers in a win at Drake last season.
• Del'Janae Williams scored 20-plus points for the third time this season and second time in conference play. The Sycamores have won both conference games that Williams has scored 20-plus points in.
• Lily Niebuhr had a career-high six rebounds, including a pair on the offensive glass.
• Murray State's 56 points scored were its second-fewest in an MVC game this season, while its 20 percent clip from the 3-point line was its worst against an MVC foe.

 
News & Notes

• Del'Janae Williams currently sits 45 points away from reaching 1,000 for her career. Williams would be the 29th player in program history to hit the milestone.
• Tasked with the difficult assignment of defending All-American forward Katelyn Young, Lily Niebuhr played a career-high 26 minutes, during with Indiana State was plus-15.
• Indiana State improved to 6-1 this season and 12-2 under head coach Chad Killinger when holding teams to less than 60 points.
• Sunday's win marked the third time this season the Sycamores came back from down by double-digits to win after trailing by 10 in the second quarter. Indiana State previously accomplished the feat against Saint Louis (trailed by 14) and Valparaiso (trailed by 11).
• Sunday's win was Indiana State's first home conference win of the season, after its first three MVC wins all came on the road.
• Sundays have been kind to the Sycamores this season. Indiana State is 3-1 in Sunday games, winning each of the last three Sunday afternoon contests.
• Head coach Chad Killinger sits one win shy of reaching 300 wins for his collegiate coaching career. Killinger will have the chance to accomplish the feat at home Wednesday against Evansville.

 
Up Next
Indiana State's three-game homestand comes to a close Wednesday when the Sycamores face Evansville at 6 p.m. on National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
 
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