TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Chelsea Cain led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds Wednesday, but visiting Illinois-Springfield defeated Indiana State 71-69 inside Hulman Center.
 
Kiley Bess and Mya Glanton added 11 points apiece, with Glanton also finishing one rebound shy of a double-double. Chloe Williams had seven rebounds and five points off the bench.
 
Indiana State led by as many as eight in the second quarter, thanks in large part to 20 combined points in the first half from Cain, Bess and Ella Sawyer. Cain added six points in the third to keep the Sycamores on top for most of the period, but a UIS run saw the teams tied heading into the fourth. Back-to-back baskets late from Glanton gave Indiana State a four-point lead with less than three minutes remaining, but Illinois-Springfield closed on an 8-2 run to upend the Sycamores in their home opener.
  
First Half
Indiana State opened the game on a 7-0 run with baskets from Bess and Cain starting the scoring for the Sycamores. Saige Stahl added a basket midway through to keep the Trees in front, but a 7-2 run from the visitors saw Illinois-Springfield take its first lead of the contest late in the quarter. Late baskets from Bess and Sawyer helped the Sycamores take a 17-15 lead into the second.
 
Cain opened the second quarter with Indiana State's first four points, and Sawyer tacked on to the lead by driving across the baseline for a reverse layup. Baskets from Deja Jones and Williams midway through saw Indiana State go ahead 28-22 and the Sycamores later extended that lead to eight courtesy of free throws from Bess and Asia Donald. A late basket with less than 30 seconds to go cut Indiana State's lead to 35-30 heading into the intermission.
 
Second Half
Baskets from Bess and Bella Finnegan got things started in the third quarter, and Cain added buckets on consecutive possessions midway through to keep the Sycamore advantage at five. A second-chance basket from Glanton saw Indiana State's lead stand at 49-44, and Cain added another layup with just over two minutes remaining in the period to make it 51-46. UIS closed the quarter with five straight points to knot the score at 51-all heading into the fourth.
 
Illinois-Springfield started the fourth quarter strong and took a one-point lead, but consecutive layups from Bess and Cain saw the Sycamores go back in front 59-56 two minutes into the final frame. Glanton and Cain added baskets to increase the Indiana State advantage to 63-59, but UIS came right back to tie things up. Glanton put the Sycamores ahead by four with less than three minutes remaining with back-to-back baskets, but Indiana State went cold in the final moments of the game. Illinois-Springfield used an 8-0 run to take the lead and, ultimately, held on for a 71-69 win inside Hulman Center.
 
News and Notes

• Wednesday's attendance of 2,311 marked the second straight Education Day game that Indiana State had an attendance above 2,000 for. Last year's Education Day game against Western Kentucky drew a crowd of 2,321.
• Chelsea Cain's 20-point performance was her third in an Indiana State uniform, two of which have come at home.
• Chelsea Cain and Mya Glanton both finished one rebound shy of a double-double.
• Indiana State was plus-17 (51-34) in rebound margin, and had a commanding 44-20 advantage in points in the paint.
• Six of Mya Glanton's nine rebounds came on the offensive end.
• All 10 players who appeared for Indiana State scored, while nine of the 10 who played grabbed at least one rebound.
• Kiley Bess, Savannah White, Chloe Williams, Saige Stahl, Asia Donald and Deja Jones all played their first home game as a Sycamore Wednesday.

Postgame Press Conference Presented by Team Green Law: Kiley Bess and Chelsea Cain
 

Postgame Press Conference Presented by Team Green Law: Chad Killinger


Up Next
Indiana State closes its two-game homestand Saturday afternoon against Wright State, with tipoff set for 1 p.m.
 
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