SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Mya Glanton recorded her second straight double-double Saturday afternoon and Kiley Bess led Indiana State with 18 points, but it came in a 67-62 defeat to Northern Illinois at the Puerto Rico Clasico.
 
Glanton finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Bess added seven rebounds and four assists in addition to her scoring output. Asia Donald and Chelsea Cain had six points apiece for the Sycamores.
 
Northern Illinois used a 3-point barrage in the first half to go in front, as the Huskies hit seven threes in the opening 20 minutes and led by as many as 16. Indiana State whittled its deficit down to 10 at halftime, and the Sycamores turned things on in the third quarter. Bess scored 10 of her 18 in the third, while Indiana State went on a 14-0 run that extended into the fourth quarter to take a 53-49 lead. NIU rallied back go in front late in the fourth, and a deep 3-pointer inside the last two minutes proved to be a dagger, as Indiana State never got in a rhythm offensively after its lengthy scoring run.
  
First Half
Bella Finnegan and Cain opened the Sycamores' account in the first quarter with baskets, but Northern Illinois got off to a strong start from the field in opening up a 13-4 lead. Ella Sawyer knocked down her first 3-pointer of the season to cut into the deficit, while Bess added a layup midway through the quarter to keep the Trees within 10. Donald scored four points off the bench in the quarter, but Indiana State trailed 24-15 after the opening period.
 
NIU opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 31-15, but the Sycamores responded with 3-pointers from Bess and Finnegan as part of an 8-0 run to claw their way back. Savannah White and Glanton added baskets to keep the deficit under 10, but another scoring run saw the Huskies extend their lead out to 42-29. White added a 3-pointer inside the final minute of the half, as Indiana State faced a 42-32 deficit at the intermission.
 
Second Half
Back-to-back baskets from Cain early in the third quarter got the Sycamores back within eight, but NIU mostly maintained its double-digit lead through the media timeout. The Sycamores closed the quarter strong, though, as Glanton hit a layup which started a 12-0 run to end the period. Bess scored 10 unanswered to close the frame, including a pair of 3-pointers, as the Sycamores clawed their way back to take a 51-49 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Glanton continued the Sycamores' momentum into the fourth quarter with a layup to make it 53-49, and the veteran post player added another basket to keep the Trees in front. NIU countered with a 8-0 run to take the lead, and the Huskies never trailed for the remainder of the game. Indiana State got within 63-60 on a three-ball from Bess, but a deep 3-pointer with less than two minutes to go for NIU was a dagger for Indiana State. Glanton added a late basket, but the Sycamores fell 67-62.
 
News and Notes

• Mya Glanton has grabbed nine or more rebounds in five of the first six games, recording a double-double for the second straight game.
• Indiana State's seven 3-pointers were the most for the Sycamores in a game this season.
• Indiana State was plus-10 in rebound margin (42-32), with 16 of those rebounds coming on the offensive glass
• Indiana State had a 30-16 advantage in points in the paint.
• Mya Glanton's 17 points were a season-high and her most in a non-conference game since Dec. 4, 2021 against Western Michigan.
• Kiley Bess hit a season-high four 3-pointers, while her 18 points were her most in a game since the season opener against Northern Kentucky.
• Northern Illinois shot just 35.1 percent from the field in Saturday's game, but half of the Huskies' 20 made baskets were 3-pointers.

 
Up Next
Indiana State returns from Puerto Rico on Monday, and will set its sights on a December 2 matchup at Central Michigan.
 
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