HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Forty minutes weren't enough to settle a winner Monday night between Indiana State and Northern Kentucky, but it was the visiting Sycamores who started the season 1-0 after defeating the Norse 85-82 in overtime inside Truist Arena.
 
Bella Finnegan led all scorers with 25 points, while Kiley Bess added a career-high 22 points and six rebounds in her first game as a Sycamore. Mya Glanton finished one point and one rebound shy of a double-double, while Chelsea Cain had 14 points and seven rebounds.
 
Indiana State jumped out to an early six-point lead on the strength of back-to-back triples from Finnegan,and led by as many as eight midway through the first quarter. Jumpers from Bess and Savannah White late in the second helped the Sycamores take a 35-30 lead into the locker room, but NKU used a strong second half to go up by five late in the fourth. Bess and Cain knocked down crucial shots for the Sycamores to force overtime, and Indiana State limited NKU to a 1-for-7 clip from the field in the extra period on its way to a season-opening win.
  
First Half
Bess and Cain got things started for the Sycamores with early baskets, and consecutive 3-pointers from Finnegan helped Indiana State go in front 12-6 at the first media timeout. A Finnegan jumper out of the break saw the Trees take their largest lead of the game at eight points, but NKU scored five straight to cut the Sycamore lead to 14-11. Baskets from Asia Donald and White on consecutive possessions added to the Indiana State lead, and the Sycamores held a 21-18 advantage after the opening quarter.
 
Indiana State started the second quarter slow, as Northern Kentucky took a 29-25 lead midway through. Bess went on a 7-0 run of her own to put the Sycamores ahead 32-29 inside the last three minutes, and Indiana State held the lead for the remainder of the half. White added another basket for the Sycamores late, as the Trees took a 35-30 lead into the intermission.
 
Second Half
Glanton jumped out to a strong start in the third quarter with five early points to help keep the Sycamores in front. The Sycamores extended their lead to 48-42 following a pair of Finnegan free throws and a Glanton jumper, but NKU went on a quick 5-0 run to cut the Indiana State lead to a point. Finnegan knocked down a pair of jumpers to tack on to Indiana State's lead, but another 5-0 run for the Norse saw the home side go in front 56-54 late in the quarter. A three-point play from Finnegan inside the final minute saw Indiana State take a 57-56 lead into the fourth.
 
Cain opened the fourth quarter with a basket, but Northern Kentucky went on a 7-0 run in the front half of the quarter to take its largest lead of the game at 66-61. Bess had an answer from the Norse, though, scoring six straight points, including a clutch 3-pointer from the corner to put the Sycamores in front 67-66 midway through the quarter. Back-to-back layups from Cain kept the Sycamores right on pace on the road, and Bess and Cain combined for four points inside the final 40 seconds to send the teams to overtime knotted at 75.
 
Overtime
Layups from Finnegan and Cain put the Sycamores ahead 79-76 two minutes into the extra period, and Indiana State never trailed for the remainder of the game. Layups from Glanton and Bess kept the Sycamore advantage at three, and Finnegan tacked on a pair of free throws to make it an 85-82 Indiana State lead. Northern Kentucky had one final possession, but Indiana State's suffocating defense prevented the Norse from getting a shot attempt off as the Sycamores held on for a season-opening win.
 
Inside The Numbers

• Indiana State was plus-16 on the glass (46-30), as seven different Sycamores grabbed three or more rebounds in the game.
• Bella Finnegan (25) and Kiley Bess (22) gave Indiana State a pair of 20-point scorers for the second straight game, as the Sycamores also had a pair of 20-point scorers in the opening round of last season's MVC Tournament.
• Indiana State forced 20 Northern Kentucky turnovers, converting those opportunities into 22 points on the other end.
• Kiley Bess' 22 points were a career-best output, as her highest-scoring game at Saint Louis was an 18-point outing.

 
Inside The Numbers

• Indiana State improved to 29-26 all-time in overtime games, with Monday's win being the Sycamores' first overtime win since Jan. 18, 2019 against Valparaiso (86-82). Monday's game was Indiana State's first overtime game since the 2020-21 season.
• Indiana State improved to 3-0 in season openers under head coach Chad Killinger and won its first road opener since the 2018-19 season.
• Kiley Bess, Asia Donald, Saige Stahl, Savannah White and Chloe Williams all made their Indiana State debuts in Monday's game.
• Indiana State's 85 points were its most in a season opener against a Division I opponent since the 2007-08 season.

 
Up Next
Indiana State's two-game season-opening road trip concludes Thursday night at Missouri, with tipoff slated for 8 p.m.
 
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