TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State opens Hoops in the Heartland Thursday night when it faces Southern Illinois in the opening round at 7 p.m. at Vibrant Arena at The MARK.The game will be carried on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
What's at Stake?
The winner of Thursday's first round game will advance to the quarterfinals of Hoops in the Heartland and will face Belmont Friday at 7 p.m.
Should either team continue to advance, Saturday's semifinal game is at 5 p.m., with the championship game Sunday at 2 p.m.
Sycamores at the MVC Tournament
Indiana State has a 14-28 record all-time at the MVC Tournament, though the Sycamores have struggled come March in recent years.
The Sycamores' 89-75 win over Evansville in the opening round of the 2022 Hoops in the Heartland tournament was Indiana State's first since the conference tournament moved to Moline.
Additionally, Southern Illinois has been a thorn in the Sycamores' side in recent years. The Salukis have been the team to knock Indiana State out of each of the last two conference tournaments.
March Memories
Indiana State heads into this week's Hoops in the Heartland tournament looking to accomplish something that hasn't been done in over a decade.
The Sycamores have not won conference tournament games in back-to-back seasons since the tournament moved to Moline. The last time Indiana State won tournament games in back-to-back seasons was the 2010 and 2011 conference tournaments, which were held in St. Charles, Missouri.
Indiana State's 89-75 win over Evansville in the opening round of last year's tournament was the Sycamores' first win in the conference tournament since 2014 and the first win for the Trees since the tournament moved to the Quad Cities.
Burger's Big Game
Indiana State guard
Del'Janae Williams had a career night in the Sycamores' most recent game, dropping a career-high 30 points in an 87-71 win over Bradley.
Williams made a career-best 11 shots against the Braves, including a 7-for-13 mark from 3-point range. The seven 3-pointers were also a career high.
In addition to the career highs, Williams became the first MVC player with at least 30 points, 10 field goals, five 3-pointers, five rebounds, five assists, a 50 percent clip from both the field and 3-point range and one or fewer turnover since the 2013-14 season.
Extra Opportunities
Indiana State has developed a penchant for extending possessions this season, as the Sycamores rank fourth in the MVC in offensive rebounds per game with 11.3.
The Sycamores have pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds in 11 of their 20 MVC games, and in 18 of their 29 games this season.
Indiana State has turned those extra possessions into 11.0 second chance points per game, while scoring 12 or more second chance points 13 times this season. ISU averaged 21 second chance points per game in its last three contests, with a season-high 23 at Missouri State.
Thieves Avenue
Indiana State is second in the conference in turnovers forced (16.5) behind Southern Illinois and ranks fourth in steals per game (7.7), trailing SIU, Drake and Missouri State.
Indiana State often capitalizes on opposition turnovers, as the Sycamores average 17.0 points per game off turnovers. That number has risen over the last eight games to 18.1 points off turnovers per game, thanks in part to 52 points off turnovers in the Trees' season-ending homestand. Indiana State had a season-high 32 points off turnovers against Bradley.
Milestone Moments
This season has seen a trio of Sycamore reach career milestones, with all three taking place during conference play.
Del'Janae Williams became the 29th player to score 1,000 points at Indiana State by scoring each of the Sycamores' first nine points at Belmont.
Chelsea Cain also hit 1,000 points for her collegiate career with a layup in the first quarter at Evansville. Williams and Cain give Indiana State a pair of 1,000-point scorers, marking the first time since the 2005-06 season that two Sycamores hit 1,000 career points in the same season.
Head coach
Chad Killinger picked up his 300th win as a collegiate head coach with Indiana State's 82-71 win over Murray State. Killinger's previous head coaching stops include Jacksonville College (Texas), Lincoln Trail College, Moberly Area CC and East Carolina (interim HC).
Heating Up
Indiana State freshman guard
Bella Finnegan stepped up on the offensive end for the Sycamores in the month of February. Finnegan posted six double-figure scoring games in the month, including a pair of 20-point performances on the road.
In eight games in the month of February, Finnegan averaged a team-leading 15.3 points per game while also chipping in 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, both increases from her season averages. She was one of two freshmen in the MVC to average double-figure scoring in conference play (10.2 points per game).
Last Time Out
Indiana State's regular season came to a close Saturday afternoon, as the Sycamores fell to visiting Illinois State, 82-71, inside Hulman Center.
Anna McKendree led the Sycamores with 22 points, while
Del'Janae Williams added 16.
Caitlin Anderson and
Hattie Westerfeld combined for 15 points off the bench for the Sycamores, while each of Indiana State's healthy seniors scored in their final home game of their careers.
Indiana State was aggressive in the early stages and it paid dividends in the first 15 minutes. The Sycamores jumped out to a 35-25 lead midway through the second quarter, hitting five 3-pointers in the first 15 minutes to storm in front. Illinois State had an answer, though, and after tying the game just before halftime, led for most of the second half. Indiana State was within five early in the fourth following a
Chelsea Cain jumper, but the visitors countered every punch the Sycamores had to earn a share of the MVC regular season crown.
Southern Illinois at a Glance
Southern Illinois enters the conference tournament seeded seventh after going 8-12 in MVC play. The Salukis finished the regular season at 11-18 overall, going 6-9 at home, 5-8 on the road and dropping their lone neutral site game in the regular season.
Ashley Jones leads the Salukis in scoring at 17.4 points per game, with Promise Taylor (10.8) and Shemera Williams (10.6) also averaging double-digit scoring for SIU. Laniah Randle leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game, while Taylor averages 6.1 rebounds and an MVC-leading 3.0 blocks per game. Quierra Love leads SIU in both assists (4.1) and steals (2.0).
Southern Illinois head coach Kelly Bond-White is in her first season at the helm after spending nearly two decades on Gary Blair's Texas A&M staffs.
Series History Against Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois has a 57-45 advantage in the all-time series and has won each of the last 11. The schools have now met in the conference tournament each of the last three seasons (2021 – first round, 2022 – quarterfinals, 2023 – first round).
Last Game Against Southern Illinois (Feb. 23, 2023)
Bella Finnegan led all scorers with 21 points Thursday night, but a slow fourth quarter proved costly for Indiana State in a 79-64 loss inside Banterra Center.
15 of Finnegan's 21 points came in the first half, as she shot 50 percent (8-for-16) from the field and 60 percent (3-for-5) from 3-point range.
Chelsea Cain finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, while
Del'Janae Williams had nine points and four assists.
Indiana State shot better than 50 percent in the first half, which allowed the Sycamores to take a 42-40 lead into the intermission. Cain and Finnegan combined for 25 points in the opening 20 minutes, while the Sycamores took care of the ball well in the first two quarters. Indiana State had a 54-52 lead entering the fourth, but the Sycamores were unable to get into any rhythm in the fourth as SIU outscored the Trees 27-10 in the final period.
