TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State limited Belmont to its worst 3-point percentage and third-lowest field goal percentage of the season Sunday afternoon, but a 6-0 run inside the final 10 seconds of the game allowed the Bruins to squeak past the Sycamores 61-56 inside Hulman Center.
 
Chelsea Cain and Bella Finnegan led the Sycamores with 10 points apiece, while Kiley Bess added nine. All five starters for Indiana State had at least seven points, with four of the five also grabbing three or more rebounds.
 
Indiana State's lockdown defense gave Belmont fits throughout the game, as the Sycamores built an early nine-point lead thanks in part to a pair of threes from Finnegan. The Trees remained in front after an 8-0 run midway through the second quarter, and extended their lead to double-digits late in the third following a 3-pointer from Finnegan and a layup from Cain. The fourth quarter proved costly, though, as Belmont outscored Indiana State 21-7 to escape with a five-point win.
  
First Half
Indiana State got off to a strong start, as Finnegan opened the game with a three-ball and baskets from Cain and Ella Sawyer put the Sycamores ahead by five. Buckets from Bess and Mya Glanton, along with another Finnegan triple, saw the Sycamores' lead extended to 16-7, but the visitors answered with an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game. A late layup from Asia Donald saw the teams head to the second tied at 18.
 
Consecutive baskets from Bess and Donald early in the second quarter helped spark an 8-0 run for Indiana State to pull ahead 28-20. Bess added a midrange jumper late, and Chloe Williams tacked on a 3-pointer to keep the Sycamores in front, but Belmont came back with a run of its own similar to the first quarter. The Bruins closed the half on a 7-0 run, but Indiana State took a 33-32 lead into the intermission.
 
Second Half
Sawyer opened the scoring in the third quarter with a layup and Cain added a floater minutes later to give the Sycamores a 39-36 lead. Free throws from Glanton, Finnegan and Bess extended Indiana State's lead late in the quarter, with Finnegan also adding a trey to make it 47-38. The Sycamores' advantage reached double-digits following a layup from Cain, and Indiana State took a 49-40 lead into the fourth.
 
Belmont controlled the fourth quarter, scoring the first 13 points to take a 53-49 lead. Glanton tied things up with a pair of free throws and a layup, and Cain put the Sycamores back in front with a jumper inside the last two minutes. A free throw from Sawyer saw Indiana State lead 56-55 inside the final minute, but a costly turnover and foul led to six straight Belmont points in an four-second span, allowing the Bruins to win 61-56.
 
News and Notes

• Mya Glanton grabbed her 500th career rebound in Sunday's game, becoming the 22nd player in program history to accomplish the feat.
• Kiley Bess' nine points were her most in a game since scoring 18 at Ohio on December 17.
• Belmont's 61 points scored Sunday were its fewest against an opponent from outside the Power Five conferences this season.
• Indiana State's 3-point defense continues to be the best in the MVC since the calendar turned to conference play. Belmont was just 4-for-23 (17.4 percent) from behind the arc against the Sycamores, who have limited conference foes to a 23-for-104 (22.1 percent) mark in five MVC games.
• Indiana State got a balanced scoring effort Sunday, with eight different players scoring four or more points.
• Sunday's game wrapped up a stretch of four straight games against teams in the top five of the MVC standings. Indiana State was within two possessions in the fourth quarter of three of those four games.

Postgame Press Conference Presented by Team Green Law: Deidra Johnson

 
Radio Postgame Interview: Deidra Johnson


Up Next
Indiana State heads back on the road to face Southern Illinois Friday at 7 p.m.
 
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