INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State had four players score in double-figures for the third straight game Wednesday night, but Butler used a strong third-quarter to down the Sycamores by an 80-55 margin inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Deja Jones led the Sycamores with 13 points and dished out a team-high four assists. Keslyn Secrist added 11 points and a career-high three assists, scoring in double-figures for the fifth straight game. Queen Ruffin and Saige Stahl each had 10, with the latter coming off the bench to score in double-figures. Savannah White pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Indiana State rode the hot hand of Jones early, with the senior floor general scoring six points in the opening quarter to help the Trees go in front. The Sycamores kept pace with the Bulldogs in a low-scoring second quarter before the home side took off in the third. Butler came out of the intermission and outscored the Sycamores 26-9 in the third quarter to break the game open. Despite Indiana State outscoring the Bulldogs in the final frame, largely in part to Jones, Secrist and Stahl combining for 18 in the last 10 minutes, Butler protected its home court in a double-digit loss for the Trees.
  
First Half
Butler opened the game on a 6-0 run before a 3-pointer from Jones and free throws from Chloe Williams got the Trees on the board. A jumper from Secrist gave Indiana State its first lead of the game midway through the opening quarter, and layups from Williams and Jones kept the Sycamores on level footing. Ruffin put the Blue and White back in front with a pair of free throws but a pair of late baskets gave Butler a 17-15 lead heading into the second.
 
Secrist evened the score early in the second with a layup before Butler used a 7-0 run to go back in front. Baskets from Davina Smith and Williams cut Indiana State's deficit to two possessions midway through the second, and Jones added a midrange jumper to keep the Trees within reach. Ruffin connected on a three-ball with 90 seconds left in the half, as Butler took a 35-26 lead into the intermission.
 
Second Half
Ruffin gave the Sycamores an early third quarter jolt with another trey, but Butler followed with a 19-2 run to push its lead out to 20. Stahl converted on a three-point play and Smith split a pair of free throws late in the quarter, but another late three-ball from the home side saw the Sycamores facing a 61-35 deficit heading to the fourth. 
 
Jones opened the final frame with a 3-pointer, with Stahl going 3-for-4 from the charity stripe in a 60-second span to cut into Butler's lead. Jones added another layup, with consecutive baskets from Secrist adding to the Sycamores' tally. Stahl tacked on another 3-point play, while Ruffin added a pair of late free throws, but the third quarter proved too much to overcome for Indiana State in an 80-55 setback.
 
News and Notes

• Keslyn Secrist has scored in double-figures in each of the first five games this season.
• Indiana State continues to showcase a strong 3-point defense, with Butler shooting 7-for-25 from 3-point range (28.0 percent).
• Indiana State shot a season-best 79.2 percent from the free throw line, going 19-for-24 from the charity stripe.
• Saige Stahl recorded her third straight game with double-digit scoring, all of which have come off the bench.
• Queen Ruffin scored in double-figures for the second straight game, her first time with back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts in an Indiana State uniform.
• Indiana State took full advantage of its offensive rebounds, turning seven offensive bßoards into 15 second chance points
• Wednesday's game was the first of seven straight away from home for the Sycamores, who don't return to Hulman Center until their December 29 conference opener against Northern Iowa.

 
Up Next
Indiana State has more than a week off before returning to action November 30 at Southeast Missouri State.
 
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