TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Keslyn Secrist paced Indiana State with career-highs of 21 points and five rebounds Monday night, but visiting Western Kentucky stifled the Sycamores in the second half in a 71-59 defeat for the home side inside Hulman Center.
 
Mia Simpson and Chloe Williams tallied nine points each, with Williams also adding a career-high seven rebounds. Savannah White added a career-high eight points for the Sycamores, while Deja Jones dished out a game and career-high six assists.
 
Indiana State used a fast pace to jump out to an early lead, with Secrist catching fire from behind the arc en route to 14 first-half points. The Trees led 22-17 after the opening quarter and shot 62.5 percent from the field in the first half as the teams went to the locker room deadlocked. Western Kentucky's pressure intensified as the game went on, though, and the Lady Toppers outscored Indiana State 34-22 in the second half, largely off a pair of scoring runs in each of the last two quarters, to spoil the Sycamores' season opener.
  
First Half
Indiana State jumped out to an early lead courtesy of layups from White, Simpson and Jones, and back-to-back 3-pointers from Secrist extended the Sycamores' advantage to 14-7 midway through the opening quarter. Western Kentucky clawed its way back to make it a one-possession game before Williams and Secrist connected on jumpers to push the Trees' lead back up to 18-12. Secrist added another basket inside the last two minutes, and a pair of free throws inside the final minute from Williams put the Sycamores ahead 22-17 after the opening quarter.
 
Western Kentucky used a 10-0 run to start the second quarter to go in front, but a jumper from Jones and a trey from Secrist knotted up the score at 27-27 with six minutes to go in the half. Baskets from Simpson and White kept the score level midway through, but WKU regained a four-point advantage with two minutes to go in the period. Simpson split a pair of free throws and Secrist converted on a three-point play inside the last 30 seconds to send the Sycamores to the intermission tied at 37-37.
 
Second Half
Simpson opened the third quarter scoring with a jumper from the corner, with another 3-pointer from Secrist and a basket down low from Saige Stahl putting the Sycamores ahead 44-39. The Lady Toppers used a 7-0 run to retake the lead before a pair of layups from Secrist pulled Indiana State back within one at 49-48. Indiana State went cold late in the quarter, though, as Western Kentucky closed on an 8-0 run to take a 57-58 lead into the fourth.
 
Western Kentucky's run extended into the fourth quarter, as the Lady Toppers scored the first nine points of the frame to push their lead to 66-48. Indiana State pulled closer with free throws from White and Williams and the former also adding a basket down low, but a 3-pointer midway through the quarter from WKU pushed the deficit back out to 16. The Sycamores closed the quarter strong, as Williams hit a layup while Jones and Queen Ruffin both converted on a pair of free throws, but it wasn't enough for the Trees to come back in a 71-59 defeat.
 
News and Notes

• Keslyn Secrist set career highs in points (21), field goals (eight), 3-pointers (four) and rebounds (five) in Monday's season opener. Secrist hit all four of Indiana State's made 3-pointers in the game.
• Savannah White's eight points and three field goals were both career-highs.
• Chloe Williams pulled down a career-high seven rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass. Williams also scored nine points, her second-best scoring output in her Indiana State career, and added a career-high four steals.
• Deja Jones led all players in Monday's game with six assists, a career-best for the senior guard in her first career start.
• Indiana State's offense started strong, as the Sycamores shot 75 percent in the first quarter and 62.5 percent for the first half.
• Indiana State won the rebound margin (33-31) in Monday's season opener.
• Four of Indiana State's five newcomers – Semie Brar, Queen Ruffin, Mia Simpson and Davina Smith – made their Sycamore debut in Monday's season opener, with Simpson drawing the starting nod in her first game.
• Mia Simpson, Deja Jones and Saige Stahl all drew their first career starts at Indiana State in Monday's opener.
• Monday's game was the Sycamore debut for Indiana State head coach Marc Mitchell, who was hired in May as the 10th head coach in program history.

 
Up Next
A major challenge awaits Indiana State, as the Sycamores travel to No. 8/9 Iowa State Thursday night for a 7:30 p.m. tip inside Hilton Coliseum
 
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