LEXINGTON, Ky. – Indiana State had five players score in double-figures Sunday afternoon, but lights-out shooting in the second half from Northern Illinois propelled the Huskies past the Sycamores 82-78 in the first game of the EKU MTE at the Clive M. Beck Center.
 
Deja Jones led the Sycamores with a career-high 17 points and also led all players with seven assists. Bella Finnegan, Saige Stahl and Chloe Williams added 12 points apiece, with Stahl also grabbing 10 rebounds to complete a double-double. Keslyn Secrist extended her streak of double-digit scoring games to nine after finishing with 10 points.
 
Indiana State had all the momentum early, forcing nine turnovers in the first quarter and shooting 50 percent in the opening frame to build a 26-13 lead. The Trees extended that lead out to 18 following seven early second quarter points from Jones and weathered a late NIU run to take a six-point advantage into the intermission. Indiana State came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders with a 9-0 run to push the lead out to 48-33, and maintained that double-digit lead into the fourth quarter. Northern Illinois caught fire from behind the arc in the closing stages, though, going 6-for-7 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter to rally past the Sycamores.
  
First Half
Indiana State came out firing early, with a layup from Williams and a three-ball from Secrist giving the Trees an early lead. The Sycamores added to their advantage with baskets from Williams and Queen Ruffin, and Stahl made it 13-6 with a basket down low. Back-to-back baskets from Finnegan, along with a jumper from Williams, extended the lead, and the advantage reached double-figures with a fastbreak layup from Savannah White. Indiana State took a 26-13 lead into the second after Jones added another layup off a turnover.
 
Jones had the hot hand early in the second half, making a pair of layups and knocking down a triple to make it 33-15 Trees. Northern Illinois worked its way back with an 11-0 run midway through the quarter before Finnegan drained a 3-pointer to push the lead back up to double-digits. Secrist added another trey for Indiana State inside the final minute, as the Trees led 39-33 at the half.
 
Second Half
Indiana State started the third quarter on the right foot, with the Sycamores opening on a 9-0 run to push their lead out to 48-33. Williams, Stahl, Secrist, Jones and Ruffin all scored for the Trees during the run, with Stahl and Williams adding baskets shortly after to make it 52-35. Indiana State kept its pressure up with baskets from Semie Brar and Stahl, along with free throws from White and Ruffin, but Northern Illinois hit a pair of 3-pointers to inch closer. Despite the late run from the Huskies, the Sycamores took a 60-48 lead into the fourth.
 
A 3-pointer from Ruffin and a basket from Secrist kept the Sycamore lead in double-digits early in the fourth, but Northern Illinois came rallying back with a flurry of 3-pointers in the final frame. The Sycamores got baskets inside from Stahl, Jones and Williams, but NIU went 6-for-7 from behind the arc in the last 10 minutes to pull in front. Finnegan knocked down a 3-pointer and Jones added four points inside the final minute, but NIU's red-hot fourth quarter allowed the Huskies to prevail past the Sycamores 82-78.
 
News and Notes

• Bella Finnegan made her 2024-25 season debut in Sunday's game, finishing with 12 points, two rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes.
• Semie Brar made her first start of the season in Sunday's game.
• Deja Jones came off the bench for the first time this season and finished with a career-high 17 points to go along with three rebounds and seven assists.
• Saige Stahl's double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) was her third of the season.
• Indiana State matched its season high of 36 points in the paint in Sunday's game, while the Sycamores' 33 bench points were a season best.
• Indiana State's six 3-pointers were the second-most in a game for the Sycamores this season (seven at Marquette).
• Indiana State forced 20-plus turnovers for the third time in the last four games, with Northern Illinois finishing with 22 turnovers. The Sycamores turned those turnovers into 23 points on the other end, the third time in the last four games with 20-plus points off turnovers.

 
Up Next
Indiana State closes play in the Eastern Kentucky MTE Monday at 2 p.m. against tournament host Eastern Kentucky.
 
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