CHICAGO – Ella Sawyer registered the first double-double of her career Sunday afternoon, but UIC used a strong fourth quarter to defeat visiting Indiana State 68-53 inside Credit Union 1 Arena.
 
Sawyer scored 13 points, her most in a Sycamore uniform, and pulled down a career and game-high 12 rebounds. Bella Finnegan added 12 points for the Trees, while Kiley Bess had nine.
 
Indiana State took an early five-point lead following layups from Chelsea Cain and Lily Niebuhr, but a slow start to the second quarter saw the Sycamores fall behind. The Trees picked up the pace late in the quarter with 3-pointers from Bess and Finnegan, and put together a strong third quarter to even the score following a late three-ball from Finnegan. Indiana State's offense went cold in the fourth, though, as UIC outscored the Sycamores 20-5 over the last 10 minutes to pull away late.
  
First Half
Bess and Glanton opened the scoring for the Sycamores with layups, and a three-ball from Savannah White pulled the Trees within 8-7 midway through the first quarter. Indiana State went on a 6-0 run late in the frame, with four of those points coming from Niebuhr, as the Trees took a 15-11 lead after the opening period.
 
UIC pulled in front thanks to a 15-4 run to begin the second quarter, with Indiana State's only basket in that span being a jumper from Finnegan. The Sycamores worked their way back, though, as Bess and Finnegan connected on treys to pull the Trees within a pair at 28-26 inside the last two minutes. Keslyn Secrist converted on a pair of free throws just before the half, as the Sycamores went into the locker room down 31-28.
 
Second Half
Sawyer scored six of Indiana State's first eight points to begin the third quarter, as the Sycamores kept things at a one-possession game early in the second half. UIC pushed its lead to six at 42-36 with just over four minutes remaining, but Bess answered back with a 3-pointer to halve the Sycamore deficit. White added four points inside the last two minutes, and Finnegan knocked down a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to even the score at 48-all heading into the fourth.
 
Indiana State took a two-point lead early in the fourth courtesy of a pull-up jumper from Sawyer, but a lengthy scoring drought for the Sycamores proved costly. The Trees had just one other bucket following the opening possession of the quarter, that coming on a layup from Sawyer, as UIC closed the game on a 20-3 run to claim a 68-53 win over the Sycamores.
 
News and Notes

• Ella Sawyer's double-double was the first of her collegiate career, while her 12 rebounds were also a career high. Sawyer also set a new ISU-high of 13 points Sunday.
• Indiana State was plus-1 (34-33) in rebound margin, and converted 10 offensive rebounds into nine second chance points.
• Indiana State shot 80 percent from the charity stripe Sunday (16-for-20), marking the fifth consecutive game that the Sycamores shot 80 percent or better from the line. The Sycamores are 74-for-87 (85.1 percent) on free throws during that stretch.
• Lily Niebuhr played a season-high 21 minutes Sunday, finishing with four points, two rebounds and an assist.
• Savannah White scored a career-high seven points Sunday, including knocking down her second 3-pointer of the season.
• Foul trouble played a significant role Sunday, as five different Sycamores had at least three fouls. Indiana State was whistled for 24 fouls compared to just 15 for UIC.

 
Up Next
Indiana State begins a three-game homestand Thursday evening at 6 p.m. against Missouri State.
 
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