INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State nearly overcame a 14-point deficit in its 2025-26 season opener Monday night, but the Trees' valiant effort fell one possession short in a 67-64 defeat to IU Indy inside The Jungle.
 
Tierney Kelsey led all players with 15 points off the bench, while Amerie Flowers pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds. Samiyah Briggs and Jayci Allen also finished in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively, while Kelsey dished out a game-high five assists.
 
Indiana State dug itself a hole, largely due to turnovers and foul trouble, as the Sycamores played from behind for nearly the entirety of the game. IU Indy's lead grew to as big as 14 by the end of the third, but the Trees rattled off an impressive scoring run to get right back in the game late. Indiana State opened the fourth with a 16-0 run to take its first lead of the game, as the Trees held IU Indy scoreless for the first six minutes of the final frame. In the end, IU Indy made enough plays down the stretch to go back in front, while Indiana State failed to score in the last two minutes in a season-opening defeat.
 
First Half
Indiana State struggled out of the gate, as the home side took a 12-2 lead midway through the opening frame. Baskets off the bench from Clemisha Prackett and Allen got things going for the Sycamores in the later stages of the quarter, with Kennedy Claybrooks and Kelsey adding on with points in the paint. The late rally in the first quarter cut the Sycamores' deficit to 15-11 after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Baskets from Kelsey and Allen, along with a pair of free throws from Briggs, helped the Trees trim IU Indy's lead down to 18-17 with just over six minutes to go in the second, but the Sycamores struggled from the field for the remainder of the quarter. Kelsey knocked down a late three-ball and tacked on a free throw inside the final minute, but the Sycamores faced a 30-21 deficit at the break.
 
Second Half
Free throws from Claybrooks and a fastbreak layup from Kelsey cut the Sycamore deficit to 32-25 early in the third, but IU Indy quickly responded and upped its lead to double digits. Allen and Prackett connected on baskets, with Claybrooks adding another layup midway through as the Sycamores tried to keep pace with the Jaguars. Briggs and Flowers made late layups for the Blue and White, but Indiana State entered the fourth quarter trailing 58-44.
 
For everything that went wrong for the Sycamores in the first three quarters, things flipped in the other direction in the fourth. Allen hit a trey to kickstart a 16-0 run for the Trees, with a three-point play from Briggs coming on the ensuing Sycamore possession. Baskets from Kelsey, Allen and Da'Naria Washington pulled the Sycamores to within a point at 58-57, and another three-point play from Briggs just past the midway point of the quarter put Indiana State ahead for the first time in the game. Flowers and Briggs connected on baskets late as the Trees held a one-point lead with two minutes to go, but those were the final points of the night for the Blue and White. Indiana State missed its final four shots of the game, as IU Indy hit a pair of late baskets to eke out a 67-64 win over the Sycamores.
 
News and Notes

• Indiana State opened the fourth quarter with a 16-0 run, and outscored IU Indy 20-9 in the final frame. The Trees held IU Indy without a point for the first six minutes of the quarter.
• Despite the loss, Indiana State limited IU Indy to a 29.4 percent clip from the field (20-for-68) and a 14.3 percent mark from 3-point range (4-for-28).
• Indiana State shot 47.1 percent from the field in the second half (16-for-34), which played a significant role in the Sycamores' comeback attempt.
• Monday's season opener had 50 fouls called between the two teams, but the free throw discrepancy was glaring. IU Indy went 23-for-34 from the line, while Indiana State was 14-for-20 from the charity stripe.
• Indiana State finished with an advantage in points in the paint (36-30) and bench points (33-26). The 33 bench points were the most for the Sycamores since also having 33 against Northern Illinois on December 15, 2024.
• Tierney Kelsey (15) and Jayci Allen (11) both came off the bench to score in double-figures for the Sycamores, marking the first time since December 15, 2024 against Northern Illinois that Indiana State had a pair of double-digit scorers off the bench.
• Amerie Flowers' 15 rebounds were the most in a game by an Indiana State player since January 12, 2025 (Saige Stahl – 17 vs. Evansville). Flowers' six offensive rebounds led all players in Monday's season opener.
• Continuing a trend from the 2024-25 season, Indiana State finished with five blocks in Monday's opener. The Sycamores led the MVC last season at 3.9 blocks per game, a mark which ranked in the top 75 nationally.

 
Up Next
Indiana State welcomes Eastern Illinois to Hulman Center November 11 for its 2025-26 home opener, slated for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
 
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