CHEROKEE, N.C. – Tierney Kelsey led all scorers with 21 points Monday evening, but Indiana State struggled from the field in an 89-68 loss to Old Dominion in the Cherokee Invitational consolation game.
 
Kelsey notched her fourth 20-point game of the season, while Kayla Smith netted a season-high 16 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Da'Naria Washington dished out a season-high seven assists for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State started slow for the second straight game and was unable to ever fully get in a rhythm. Despite scoring 43 points across the middle two quarters, the Sycamores' shooting woes and defensive lapses were too much to overcome in its fourth straight loss.
 
First Half
Amerie Flowers put the Trees on the board with an early layup, but it was all ODU early on as the Monarchs built an 18-4 lead. Washington made a late layup and Samiyah Briggs converted a three-point play inside the final minute, as the Sycamores cut their deficit to 18-9 after the opening quarter.
 
After a pair of early second quarter free throws from Flowers, the Sycamores put together a string of successful offensive possessions, as Jayci Allen knocked down a trey and Kelsey hit a jumper. Briggs and Kelsey added buckets for the Blue and White midway through, with Washington tacking on a layup to pull the Sycamores within 34-23. Kelsey went 4-for-4 from the line in the last three minutes, but the Sycamores trailed 44-29 at the break.
 
Second Half 
Early baskets from Briggs and Kelsey gave the Sycamores life to start the third, and Kelsey later added a three-ball in transition to pull the Trees within 50-36 just over two minutes into the quarter. Smith hit on a three just over a minute later and tacked on a midrange jumper to keep the deficit where it was, as the senior was firing on all cylinders in the frame. A late layup from Allen and free throws from Kelsey inside the final minute had the Sycamores facing a 72-52 deficit through three quarters.
 
Smith hit another three-ball early in the fourth, this one on the fast break, but it was the only basket for the Blue and White in the first six minutes of the frame. Treys from Smith and Allen, along with a layup from Kelsey, showed the Trees weren't giving up, but it was too little, too late for Indiana State. Kelsey hit another late layup and connected on a pair of free throws inside the final minute to go past the 20-point mark, but Indiana State slumped to an 89-68 defeat to close its non-conference schedule.
 
News and Notes

• All but one of Kayla Smith's season-high 16 points came in the second half, while 13 of Tierney Kelsey's game-high 21 came in the last 20 minutes.
• Indiana State managed to force Old Dominion into 21 turnovers, with the Sycamores scoring 17 points off those giveaways. 25 percent of Indiana State's scoring in Monday's game came off turnovers.
• Da'Naria Washington's seven assists and four steals were both season-high marks , and she also added seven points off the bench. Washington played a season-high 36:30 in Monday's game.
• Indiana State played most of Monday's game shorthanded, as starting guard Kennedy Claybrooks played just three minutes before exiting with an injury.
• Rebounding plagued the Sycamores, as Indiana State was minus-21 in rebounds margin (61-40) and gave up 21 second chance points.
• Monday's game was the first between Indiana State and Old Dominion since the Sycamores' 1996-97 season opener in Norfolk.
• In addition to her 16 points, Kayla Smith added career-high marks of nine rebounds and three blocks.

 
Up Next
Indiana State returns to Missouri Valley Conference action following the holiday break, as the Sycamores travel to Illinois State for a December 29 tilt at 7:30 p.m.

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