TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Bella Finnegan led all players with 27 points Thursday night and Deja Jones added another double-double for the Trees, but visiting Illinois State scored 50 points in the second half to escape with an 85-77 win over the Sycamores inside Hulman Center.
 
Finnegan shot 50 percent from both the field and 3-point range. Jones had 14 points and 11 assists, her third straight game with 10-plus assists. Keslyn Secrist and Mia Simpson also finished in double-figures with 13 and 12, respectively.
 
Indiana State shot better than 50 percent from both the field and 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes, with a Finnegan 3-ball late in the second quarter helping the Sycamores take a two-point lead at the half. Back-to-back layups to start the second half gave the Trees a six-point lead, but Illinois State rallied back to go in front late in the third. Indiana State used the three-ball to stay within two possessions for most of the fourth, but couldn't string together a late rally as the visitors eked out a win.
 
First Half
Indiana State got off to a strong start with baskets from Jones and Simpson, along with a trey from Secrist. Layups from Jones and Savannah White put the Sycamores in front midway through the frame, with Jones tacking on a three-point play just past the halfway point of the period. The Sycamores struggled late in the quarter, though, as Illinois State took a 17-16 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Sycamores picked up the pace in the second, with baskets from Simpson and Finnegan along with threes from Jones and Secrist putting the Trees ahead by a point midway through the quarter. Secrist and Finnegan added layups, with the former also knocking down a late trey to give Indiana State a 35-32 lead. Jones tacked on a jumper inside the final minute, as Indiana State took a 37-35 lead to the intermission.
 
Second Half
Back-to-back layups from White and Finnegan to start the third saw the Sycamore advantage grow to 41-35, but that was the largest lead Indiana State had in the game. Simpson kept the Trees ahead with a midrange jumper, but a Redbird run saw Illinois State go back in front midway through the quarter. Finnegan hit a late trey and added a pair of free throws inside the final minute, but the Blue and White faced a 55-50 deficit entering the fourth.
 
Layups from Simpson and Jones kept the Sycamores within two possessions early in the quarter, while a trio of 3-pointers from Finnegan pulled Indiana State within 68-63 at the midway point of the period. That was as close as the Sycamores got, though, with Illinois State having an answer for every Indiana State basket. Layups from White and Simpson were followed by a 7-0 Redbird run. Indiana State closed the game on a 7-0 run to make it 85-77, courtesy of layups from Simpson and Finnegan and a three-ball from the latter, but ultimately ran out of time to complete a rally.
 
News and Notes

• Deja Jones recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 assists after registering the only triple-double in the MVC in the Sycamores' last game. Jones has 10-plus assists in each of the last three games, and is averaging 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game in that span.
• Bella Finnegan recorded her second straight game with 25-plus points, finishing with 27 against Illinois State. Finnegan has 13 3-pointers over the last two games while averaging 28.5 points per game in that span.
• The Sycamores continued their momentum from distance in Thursday's game, hitting nine 3-pointers while shooting 47.4 percent from behind the arc.
• Indiana State took advantage of turnovers and extra possessions, finishing with 20 second chance points and 19 points off turnovers.
• Indiana State shot better than 45 percent from the field and 3-point range in three of the four quarters in Thursday's game.
• Of the 33 fouls called between the two teams, 15 came in the fourth quarter.

 
Up Next
Indiana State remains at home to face Bradley Sunday at 2 p.m. for its annual Alumni Weekend game.
 
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