TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Bella Finnegan tallied a game-high 15 points Sunday afternoon, but visiting Bradley outlasted Indiana State in a 56-54 nailbiter inside Hulman Center.
 
Savannah White finished one point and one rebound short of a double-double, while Deja Jones added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
 
In a back-and-forth contest where neither team led by more than seven, Indiana State used a strong opening quarter from behind the arc to take an 18-17 lead. Bradley took the lead early in the second and had a 36-31 advantage at the half, despite a strong close to the half from Indiana State. The Sycamores were within two possessions for the entire third quarter, even going back in front 46-45 following a three from Finnegan and a layup from Jones. Baskets from Jones and Mia Simpson kept the Trees ahead by a point midway through the fourth, but Indiana State struggled from the field down the stretch. The Sycamores went the final five minutes without a basket as Bradley squeaked out a narrow win.
 
First Half
A pair of early threes from Finnegan along with two layups from White saw the Sycamores take an 11-9 lead midway through the first. Jones tacked on a fastbreak layup, while Queen Ruffin hit a corner three on the fastbreak as the Sycamores took their largest lead of the game at 18-13 late in the opening quarter. After the opening 10 minutes of play, Indiana State clung to an 18-17 lead.
 
Baskets from Jones and White kept things close early in the second, but Bradley started the quarter strong and led 29-22 just past the midway point. Simpson and Keslyn Secrist connected on layups, with Finnegan adding another three, as the Sycamores pulled within a pair at 31-29 with just over two minutes left in the period. Semie Brar added a buzzer-beating basket to close the half, but Indiana State trailed 36-31 at the intermission.
 
Second Half
The Sycamores got the ideal start to the third quarter courtesy of baskets from Secrist and Jones, with White adding another layup midway through. Baskets from Jones and Secrist on either side of the midway point of the quarter pulled the Sycamores within a pair, 43-41, and Finnegan cut the deficit to one with a fastbreak trey. Jones put the Sycamores ahead briefly with a basket, but Bradley claimed a 47-46 lead entering the fourth.
 
After an early struggle to start the fourth, Jones and Simpson connected on baskets to give Indiana State a 51-50 lead midway through the final frame. Those were the last two baskets Indiana State made, though, as the Sycamores struggled down the stretch. Three late free throws from Finnegan kept Indiana State alive, but the Sycamores went the last five minutes without a field goal in a 56-54 defeat.
 
News and Notes

• Indiana State finished with a 19-2 advantage in fastbreak points, with the 19 fastbreak points being the Sycamores' most in a game this season.
• Indiana State limited Bradley to just 20 points in the second half, the lowest point total for a Sycamore opponent in a half during conference play.
• Indiana State finished plus-one (38-37) in rebound margin, and had an 11-4 advantage in second chance points. All five starters had five or more rebounds.
• Savannah White registered five blocks in Sunday's game and is one of two players in the MVC averaging more than two blocks per game against conference foes.
• Bella Finnegan has knocked down at least three 3-pointers in each of the last four games, including Sunday's game. Finnegan is shooting 51.3 percent from behind the arc in that span.

 
Up Next
Indiana State begins a four-game road trip Friday at UIC, with tipoff slated for noon.
 
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