VALPARAISO, Ind. – Deja Jones registered the first 20-10 game of her career Sunday afternoon inside the Athletics-Recreation Center. Unfortunately for Indiana State, it came in a 73-68 setback on the road to Valparaiso.
 
Jones finished with 20 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and five assists, while Savannah White added 13 points and eight rebounds. Keslyn Secrist and Bella Finnegan also finished in double-figures for the Blue and White with 11 and 10, respectively.
 
Indiana State jumped out to a strong start from behind the arc to build a five-point lead after the opening frame, but the Sycamores' success from 3-point range ended after the first. Valparaiso used an 11-2 run midway through the second quarter to take the lead, one which the Beacons held for a majority of the game. Finnegan and Davina Smith combined for 10 points in a three-minute span late in the third to pull the Trees level, with Jones and White keeping things on level terms from the free throw line early in the fourth. A late five-point swing for the home side proved costly for Indiana State, though, and Valpo converted from the free throw line down the stretch to narrowly defeat the Trees.
 
First Half
Early threes from Jones and Finnegan kickstarted the Indiana State offense, while Mia Simpson hit a layup to level the score at 10-all midway through. Secrist and White tacked on layups for the Blue and White, while Finnegan connected on a late three-ball as the Trees led 19-14 after the opening quarter.
 
Two more early baskets from White pushed the Sycamores' lead out to 23-16 early in the second quarter, but an 11-2 run for Valpo saw the Beacons go in front. Another basket from White and a pair of free throws from Simpson pulled Indiana State back in front late in the quarter, but Valpo went on to take a 32-30 lead into the break.
 
Second Half
Simpson tied things with a steal and layup to start the third, but Valparaiso followed with an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game. Indiana State worked its way back, though, with Finnegan and Smith hitting baskets on consecutive possessions to cut the deficit in half. Two more layups from Smith and a layup in transition from Finnegan evened the score at 43 with just under two minutes to play in the quarter, with Jones keeping things level with a pair of free throws. Just as it was at the half, the Sycamores entered the fourth facing a two-point deficit, 47-45.
 
Indiana State tied things up at 50 early in the fourth, as Simpson, Jones and White all connected from the free throw line. Back-to-back layups from Secrist, along with two baskets from Jones, kept Indiana State on level footing with the home side, but a quick 5-0 run for the Beacons proved to be a dagger. Secrist added a deep three and a layup, while Jones tacked on a layup inside the last 30 seconds, but Indiana State couldn't string together a late rally in a 73-68 defeat.
 
News and Notes

• Deja Jones recorded the first 20-10 game by an Indiana State player since Mya Glanton had a 26-point, 12-rebound game against Evansville in the first round of the 2022 MVC Tournament.
• Savannah White matched her career high of 13 points Sunday while shooting a team0best 62.5 percent from the field (5-for-8).
• Davina Smith's six points Sunday were her most since scoring 10 at Belmont Jan. 26.
• Indiana State limited Valparaiso to a 32.9 percent clip from the field (23-for-70) and a 26.7 percent mark from 3-point range (8-for-30).
• Four of Indiana State's five starters scored in double-figures Sunday (Jones, White, Secrist, Finnegan), with four Sycamore starters also pulling down five-plus rebounds (White, Simpson, Finnegan, Jones).

 
Up Next
Indiana State heads west to face Drake Thursday night at 7 p.m.
 
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