PEORIA, Ill. – Kennedy Claybrooks tallied a team-high 16 points and a career-high 11 assists for her first career double-double Sunday afternoon, but Indiana State's quest for a road conference win fell short at Bradley, 79-74, inside Renaissance Coliseum.
 
Samiyah Briggs tacked on 15 points to match her season high, while Jayci Allen added 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench, her most in an MVC contest. Claybrooks also added five rebounds and a game-high four steals for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State started strong from deep, hitting five of its first seven 3-point attempts to lead by eight late in the second. Bradley pulled within one possession at the half, but the Blue and White scored the first five points out of the intermission to push their lead back out. The home side closed the third quarter with a 20-6 run to take a 61-54 lead over the Sycamores, but Indiana State fought back in the fourth. A 9-0 run for the Trees put Indiana State ahead 63-61, and the Blue and White still had a lead with less than three minutes remaining. Indiana State couldn't finish the job down the stretch, though, as Bradley outscored the Trees 7-2 in the last two minutes to fend off a resilient Sycamore effort.
 
First Half
Indiana State opened the game with a statement, as threes from Briggs and Da'Naria Washington along with a Claybrooks layup forced an early Bradley timeout. Kayla Smith got in on the 3-point barrage for the Trees, while baskets from Claybrooks and Amerie Flowers kept the Blue and White ahead at the midway point of the frame. Bradley recovered from its slow start to pull ahead, but late baskets from Briggs and Allen leveled the score at 19-all after one quarter.
 
Layups from Briggs and Clemisha Prackett kept the Trees on level footing early in the second, and Allen connected on a three-ball to put the Blue and White ahead by four. Flowers, Prackett and Allen kept the Blue and White ahead with baskets in the middle stages of the quarter, with the latter adding another trey to give the Sycamores a 35-27 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the period. Bradley closed the quarter strong, but the Sycamores took a 37-34 lead to the half.
 
Second Half 
Contrary to recent games, Indiana State got off to a strong start in the third quarter. Smith hit three early free throws and Briggs connected on a pair of baskets to put the Sycamores ahead 44-39. Layups from Washington and Briggs extended the lead to 48-41, but things went downhill from there in the quarter for the Trees. Claybrooks banked in a three late in the third, but that was the only basket for the Blue and White in the last five minutes of the frame. Bradley closed the third quarter on a 20-6 run to lead 61-54 with 10 minutes remaining,
 
Indiana State put together a strong start to the fourth quarter, with layups from Flowers and Briggs making it a one-possession game early in the period. Kelsey hit a three from the corner to cap a 9-0 run and put Indiana State back in front 63-61, and a three-point play from Claybrooks kept the momentum going for the Sycamores. Baskets from Allen and Pracket had the Sycamores on level footing late, but the Trees couldn't convert down the stretch. Bradley closed the game on a 7-2 run to pull out a 79-74 win, as Indiana State made just one basket in the last three minutes.
 
News and Notes

• Kennedy Claybrooks dished out a career-high 11 assists Sunday, while also scoring a season-high 16 points. Claybrooks recorded her first career double-double and the first points-assists double-double by a Sycamore since Deja Jones against Illinois State on Feb. 13, 2025.
• Jayci Allen's 14 points were her most in a conference game this season, while her nine rebounds were her most in a Sycamore uniform.
• Samiyah Briggs matched her season high of 15 points in Sunday's game.
• Indiana State had a 35-27 advantage in rebounds, and limited Bradley to just two offensive rebounds in Sunday's game.
• Indiana State's 13 steals were its most against a Division I opponent this season and marked the second time in the last three games that the Sycamores had 10-plus steals.
• Indiana State's 19 assists were its most against a Division I opponent this season and the most by the Blue and White in a conference game since recording 20 assists in a win over Southern Illinois on Feb. 9, 2025.
• Indiana State went 7-for-15 from behind the arc in Sunday's game, shooting a season-best 46.7 percent from deep. The Sycamores were also 7-for-15 in their home-opening win over Eastern Illinois on Nov. 11, 2025.
• Indiana State shot a season-best 92.9 percent from the charity stripe, going 13-for-14 on free throws.
• Indiana State finished with an advantage in bench points (26-10), fastbreak points (15-13), second chance points (8-4) and points in the paint (32-22). The Trees also finished level on points off turnovers (12-12).
• Indiana State tied or outscored Bradley in three of the four quarters, but were outscored 27-17 in the third in what proved to be the difference.

 
Up Next
Indiana State plays three of its next four games inside the friendly confines of Hulman Center, starting with a Thursday night clash against Belmont at 7 p.m.

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