VALPARAISO, Ind. – Kennedy Claybrooks finished two rebounds and two assists shy of a triple-double Thursday afternoon, leading Indiana State to a 77-63 win over Valparaiso inside the Athletics-Recreation Center.
 
Claybrooks tallied team-leading totals of 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, with four of Indiana State's five starters scoring in double-figures. Amerie Flowers added 14, Da'Naria Washington finished with 11 and Samiyah Briggs chipped in 10.
 
Indiana State led wire-to-wire and took control early with a 15-4 run to start the game. The Sycamores built a double-digit lead in the first half behind 10 points in the opening 20 minutes from Claybrooks. Indiana State further extended its advantage with a 20-2 run to end the second and start the third quarter, mainly scoring inside to push its lead to 53-31. Valpo clawed its way back and pulled within nine late in the fourth quarter, but the Sycamores' work in the first three quarters propelled the Blue and White to its first road conference win of the season.
 
First Half
Baskets from Claybrooks and Flowers opened the game, with Claybrooks tacking on a three-ball to give the Trees a 9-2 lead just over three minutes in. Flowers and Clemisha Prackett added baskets down low to make it 15-4 midway through the opening frame. Indiana State went cold in the last five minutes of the first, but Jayci Allen knocked down a three inside the final minute as the Sycamores maintained an 18-13 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
 
Claybrooks nailed an early second quarter jumper, with Tierney Kelsey hitting from deep as the Trees kept their foot on the gas pedal. The Sycamores' lead went back into double-digits with a layup from Camariyana Tavares and another three-ball from Allen, with Kelsey adding another basket of her own to make it 30-18 midway through. Valparaiso pulled within four late in the quarter, but Indiana State closed with a 7-0 run capped by a backdoor layup from Washington to lead 40-29 at the intermission.
 
Second Half 
Back-to-back baskets from Flowers kickstarted a 13-2 run for the Blue and White to begin the third quarter. Washington hit a corner trey, while Claybrooks and Prackett added paint points as the Sycamores extended their lead to 53-31. Valparaiso countered with an 11-0 run, but late baskets from Claybrooks and Flowers had Indiana State ahead 57-42 through three quarters.
 
Flowers continued her assault on the paint with a pair of early fourth quarter baskets, and Washington added another layup to make it 65-49. Tavares hit a layup to give the Sycamores the coveted six-seven on Kids Day in Valparaiso, before the home side made a run to cut the Trees' lead to nine. Briggs and Washington tacked on layups inside the last two minutes, while Allen got a friendly roll on a trey inside the final minute as Indiana State closed out a 77-63 victory over Valparaiso on the road.
 
News and Notes

• Indiana State made its presence felt in the paint, as the Sycamores had a 40-22 advantage in paint points. The Sycamores' 40 paint points were their most in a conference game this season.
• Indiana State improved to 8-2 in road games against Valparaiso this season.
• Indiana State tallied double-digit second chance points for the fifth straight game, finishing with 14 second chance points in Thursday's game.
• Indiana State improved to 3-0 against the fellow in-state MVC schools this season with Thursday's win, with the Sycamores scoring at least 77 points in each of those games.
• Indiana State led wire-to-wire for the second time in the last four games, with Thursday's game tied for only the first 15 seconds of the contest.
• Indiana State dished out 20 assists in Thursday's win, the Sycamores' most against a Division I opponent this season. The Trees had a 2:1 assist-turnover ratio, finishing with just 10 turnovers in the win.
• Valparaiso shot 30.6 percent from the floor in Thursday's game (19-for-62), the lowest by an MVC opponent this season against the Sycamores. Indiana State has held four of its last five opponents below 40 percent from the field.
• Kennedy Claybrooks flirted with a triple-double for the second time in the last four games, leading Indiana State with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
• Amerie Flowers' 14 points were her most against an MVC opponent this season, while her seven made field goals were her most in a Sycamore uniform.
• Da'Naria Washington scored in double-figures for the third time in the last four games and is averaging 11.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in that span.
• Samiyah Briggs scored in double-figures for the second straight game after having just 14 total points in the Sycamores' three prior games.

 
Up Next
Indiana State closes its two-game road trip with a journey down US-41, as the Sycamores face Evansville Sunday at 4 p.m.

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