TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State begins a two-game road trip Sunday afternoon in the Windy City, as the Trees pay a visit to UIC for a 3 p.m. tip inside Credit Union 1 Arena.
Sunday's game will be aired on ESPN+, while John Sherman will have the radio call on WFNB-FM The Fanbase (99.5 FM and 106.9 FM).
Last Time Out
Tierney Kelsey and
Clemisha Prackett led a quintet of Sycamores in double-figures Thursday afternoon with 18 points each, as Indiana State claimed an 88-78 New Year's Day win over visiting Valparaiso inside Hulman Center.
Samiyah Briggs added 14, while
Kennedy Claybrooks and
Jayci Allen both came off the bench to score in double-digits with 12 and 10, respectively. Prackett and Briggs each tallied eight rebounds, with Briggs also tacking on five assists and four steals.
Indiana State's offense was in a rhythm early on, with the Trees shooting better than 45 percent in the opening half. Kelsey's first-quarter buzzer-beating jumper had the Sycamores ahead 23-22 after one and Indiana State had full control of the second, as Prackett matched the Beacons' 13-point second quarter scoring total to give the Blue and White a 47-35 advantage at the break. The Sycamores exploded for 32 third-quarter points, 27 of which came from the trio of Kelsey, Briggs and Claybrooks, to push their lead past 20 late in the frame. Valpo made a late run and outscored the Sycamores by 11 in the fourth, but the game was out of reach in favor of the Trees by that point.
Trees In Transition
Indiana State up-tempo style of play was on full display in the Sycamores' 88-78 New Year's Day win over Valparaiso. The Sycamores had at least six fastbreak points in each of the first three quarters and finished with a season-high 33 fastbreak points in their win over the Beacons.
The 33 fastbreak points for the Blue and White were the most for the program in a single game since the 2021-22 season opener against Stephens College (39).
Indiana State has scored 20-plus fastbreak points in four games this season, with the Sycamores owning a 3-1 record in those games.
Ringing It In
Indiana State ushered in the new year with its first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season, downing Valparaiso 88-78 inside Hulman Center. The Sycamores' win over the Beacons gave Indiana State five wins this season, surpassing its 2024-25 win total (four) with more than two months of basketball still to be played.
Thursday's win over Valparaiso continued a trend of strong play at home this season for the Blue and White, with Indiana State owning a 4-1 record inside Hulman Center after recording just one home win during the 2024-25 campaign. The Sycamores are averaging 85.2 points per game at home this season and own a scoring margin of plus-14.2 inside Hulman Center.
No Start, No Problem
Indiana State's bench production has been a focal point for the Blue and White this season, with the Sycamores ranked seventh nationally in bench scoring at 32.2 points per game. The Sycamores are the only team in the Missouri Valley Conference averaging more than 30 bench points per game this season. Indiana State has scored scored 30-plus bench points in seven games this season, including four games with 40-plus points from its reserves.
Indiana State's New Year's Day win over Valparaiso was heavily fueled by the Sycamores' reserves, as three Trees -
Clemisha Prackett (18),
Kennedy Claybrooks (12) and
Jayci Allen (10) - came off the bench to score in double-figures. The Sycamores finished with 40 bench points in their win over the Beacons.
Statement Made
After not playing in Indiana State's last road game at Illinois State, junior forward
Clemisha Prackett made her impact felt in a major way in the Sycamores' win over Valparaiso.
Prackett tallied a career-high 18 points and also added eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks, recording season-best marks in points, steals and blocks. She had 13 of her 18 points in the second quarter, matching Valparaiso's entire scoring output for the quarter on her own. Prackett tied for the team lead in points and rebounds against the Beacons, while her three blocks were the most by any player on either team.
Charity Work
Indiana State has made a habit of getting to the free throw line this season, with the Sycamores among the national leaders in both free throws made (15th, 16.9) and attempted (eighth, 24.5). The Sycamores have taken at least 20 free throws in each of the last nine games, while making at least 15 free throws in nine of the last 10 games.
The Trees rank towards the middle of the pack in the MVC in free throw percentage this season at 68.7 percent, but have been converting their attempts from the line at a higher rate in recent games. Indiana State is shooting 72.6 percent from the charity stripe over its last five games while shooting better than 75 percent from the line in four of the last five contests.
On This Date
Indiana State has had its fair share of struggles on this date, with a record of 6-10 in January 4 games.
1988 – at Northern Iowa (W, 85-72)
1989 – Southern Illinois (L, 62-63)
1990 – at Eastern Illinois (L, 59-71)
1994 – Northern Iowa (W, 70-50)
1995 – Drake (L, 58-86)
1998 – at Southern Illinois (W, 69-47)
1999 – Evansville (L, 60-64)
2001 – at Missouri State (L, 48-98)
2002 – at Bradley (L, 77-83)
2003 – at Illinois State (W, 70-51)
2004 – Northern Iowa (W, 72-61)
2007 – at Evansville (L, 91-98 (OT))
2013 – Bradley (W, 55-54)
2015 – at Missouri State (L, 66-74)
2019 – at Missouri State (L, 58-71)
2024 – at Drake (L, 47-77)
UIC At A Glance
UIC enters Sunday's game at 6-8 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Sunday's contest closes a five-game homestand for the Flames, who have lost each of their last three games.
Jessica Carrothers leads the Flames in scoring at 17.8 points per game, while Julia Coleman adds 15.0 points per game for UIC. Carrothers and Coleman both rank in the top 10 in the MVC in scoring, while Coleman also adds a team-high 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. Carrothers leads the Flames with 4.1 assists per game. Five different Flames average more than six points per game.
Ashleen Bracey is in her fourth season as head coach at UIC and owns a 58-59 record at the helm of the flames. Bracey is no stranger to the conference, having played at Illinois State from 2006-10.
Series History Against UIC
Indiana State is 14-8 all-time against UIC, including a 5-5 mark in Chicago. The Flames have won the last five meetings between the programs.
The Sycamores have just one win over UIC since the Flames joined the MVC, which came during the 2022-23 season in Chicago (59-48).
Last Meeting Against UIC (Feb. 21, 2025)
UIC scored the first nine points and never looked back on its way to a 94-71 win over Indiana State inside Credit Union 1 Arena.
Deja Jones led the Sycamores with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, while
Queen Ruffin added a season-high 13 points off the bench.
Savannah White and
Mia Simpson each had nine points, with White adding a team-high seven rebounds, and
Keslyn Secrist finished with eight points.
Indiana State pulled within a pair midway through the first after White scored five early points, but the Trees never got closer. UIC went on a 15-0 run spanning parts of the first and second quarters, while Indiana State shot just 30 percent for the opening 20 minutes. The Sycamores' offense came alive to score 48 points in the second half, with Ruffin doing all her damage in the last 20 minutes, but the deficit was insurmountable for Indiana State to overcome.
Up Next
Indiana State has a full week between games, with the Sycamores closing their two-game road swing January 11 at Bradley.
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