TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State closes its two-game homestand Saturday afternoon when the Sycamores square off with Southern Illinois for a 2 p.m. tip inside Hulman Center.
 
Saturday's game will be aired on ESPN+, with Landon Kleindorfer (play-by-play) and Nyah Wilson (analyst) on the call. John Sherman will also have the radio call on WVIG-FM/105.5 The Legend.
 
Last Time Out
Clemisha Prackett recorded her eighth double-double of the season Thursday night, with four other Sycamores scoring in double figures, but the Blue and White came up short in the final quarter to fall 95-80 to UIC inside Hulman Center. 
 
Tierney Kelsey led the Sycamores with 19 points, seven assists and two steals, while Samiyah Briggs followed closely behind with a season-high 16 points. Prackett added 12 points and led the team with 10 rebounds. Kayla Smith and Jayci Allen both record 10 points a piece. 
 
Indiana State briefly led in the first quarter, but UIC went 7-for-10 from behind the arc in the opening half to remain in front for the majority of the first 20 minutes. The Trees were within two possessions for most of the first three quarters, and closed the gap to two points in the fourth, but the visitors pulled away for good with a 15-2 run late in the final period.
 
Senior Send-Off
Saturday's contest against Southern Illinois is the final weekend home game for the Sycamores this season, with the game against the Salukis serving as Indiana State's Senior Day.
 
Prior to the start of Saturday's game against Southern Illinois, the Sycamores will recognize their six-athlete senior class, consisting of Amaya Blake, Samiyah Briggs, Kennedy Claybrooks, Kayla Smith, Ruth Sodipe and Da'Naria Washington.
 
The Sycamores have one home weekday home game following the current homestand, with the Trees facing Northern Iowa March 5 to close the regular season in Hulman Center. Indiana State's five home wins are the program's most since the 2022-23 season.
 
Salute To The Seniors
Indiana State's senior class has only been together in Terre Haute for one season, but the six athletes who will be recognized Saturday have made the most of their time donning the Blue and White.
 
Samiyah Briggs is the only Sycamore who has started all 26 games this season, with the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native ranking fourth on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game and rebounding at 3.9 boards per game. Briggs has scored in double-figures 12 times this season, most recently with a season-high 16 in Thursday's game against UIC, while setting career highs in rebounds and assists against Valparaiso with eight boards and five dimes. She has 11 games with five or more rebounds and eight with three or more assists, both of which are her most in a season in her career. Briggs also has a pair of games with four steals this season, with those coming against Northern Illinois and Valparaiso.
 
Da'Naria Washington has started 19 of the 24 games she has appeared in this season, averaging 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Washington's 65 assists this season rank second on the team. The Indianapolis native has scored in double-figures in five games this season, four of which have come in conference play with a season-best 17 points in a win over Evansville. Washington also has 13 games with three or more assists, a team-leading 10 games with multiple steals and four games with five or more rebounds. She dished out a season-high seven assists against Old Dominion and her five steals against Illinois State are tied for the most by a Sycamore in a game this season.
 
Ruth Sodipe has appeared in 13 games this season with one start, that coming against Illinois State. Sodipe has 11 points, 13 rebounds and five steals this season, with most of that production coming against conference foes. She tallied season-best totals of five points and three rebounds, all in the fourth quarter, in the Sycamores' last road game against Drake, while also adding three points in Indiana State's last game against UIC. The El Paso, Texas, native has also recorded a steal in four of her last six games played, all of which have come against MVC competition.
 
Kennedy Claybrooks has started 20 of the 24 games she has appeared in and leads the Sycamores with 115 assists this season (4.8 per game), a mark which ranks third in the MVC despite missing two games this season. Claybrooks also adds 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Sycamores, and has a 16-point, 11-assist game at Bradley on her ledger this year. The Memphis, Tennessee, native has scored in double-figures 11 times this season, including 16-point games against Bradley and Valparaiso, while dishing out three or more assists a team-leading 18 times, with a pair of double-digit assist outings. She also has eight games with three or more rebounds, with a career-high nine against Evansville. Claybrooks' five steals at Western Kentucky are tied for the most by a Sycamore in a game this season.
 
Kayla Smith has appeared in all 26 games this season, starting 23 and averaging 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Smith's scoring and rebounding numbers are already her best for a single season in her collegiate career, with more than half of her career rebounds coming in the 2025-26 campaign. Smith has scored in double-figures four times this season, most recently with 10 in Thursday's game against UIC. The Lakeland, Florida, native produced season-high marks of 16 points and nine rebounds against Old Dominion, with the nine rebounds also signifying a career high. She has nine games with five or more rebounds and four games with multiple steals this season.
 
Amaya Blake has battled injuries throughout her time as a Sycamore, but the Kansas City, Missouri, native made the most of her opportunity when her number was called. Blake had an instant impact in her only appearance this season, finishing with three points and one assist in four minutes against Illinois State, playing turnover-free basketball against the Redbirds. Injuries derailed Blake's time with the Blue and White, with the guard limited to just the one appearance this season.
 
On This Date
Indiana State owns a 6-8 record in games played on this date, including a 3-2 record in home games played on February 21.
 
The Sycamores are 0-2 against Southern Illinois on this date with losses in 2009 (74-71) and 2020 (60-42).
 
1975 – IUPUI (W, 71-26)
1978 – at Eastern Illinois (W, 54-52)
1981 – Detroit (L, 64-79)
1985 – Bradley (W, 75-57)
1986 – Eastern Illinois (L, 58-66)
1987 – at UIC (L, 65-70)
1993 – at Bradley (L, 79-98)
1998 – at Wichita State (L, 58-60)
2008 – Missouri State (W, 86-77 (OT))
2009 – at Southern Illinois (L, 71-74)
2014 – at Missouri State (W, 73-37)
2016 – at Loyola Chicago (W, 74-71)
2020 – at Southern Illinois (L, 42-60)
2025 – at UIC (L, 71-94)
 
Southern Illinois At A Glance
Southern Illinois enters Saturday's game at 9-15 overall and 6-9 in conference play. The Salukis have lost two straight, including a 77-48 defeat to Northern Iowa in Carbondale in their last game.
 
Alayna Kraus leads the Salukis in scoring at 15.5 points per game, while fellow newcomer Indya Green adds 12.5 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds per contest. Kayla Cooper (10.6) and Jeniah Thompson (10.1) also score in double-figures for Southern Illinois, with those four players accounting for more than 70 percent of SIU's offensive production this season. Tkiyah Nelson dishes out four assists per game, while all five Saluki starters average at least one steal per game.
 
Kelly Bond-White is in her fourth season as head coach at Southern Illinois and owns a record of 36-80 at the helm of the Salukis. Prior to her time at SIU, Bond-White was a longtime assistant at Texas A&M and was part of the Aggies' 2011 National Championship staff.
 
Series History Against Southern Illinois
Indiana State is 48-61 all-time against Southern Illinois, including a 21-26 record against the Salukis in Terre Haute.
 
The Sycamores and Salukis have split the last six meetings, though Indiana State's last home win over Southern Illinois came in 2014.
 
Last Meeting Against Southern Illinois (Jan. 22, 2026)
It was a tale of two halves inside Banterra Center. Unfortunately for the Sycamores, a poor first half overshadowed a strong final 20 minutes in an 86-74 loss to Southern Illinois.
 
Clemisha Prackett paced the Trees with 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Kennedy Claybrooks added 13 points, four assists and three steals for the Blue and White. Jayci Allen also came off the bench to score in double-figures with 10.
 
Indiana State was within two possessions after the opening quarter, but things took a turn for the worse in the second. The Sycamores were outscored 27-11 in the second quarter and faced a 51-30 deficit at the break. Despite the large deficit, the Blue and White battled back by outscoring the home side 21-13 in the third behind a balanced effort and strong defense. The Sycamores pulled within seven midway through the fourth but were unable to get any closer despite outscoring the Salukis 44-35 in the second half.
 
Up Next
Indiana State begins its final road trip of the season Thursday night at Murray State with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
 
Follow the Sycamores
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