TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Clemisha Prackett and Kayla Smith scored 15 points apiece Saturday afternoon, as Indiana State pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat Southern Illinois, 81-73, on Senior Day inside Hulman Center.
 
Prackett also added a game-high 14 rebounds for her team-leading ninth double-double of the season, while Tierney Kelsey chipped in 12 points off the bench, while Da'Naria Washington added seven points, eight rebounds and five assists. Kennedy Claybrooks dished out a game-high eight assists for the Sycamores.
 
Southern Illinois opened on a 7-0 run, but the Sycamores battled back to lead 21-18 after the opening quarter behind a trio of threes. Indiana State maintained its narrow lead into halftime, but SIU went ahead early in the third. After the Salukis briefly grabbed the lead in the third, Jayci Allen answered with a fast-break three to spark an 8-0 run as the game entered the fourth tied at 56-56. Indiana State then used a decisive 17-5 stretch behind balanced scoring from Washington, Kelsey, Smith, Prackett. and Briggs to build a double-digit cushion. Despite a late Southern Illinois push, clutch free throws from Claybrooks sealed the 81-73 Senior Day win.
 
First Half
Southern Illinois struck first with a 7-0 run before Briggs knocked down a three to put Indiana State on the board. Her shot sparked a 9-2 response, with Washington, Smith and Briggs each contributing three points to tie the game at 9-9 with 6:26 remaining in the opening quarter. The teams traded points down the stretch until the Sycamores used a late 5-2 push through Smith and Prackett to take a 21-18 lead after one.
 
The Salukis opened the second quarter with a basket to trim the deficit, but neither team was able to create separation over the next several minutes as the score moved to 28-27 in favor of Indiana State. The Sycamores then pieced together a 6-2 run behind baskets from Jayci Allen and Kelsey to stretch the lead to five. Southern Illinois answered with its own 6-2 surge late, cutting the margin to 36-35 at the break.
 
Second Half 
Claybrooks opened the scoring in the third quarter with a layup, but Southern Illinois responded with an 8-2 run to take the lead. Allen stopped the momentum with a fast-break three-pointer, sparking an 8-0 Indiana State run that put the Sycamores back in front by five midway through the period. The Salukis battled back to tie the game at 50-50 and later grabbed a brief three-point edge in the closing minute of the quarter. Free throws from Prackett and Kelsey evened the score at 56-56 heading into the fourth.
 
Prackett began the final period at the line, and her two free throws ignited a 17-5 Indiana State run. Washington, Kelsey, Smith, Prackett and Briggs all contributed during the stretch, building an 11-point cushion for the Blue and White. Southern Illinois mounted a late rally to pull within five in the final minute, but Claybrooks calmly converted three free throws down the stretch to secure an 81-73 Senior Day victory for the Sycamores.
 
News and Notes

• All seniors who were active for this game scored a point and recorded a rebound. The five seniors closed out Saturday's win on the court together for the final 20 seconds of the game. 
• All players who were available for today's game scored a field goal and recorded a rebound.
• Indiana State hit nine threes in Saturday's win, shooting at a 42.9 percent clip from behind the arc.
• Indiana State turned 17 offensive rebounds into 19 second chance points, with the 19 second chance points being the second-most for the Sycamores this season.
• Indiana State registered its sixth game with 40-plus bench points Saturday, with the Sycamores owning a 44-9 advantage in bench scoring.
• Indiana State's plus-13 rebound margin (49-36) was its most in a conference game this season and the second-highest rebound margin for the Sycamores in a game this season (plus-14 at Western Kentucky, Nov. 14)
• Recording 19 assists today marks the third-most for the Sycamores this season. 
  • This is the first game since Feb. 5, 2026, vs. Murray State that the Sycamores have recorded 15+ assists. 
• Indiana State notched its second straight game with a 25-point quarter, scoring 25 in the final frame. The Sycamores have had at least one quarter with 25-plus points in three of the last four games. 
• Kayla Smith set an MVC high of 15 points. She also tied her career high in three-pointers made with five. Smith became the second Sycamore this season with five threes in a game (Tierney Kelsey at Northern Iowa, Feb. 12).
• Da'Naria Washington's eight rebounds and two blocks were both season-high marks. 
• The Sycamores earned their first Senior Day win since 2021 with Saturday's victory, snapping a four-game losing streak in Senior Day games.

 
Postgame Press Conference presented by Team Green Law: Marc Mitchell, Clemisha Prackett, Kayla Smith


Up Next
Indiana State takes to the road to face Murray State Thursday night, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.

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