TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State begins its final road trip of the 2025-26 season Thursday night when it pays a visit to Murray State for a 7 p.m. tip inside the CFSB Center.
 
Thursday's game will be aired on ESPN+, and John Sherman will also have the radio call on WVIG-FM/105.5 The Legend.
 
Last Time Out
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.
 
Firing In The Fourth
Indiana State's Senior Day win over Southern Illinois was largely fueled by a strong fourth quarter for the Sycamores. The Blue and White outscored the Salukis 25-17 in the final frame, marking the fourth straight game that the Sycamores produced a quarter with 25 or more points.
 
The Trees used a 15-3 run spanning the front half of the fourth to break the game open, with Kayla Smith knocking down three of her career-high five 3-pointers in the final frame. Saturday's win for the Sycamores snapped a five-game losing streak and marked Indiana State's first Senior Day win since 2021.
 
Perfect Timing
Indiana State guard Kayla Smith could not draw up a better way for her Senior Day to play out, finishing with her best game against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent.
 
Smith matched her career high of five 3-pointers and finished with 15 points, tying for the team lead in scoring as Indiana State downed Southern Illinois 81-73. Three of Smith's five threes came in a clutch fourth quarter for the Blue and White.
 
Off To The Races
Thursday's game between Indiana State and Murray State features two teams which rank among the national leaders in pace of play. The Sycamores' 78.3 possessions per 40 minutes ranks seventh nationally, while the Racers enter Thursday's game ranked 31st in possessions per 40 minutes at 75.9.
 
Coincidentally, the Racers (84.0) and Sycamores (74.0) are the two highest-scoring teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, with Murray State ranking 10th nationally and Indiana State sitting 53rd nationally in scoring offense.
 
No Start, No Problem
Indiana State's rotation is unique, in that the Sycamores' three leading scorers this season have primarily come off the bench. Tierney Kelsey (14.3 points per game), Clemisha Prackett (10.2) and Jayci Allen (10.1) all average double-digit scoring in their reserve roles.
 
The Sycamore bench unit has been one of the most productive in the nation this season, entering Thursday's game ranked third overall at 31.6 points per game. Indiana State trails only a pair of top-25 teams in LSU and Louisville in bench scoring this season.
 
Indiana State's bench was a major factor in the Sycamores' 81-73 Senior Day win over Southern Illinois, with the Sycamores reserves outscoring the Saluki bench unit by a 44-9 margin. Saturday's game against the Salukis marked the sixth time this season that Indiana State's bench produced 40 or more points in a game.
 
Instant Impact
Indiana State forward Clemisha Prackett has been a force off the bench for the Sycamores this season, despite playing less than 20 minutes per contest.
 
Prackett has recorded double-doubles in each of the last two games, with the junior post player most recently producing a 15-point, 14-rebound performance in Indiana State's 81-73 win over Southern Illinois. She also recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound outing against UIC.
 
Despite starting just five games this season, Prackett ranks fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with nine double-doubles. Five of Prackett's double-doubles this season have come against conference foes.
 
On This Date
Indiana State owns a 5-7 record in games played on this date, with an 0-5 record in road games played on February 26.
 
Each of Indiana State's seven losses in February 26 games have been by 10 points or less.
 
1983 – at Butler (L, 48-58)
1987 – Bradley (W, 85-70)
1992 – at Butler (L, 79-83)
1994 – Wichita State (L, 81-82)
1998 – Illinois State (W, 67-58)
1999 – Northern Iowa (L, 66-75)
2006 – at Drake (L, 65-70)
2010 – Northern Iowa (W, 70-62)
2012 – Wichita State (W, 63-51)
2016 – Evansville (W, 57-45)
2017 – at Missouri State (L, 63-73)
2022 – at Missouri State (L, 65-72)
 
Murray State At A Glance
Murray State enters Thursday's game at 24-3 overall and 15-1 in conference play. The Racers have won 22 of their last 23 games, and handed both Bradley and Illinois State their first home losses of the season last week.
 
Halli Poock leads a high-powered Racers offense in scoring at 21.4 points per game, while Sharnecce Currie-Jelks averages a double-double at 18.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Haven Ford adds 16.7 points per game, with both Poock and Ford averaging more than three assists per game. Former Sycamore Keslyn Secrist averages 12.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
 
Rechelle Turner is in her ninth season as head coach at Murray State and owns a 160-112 record at her alma mater. Turner led the Racers to the NCAA Tournament last season and has Murray State in prime position for a postseason return.
 
Series History Against Murray State
Indiana State is 3-9 all-time against Murray State, including a 1-4 mark in Murray.
 
The Racers have won the last five in the series, with the Trees' last wins in the series being a 2022-23 season sweep.
 
Last Meeting Against Murray State (Feb. 5, 2026)
Indiana State sophomore forward Amerie Flowers tallied a career-high 27 points, but league-leading Murray State's offense proved too much for the Sycamores in a 114-78 setback inside Hulman Center.
 
Flowers went 12-for-17 on the field, setting career-best marks in both categories, while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Clemisha Prackett, Jayci Allen, and Tierney Kelsey each contributed 12 points, while Kennedy Claybrooks dished out a game-high 10 assists to go along with three steals.
 
Murray State seized control early and never looked back, using strong runs in each half to build separation from Indiana State. After a tightly contested opening quarter, the Racers closed the first half with a decisive surge to take a 58-37 lead into the break. Indiana State showed fight in the second half and played Murray State evenly in stretches, but the Racers continued to extend their advantage with consistent scoring and trips to the free-throw line, pulling away for a lopsided victory.
 
Up Next
Indiana State plays its final road game of the season Saturday evening at Belmont, with tipoff set for 5 p.m.
 
Follow the Sycamores
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