YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Indiana State women's basketball team saw their 2012-13 season come to an end on Thursday night as the Youngstown State Penguins earned a 63-51 home victory in the opening round of the Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament in front of 1,803 fans inside Beeghly Center.

Indiana State returned to the postseason for the first time since 2005-06 this season and finished the year at 18-13 overall. The Sycamores posted a winning season for the first time under head coach Teri Moren and their first overall since 2009-10. Youngstown State (23-9) advances to face Toledo (25-3) later this weekend in the second round of the Postseason WNIT.

The Sycamores took a seven-point lead after six minutes of action, as junior Anna Munn's three-pointer capped a 7-2 run and put ISU in front 13-6. Indiana State went cold from the field for much of the remainder of the first half, going without a field goal for 12 minutes before freshman Marina Laramie sank a jumper with two minutes left before the break.

Youngstown State took a 29-23 lead into the locker room behind 10 first-half points from Liz Hornberger. Laramie led ISU in the opening 20 minutes, posting eight points and three rebounds.

Indiana State closed to within one point, at 34-33 with 14:53 remaining, on a steal and fastbreak layup by senior Taylor Whitley, but that would be as close as the Sycamores could get. Youngstown State responded with a 10-4 run over three minutes, taking a 44-37 lead with 11:40 to go on a jumper by Karen Flagg.

Youngstown State outscored Indiana State by 11 points at the free-throw line, 20-9, attempting 16 more shots for the game. The Sycamores were called for 24 fouls to 16 fouls for the Penguins.

Whitley led the team with 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals in her final collegiate game, while Laramie, Munn and sophomore Natasha Zurek all added 10 points. Indiana State out-rebounded Youngstown State by a 43-40 margin, just their second loss of the season when winning on the glass.

Brandi Brown led the Penguins with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, her 23rd double-double of the season.

Indiana State will welcome back a veteran squad in 2013-14, as underclassmen combined to log 5,035 minutes and scored 85% of the team's points on the offensive end this season.

The Sycamores posted their best defensive season in school history in 2012-13, finishing the season by allowing their opponents to score an average of 55.5 points per game. The previous school record was 60.2 points per game allowed during the 1975-76 season.