TERRE HAUTE, Ind.  – It was the Cierra Ceazer and Ashley Taia show as the duo combined for 51 of Indiana State's 70 points as it needed overtime to pull of the 70-63 win over Butler in the non-conference finale on Monday night.

Both posted career-highs as Ceazer led with a double-double on 26 points and 11 rebounds while Taia added 25 points and six rebounds in the Sycamores' win.  Taia went 9-for-14 from the floor, including a perfect first half with 5-for-5 from the field including 3-for-3 from long range.

The Sycamores pulled it off despite a 33.9 percent shooting clip. They were a bit better from 3-point range (40 percent) and also pulled down a season-high 49 rebounds, winning the battle of the boards over the Bulldogs 49-46. Ceazer's 11 tied a game-high with redshirt junior Joyea Marshall added nine and junior forward Rhagen Smith added eight.

ISU presented a strong defense, forcing 20 Butler turnovers in the win and held the visitors to just one field goal in the overtime period. 

In the first quarter, ISU led by five with 2:19 remaining on a Ceazer bucket but the Bulldogs rallied to close it out with a 6-0 run and led 16-15. The Sycamores were cold from the field extending into the second quarter, not scoring a field goal until the 4:39 mark when Taia knocked down one of her five triples on the night. It was Taia again from beyond to give ISU the narrow 29-27 lead going into half time and Indiana State opened up the third quarter on a 5-0 run.

The Sycamores led by as many as 12 (43-31) in the third quarter after Smith sank two free throws. But ISU got complacent, allowing the Bulldogs to cut the lead down to three with 6:22 left in the fourth. In a seemingly repetitive story line, Taia knocked down another 3-pointer extending the ISU lead back to six but Butler continued to answer.

Butler's leading scorer Blaire Langlois cut it down to one on a pair of free throws while Ceazer counteracted with three straight charity stripe shots to put ISU back up 57-53 with 2:28 to play.The Bulldogs answered again but bonus free throws by Mackowiak and Ceazer put ISU up three with 18.7 to play.

Heavily guarding Langlois, the Sycamores defense exposed a hole for Belle Orbert who launched the three from the left wing and tie the game up with seven seconds to play. Indiana State got a last second shot in regulation, but Ceazer just couldn't get it to fall forcing overtime.

Locking down in the five minute overtime period, Indiana State held Butler to just one field goal and shot 60.0 percent itself en route to the win. Free throws proved to be key as each team shot in the bonus in overtime. Up by just one after – you guessed it – Taia 3-pointer, ISU benefited from the play of Ceazer who nearly did it all as she got the steal and transition layup while picking up the rebound and the foul with 20 seconds left to play.

The game was iced with four free throws in those final 20 seconds from redshirt junior Kelsey Dirks and Taia to pick up the third-straight win in the series with the in-state rival.

SYCAMORE SOUND BITES

GAME CHANGER

Taia and Ceazer combining for over 70 percent of Indiana State's points as the squad posted 70 points for just the second time this season. ISU was also locked in during the overtime period, holding Butler to just one field goal and making free throws down the stretched for the program's sixth-straight overtime win.

SYCAMORE LEADERS

Points – C. Ceazer (26)

Rebounds – C. Ceazer (11)

Assists – A. Newbolt (3)

Steals – A. Taia/J. Mackowiak (3)

Blocks – K. Dirks (2)

ABOUT THE SQUAD

Field Goal % - 33.9

Free Throw % - 57.1

Assists – 8

Steals – 13

Rebounds - 49

RECORDS
Indiana State: 4-7

Butler: 5-6

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

3 – Third straight win for the Sycamores in the series with Butler, which it leads 15-12 and are now 2-0 under head coach Joey Wells in the series

6 – Sixth-straight overtime win for ISU in program history as it improves to 25-23 in extra minute games

26 – Ceazer posted her first career 20-plus performance with 26 points and 11 rebounds which also credited her with her second double-double this season

51 – Ceazer and Taia combined to score 51 of Indiana State's 70 points in the victory as ISU has

365 – Indiana State went exactly one year-to-date playing in overtime games, as ISU won a double-overtime thriller with-then No. 25 St. John's on December 21, 2014

UP NEXT

The Missouri Valley Conference slate begins on New Year's Day when the Sycamores welcome Wichita State at 7:05 p.m. ET. The game will be live on The Valley on ESPN3.

For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Basketball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.