TERRE
HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State women's basketball team
pulled down 46 rebounds against Southern Illinois on Thursday night inside
Hulman Center, including 23 on the offensive glass, leading the Sycamores to a
72-57 Missouri Valley Conference victory over the Salukis.
Indiana State improves to 11-5 on the season and 3-2 in league play, moving the
Sycamores into a tie with Illinois State for fourth in the conference
standings. Southern Illinois drops to 4-11 on the season, 1-3 in the MVC. ISU's
victory was their ninth straight overall against SIU and 13th consecutive
inside Hulman Center against the Salukis.
Southern Illinois and Indiana State traded the lead four times in the opening
10 minutes of the contest, with the Salukis taking a 20-16 lead with 9:15
remaining in the first half on a three-pointer by Jordyn Courier. Indiana State's
offense began to click following Courier's trey, as the Sycamores closed the
half on a 23-5 run to hold a 39-25 advantage at the break.
Junior Anna Munn returned to the starting lineup on Thursday after sitting out
last Sunday's game at Creighton and led the team with 11 points and four
assists in the first half. Sophomore Racheal Mahan added 10 points and eight
rebounds at halftime. Indiana State pulled down 16 offensive rebounds in the
opening 20 minutes, leading to an 11-0 edge in second-chance scoring.
The Sycamores did not let the Salukis into the game at the start of the second
half, opening the period on a 19-9 run over the first 10 minutes. Mahan and
senior Taylor Whitley led ISU with six points each during the run.
Indiana State took a 24-point lead on two occasions, following a pair of free
throws from Mahan with 10:38 remaining (58-34) and on a jumper by sophomore
Travecia Franklin with 9:07 to play (60-36).
Nine of the 10 Sycamores that took the court on Thursday night tallied at least
three points, led by Mahan's sixth double-double of the season with 16 points
and 10 rebounds. Munn (14 points) and Whitley (13 points) also went into double
figures.
SIU's Cartaesha Macklin led all scorers with 17 points, shooting 6-for-16 from
the field and 5-for-7 from the charity stripe.
Indiana State's 46 rebounds are one shy of their season high of 47 against
Eastern Illinois in the opening game of the season on Nov. 11. ISU's 23
offensive rebounds are the most for the team since the Sycamores grabbed 24
offensive boards in a 68-48 home victory over Illinois State on March 5, 2005.
For the game, Indiana State shot 24-for-62 (38.7%) from the field and 20-for-26
(76.9%) from the free-throw line while their defense forced 19 turnover by
Southern Illinois. ISU turned those miscues into 20 points on the offensive end
while finishing the game with a 20-8 edge in second-chance scoring.
Indiana State returns to action inside Hulman Center on Saturday, Jan. 19,
opening the ISU basketball doubleheader against Evansville at 2:05 p.m. The
Purple Aces (5-10, 3-1 MVC) picked up a 71-57 road victory at Illinois State on
Thursday night.
