Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois University women's basketball team faced a challenging game against Indiana State, resulting in an 87-63 defeat at the Banterra Center. This loss adds to SIU's record, bringing them to 4-17 overall and 2-10 in conference play.

Indiana State showed strong performance, shooting 45% from the field and an impressive 46% from three-point range. In contrast, the Salukis struggled with their shots, achieving only 32% from the field and a mere 19% from beyond the arc.

The Sycamores started strong with a high-scoring first quarter, putting up 23 points while making four out of seven three-point attempts. Southern Illinois tried to keep pace but ended the quarter trailing by four points at 23-19.

In the second quarter, Indiana State extended their lead by outscoring SIU 21-18. Kayla Cooper and Mia Gaines each contributed five points for SIU during this period. By halftime, Indiana State led by seven points with Keslyn Secrist scoring 13 points and Bella Finnegan adding another ten.

The third quarter saw Indiana State taking control of the game as they outscored Southern Illinois by a significant margin of 26-12. The Sycamores maintained their shooting accuracy with Finnegan and Secrist contributing significantly to their team's score.

Despite efforts in the final quarter where Gaines achieved a career-high of 14 points and Gift Uchenna recorded a double-double with twelve points and fourteen rebounds, SIU could not close the gap.

Southern Illinois will remain on home ground for their next match against Missouri State scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m.

Fans can stay updated on Salukis' activities through various social media platforms including Twitter (@SIU_WBasketball), Instagram (@SIU_WBasketball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics), or via the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both App Store and Google Play Store.