Savannah White recorded her first career double-double Saturday afternoon, but Indiana State couldn’t sustain its strong start in a 58-53 defeat to UIC inside Hulman Center.
White tallied career highs of 13 points and 11 rebounds, the latter statistic leading all players in the game, and also added two assists, two steals and two blocks. Keslyn Secrist added 13 points for the Trees, who had five players score six-plus points in the contest.
Indiana State jumped out to an early double-digit advantage with Secrist and Deja Jones leading the charge. The Trees led 18-8 after the first quarter, but UIC’s full-court defense gave the Sycamores problems over the final 30 minutes. Indiana State struggled from the field in the middle quarters, being outscored 34-20 in the second and third, before a rally in the fourth brough the Sycamores within two. The Trees’ comeback effort came up two possessions short in the end, though.
First Half
Indiana State scored the first nine points of the game, with Secrist and Jones accounting for all nine points during the run. A three from Queen Ruffin pushed the lead to double-digits, with White and Mia Simpson tacking on baskets midway through the period. Ruffin hit a jumper inside the final minute, as Indiana State took an 18-8 lead to the second.
UIC started the second with an 8-0 run before Secrist connected from the charity stripe and Simpson converted a fastbreak layup to make it 22-16. Jones and White added late baskets for the Blue and White, with the Sycamores leading 26-20 at the intermission.
Second Half
Baskets inside from White and Secrist kept the Sycamores in front early in the third, with Simpson tacking on a midrange jumper to make it 32-24. White connected on a layup midway through, but it was Indiana State’s only basket during a 14-3 run as UIC took its first lead of the game. Semie Brar and White hit free throws in the final two minutes of the quarter, but the Flames took a 42-38 lead to the fourth.
Saige Stahl started the Sycamore rally with a layup inside, with Simpson cutting the deficit back to four with a jumper. Free throws from Secrist and another layup from Stahl pulled the Trees within three, and White added a three-point play to make it 53-51 with less than two minutes remaning. That was the closest the Sycamores got though, as UIC hit a pair of late baskets to ice the game.
News and Notes
- Savannah White’s 13 points and 11 rebounds were both career-best numbers, with the junior scoring in double-figures for the third time this season.
- Indiana State limited UIC to a 1-for-18 clip (5.6 percent) from 3-point range, the worst 3-point percentage for a Sycamore opponent this season.
- Indiana State had a 14-10 advantage in points off turnovers, scoring at a point per possession off turnovers.
- Indiana State used its 11th different starting lineup combination this season in Saturday’s game, with the Sycamores’ starting five consisting of Queen Ruffin, Savannah White, Davina Smith, Deja Jones and Keslyn Secrist.
Up Next
Indiana State heads back on the road to face Missouri State Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
