The Indiana State women’s basketball team improved to 7-13 overall and 3-7 in Missouri Valley Conference play Thursday afternoon with a 77-63 victory over host Valparaiso at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
It was the team’s first road win in conference play this season.
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The Sycamores’ Kennedy Claybrooks tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Four of Indiana State’s five starters scored in double-figures with Amerie Flowers contributing 14 points, Da’Naria Washington finishing with 11 and Samiyah Briggs adding 10.
Valparaiso was led by Milana Nenadic, who posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Allia von Schlegell chipped in with 15 points.
ISU never gave up the lead Thursday on its way to its second victory of the season over last-place Valpo.
Claybrooks and Flowers opened with buckets, with Claybrooks later draining a 3-pointer to give ISU a 9-2 lead a little more than three minutes into the game. The lead grew to double digits when Flowers and Clemisha Prackett each sank a shot to make the score 15-4.
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However, it wasn’t a total cruise for the Sycamores as they went cold late in the first quarter. But Jayci Allen knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 18-13 after one quarter of play.
The team effort continued in the second quarter as the Sycamores kept their foot on the gas.
But Valparaiso showed a little bit of fight as the Beacons made it a four-point game before a 7-0 Sycamore run sparked by a Washington layup made it 40-29 at halftime.
Flowers opened the third quarter with back-to-back buckets, which sparked a 13-2 run for ISU. Washington cashed in for a 3-pointer and Claybrooks scored from the paint to pad the visitors’ cushion to 53-31.
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But like earlier in the game, the Beacons responded by going on an 11-0 run. ISU held a 57-42 lead after three before it closed things out in the final frame. While Valpo got within nine, the Sycamores got buckets from Briggs and Washington along with a 3-pointer from Jayci Allen to seal the outcome.
Claybrooks said in a radio segment on WVIG-FM 105.5 that it was how they start and finish games that really matters.
“I feel like this game we started off very aggressive,” Claybrooks said. “We kept our foot on their neck the whole game.”
ISU coach Marc Mitchell said they came out with the right ferocity and did what they had to do. He said he and Claybrooks have been having conversations about what was expected of her.
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“She did a fantastic job of running this team, being a coach on the floor and making great decisions,” Mitchell said.
He said they’ve been talking extensively about playing without fouling and thought they did a pretty good of that early in the contest.
INDIANA STATE (77) — Claybrooks 7-11 0-0 16, Flowers 7-13 0-1 14, Washington 4-8 2-2 11, Briggs 2-6 6-6 10, Allen 3-7 0-0 9, Prackett 3-7 0-0 6, Kelsey 2-9 0-0 5, Tavares 2-4 1-1 5, Smith 0-4 1-2 1, Sodipe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-69 FG, 10-12 FT, 77 TP.
VALPARAISO (63) — Nenadic 6-19 5-6 19, von Schlegell 4-14 4-5 15, Sullivan 3-8 5-6 12, Winch 3-4 0-1 6, Huffine 1-3 0-0 3, Shabtai 1-5 0-0 3, Dibb 1-5 1-2 3, Preston 0-3 2-2 2, Sproule 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-62 FG, 17-22 FT, 63 TP.
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Indiana State 18 22 17 20 — 77
Valparaiso 13 16 13 21 — 63
3-point shooting — ISU 7-20 (Claybrooks 2-2, Washington 1-2, Kelsey 1-3, Allen 3-7, Smith 0-3, Briggs 0-3), Valpo 8-28 (Huffine 1-2, Shabtai 1-3, Sullivan 1-4, Nenadic 2-7, von Schlegell 3-8, Preston 0-1, Sproule 0-1, Dibb 0-2). Rebounds — ISU 44 (Claybrooks 8), Valpo 42 (Nenadic 12). Assists — ISU 20 (Claybrooks 8), Valpo 16 (Dibb 4). Blocks — ISU 3 (Claybrooks, Smith, Prackett 1), Valpo 3 (Winch 2). Steals — ISU 4 (Claybrooks 3), Valpo 6 (Sullivan 3).
Next — Indiana State (7-13 overall, 3-7 MVC) will hit the road to play Evansville at 4 p.m. Sunday. Valparaiso fell to 0-21 and 0-10 respectively.
Tribune-Star sports reporter Derek Harper contributed to this story.
