Story by
Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind.
Rally comes up short for Sycamore women at NIU, Seton Hall up next
- Story byPharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind.
- Rally comes up short for Sycamore women at NIU, Seton Hall up next
A rebuilt Indiana State women's basketball team rallied to cut a 15-point deficit down to one point in the fourth quarter, but lost 76-71 to host Northern Illinois on Monday night in NIU's Convocation Center.
A 16-2 Huskies run put the Sycamores in a 38-23 hole in the second quarter, but an ISU comeback sliced the margin to 40-33 at halftime. By the fourth quarter, the Sycamores were able to cut Northern Illinois' lead to just 54-53 on Aaliyah Youngblood's basket.
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NIU held its lead, but ISU's Ashley Singhateh hit a shot from the lane to get the Sycamores within a point again at 67-66, before the host Huskies converted a three-point play inside the final 30 seconds and iced the game from the free-throw line to close out a 76-71 win.
Saroiya Ajomale led the Trees with 17 points, while Natalia Williams added 16 points off the bench for her highest-scoring game at the Division I level. Kristen McMillan nearly registered a double-double off the bench with 13 points and eight boards, while Amerie Flowers led all players with nine rebounds.
After a back-and-forth opening quarter, Northern Illinois broke through with that 16-2 run across the middle stages of the second quarter to pull ahead by double-digits. ISU slowly whittled down the deficit, with Williams scoring 10 across the middle two quarters to pull the Trees within seven.
Ajomale nearly willed Indiana State to a win in the second half, scoring 12 in the fourth quarter including a three from the wing to give the Trees a lead at one point, but a late 7-0 run saw the home side sneak past the Sycamores.
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Indiana State finished plus-six in rebound margin (43-37), with more than half of the Sycamores' 43 rebounds coming on the offensive glass. The Sycamores' 22 offensive rebounds were their most in a game since Jan. 16, 2025, against Southern Illinois.
ISU finished last season as the nation's third-best bench-scoring team and reserves helped again Monday. Indiana State's bench accounted for nearly half of its scoring, with the Sycamores tallying 35 bench points in Monday's game. Natalia Williams (16) and Kristen McMillan (13) both scored in double-figures off the bench for the Trees
Coach Marc Mitchell's season-opening starting lineup consisted of Youngblood, Jayci Allen, Eanae Dagons, Ajomale and Flowers.
ISU's three-game road trip now switches to Mitchell's home state of New Jersey. The Sycamores play 11:30 a.m. Friday at Seton Hall in South Orange, N.J., followed by next Sunday's 2 p.m. game at Rutgers in Piscataway.
