TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (Interstat) — Indiana State outscored Southern Illinois by eight points in the fourth quarter to secure an 81-73 women’s basketball victory Saturday at Hulman Center. The Sycamores, who trailed by one point entering the final period, closed the game on a 25-17 run. Clemisha Prackett led Indiana State with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Alayna Kraus scored a game-high 19 points for the Salukis, and Kayla Cooper added 16 points and nine rebounds. Both teams are now 9-16 overall. The announced attendance was 1,053.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, the Indiana State Sycamores used a dominant fourth quarter to overcome the Southern Illinois Salukis 81-73 in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Hulman Center. The victory, played before an announced crowd of 1,053, snapped a three-game losing streak for Indiana State and evened the season series after Southern Illinois won the first meeting last month. The contest was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. While both teams finished with an identical 28 made field goals, Indiana State’s superior shooting from distance and the free-throw line proved decisive. The Sycamores connected on 9 of 21 three-point attempts and made 16 of 21 free throws. Southern Illinois, meanwhile, managed just 4 of 13 from beyond the arc and 13 of 20 from the charity stripe. Indiana State also won the possession battle, scoring its 81 points on just 77 trips, compared to Southern Illinois’s 73 points on 80 possessions. The game’s momentum swung like a pendulum. Southern Illinois started strong, building an early 8-0 lead behind quick scores from Indya Green and Kayla Cooper. Indiana State responded with a 14-2 run, fueled by three-pointers from Samiyah Briggs and Kayla Smith, to seize a 21-18 advantage after the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Salukis clamp down defensively, holding the Sycamores to 15 points. Southern Illinois took a 35-36 lead into halftime, thanks in part to 12 first-half points from Alayna Kraus. The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair with five lead changes, as Southern Illinois carried a narrow 56-57 edge into the final period. The most important part of the game unfolded decisively in the fourth quarter. With the outcome hanging in the balance, Indiana State unleashed a 25-point final frame, its highest-scoring quarter of the day. The Sycamores’ offense found its rhythm, shooting efficiently while their defense generated key stops. A critical sequence began with just over seven minutes remaining and Indiana State leading 62-60. After a media timeout, Clemisha Prackett scored inside off a feed from Da’Naria Washington. Following a Southern Illinois miss, Kayla Smith buried a three-pointer to extend the lead to 67-60, forcing a Salukis timeout. Southern Illinois fought back, with Karris Allen answering with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four. But Indiana State had an answer for every push. Smith hit another crucial three-pointer with 3:28 left to push the lead back to nine at 76-67. The Salukis would get no closer than five points the rest of the way as the Sycamores sealed the game at the free-throw line. Indiana State was led by a monumental performance from Clemisha Prackett. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from West Memphis, Arkansas, recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in just 22 minutes, adding a block. Her presence inside, particularly on the defensive glass in the fourth quarter, was pivotal. Kayla Smith added 15 points, all from three-point range, while Tierney Kelsey contributed 12 points. Da’Naria Washington filled the stat sheet with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Southern Illinois was paced by Alayna Kraus, who played 38 minutes and scored a game-high 19 points. Kayla Cooper added 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Indya Green scored 15 points with 6 rebounds off the bench. The Salukis won the points-in-the-paint battle 36-34 and scored 18 points off 16 Indiana State turnovers, but their 28-of-71 shooting from the field and inability to contain the Sycamores’ late surge proved their undoing. With the win, Indiana State improved to 9-18 overall. Southern Illinois fell to 9-16. Both teams continue conference play on the road Thursday, with Indiana State traveling to Murray State and Southern Illinois visiting Illinois State.

Preview: Southern Illinois at Indiana State, Women’s Basketball TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (Interstat) — Two Missouri Valley Conference teams seeking momentum will meet Saturday when the Southern Illinois Salukis visit the Indiana State Sycamores at Hulman Center. Southern Illinois (9-14) enters the contest having split its last four games, most recently falling 56-53 to Bradley on Feb. 15. Indiana State (8-17) looks to halt a four-game skid, including an 88-70 loss at Drake on Feb. 14. The Salukis won the previous meeting this season, 86-74 at home on Jan. 22. Southern Illinois has won three of its last five, while the Sycamores have dropped seven of their last nine. A key matchup will feature Southern Illinois forward Indya Green against Indiana State’s Jayci Allen. Green is coming off a dominant 16-point, 13-rebound performance in the loss to Bradley and has averaged 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds over her last five games. She recorded 29 points and 14 rebounds in a win at Valparaiso on Feb. 7. Allen has been a consistent performer for Indiana State, posting a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds at Drake. She has scored in double figures in six consecutive games, averaging 12.3 points and 6.7 rebounds over that stretch. Southern Illinois has found recent success with improved defense, holding three of its last five opponents under 75 points. Indiana State’s challenge will be tightening a defense that has allowed an average of 91.5 points in its last two losses. With both teams near the bottom of the conference standings, Saturday’s game represents a critical opportunity to build confidence ahead of the final stretch of the regular season. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. EST.