November 24, 2004
Women's Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ISU USES EARLY START TO NET VICTORY OVER EASTERN ILLINOIS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State used a 23-5 run over the first 11 minutes of Wednesday night’s holiday special at Hulman Center to take command of Eastern Illinois en route to an 83-56 victory. ISU moves to 1-1 on the season while the Panthers drop to 1-2.

Indiana State established the fact that they would attack the basket early as junior point guard Melanie Boeglin went to the bucket and was fouled. She hit her free throws, and then Laura Rudolphi nailed a jumper to move ISU up 4-0.

The Panthers would turn the ball over six times before they scored their first point of the game on a Pam O’Connor free throw with 16:28 left in the first half. ISU continued to pour on the pressure as the Sycamores pressing defense forced 14 Panther turnovers during a game-opening 23-5 run.

ISU’s lead would grow to as many as 29 in the first half when junior Lisa Verhoff hit three foul shots with 1:28 remaining before the intermission to put the Sycamores ahead 42-13. Verhoff would hit a perfect 9-for-9 from the foul line on the evening as she scored a career-high 25 points.

The Sycamores would be led in the second half by junior Erin Hendrickson who scored 12 points – a career-high for the St. Louis, Mo., native.

Indiana State forced 27 turnovers in the game, scoring 25 points off those miscues. ISU dominated the paint, out-scoring the Panthers 44-24. ISU also used its press to score 12 fast break points.

Junior Ashley Clark continued her solid campaign, scoring 15 points by hitting 7-of-10 from the field, and posting ISU’s first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.

Boeglin would score only four, but added six assists and five steals in the effort. Indiana State hit 45.9% of its shots while pulling down 46 rebounds. The Sycamores recorded 17 steals in the contest.

With the victory, Indiana State is now 16-9 in home openers, including a perfect 5-0 mark against Eastern Illinois in such contests.

ISU hits the road to face Cincinnati on Sunday, November 28 at 2:00 p.m. The Bearcats defeated Ball State today to move to 2-1 on the season, heading into Sunday’s battle with the Sycamores.

GAME BOX SCORE