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  • Everyone contributes: Indiana State freshman Travecia Franklin sets up for a defensive drill during team practice prior to the season.

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February 3, 2012

ISU women looking to end five-game losing streak at Illinois State

Craig Pearson Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Within a few points in the final minutes, Indiana State had chances to win women’s basketball games at Missouri State and Wichita State last weekend.

But the Sycamores lost for the fourth and fifth straight games, also losing freshman Jessica Valley for the season at Wichita State. The promising backcourt player tore the ACL in her right knee and began strengthening exercises this week in order to make plans for surgery.

As a result, freshman Travecia Franklin could seen an increase in minutes, coach Teri Moren said, as ISU prepared to knock off an Illinois State team that has won 20 straight Missouri Valley Conference home games. The teams play tonight in Redbird Arena.

“It’s just time for somebody to step in. These are times to see how strong a team really is,” Franklin said. “It’s time for me to grow up, step up. Defense, rebounding, I mean I’m not 20 points a game, but whatever they need, I’m here.”

Coach Teri Moren’s team has received a boost from the explosive play of freshman post Racheal Mahan. Perhaps Franklin can provide a similar boost off the bench.

“Our challenge to Travecia right now is to be that defender, to give Brittany [Schoen] some breaks from time to time … We ask Britt to guard the opponent’s best perimeter player and then come down and run off screens.”

“We’re running [Schoen] ragged,” Moren said. “I think [Franklin] takes a role of making people uncomfortable defensively. I’d like to see her give Britt some breaks chasing the opponent’s best player. I hope that’s a role that Travecia, it’s a role she’ll be thrust into.”

Franklin is excited for the second half of the season. The senior leadership has been inspiring for the young players, Franklin said after watching Deja Mattox pour in 31 points at Missouri State and Schoen surpass 1,000 career points at Wichita State.

“Deja’s been stepping up big time. She’s playing some really big minutes,” Franklin said. “Shannon’s playing well. Britt’s just an overall leader, scorer, defender. We’re doing it all for the seniors.”

I I I

n At the halfway point — Indiana State’s 4-5 record is certainly disappointing to the team, especially after a 4-0 start included a victory at defending MVC champ Northern Iowa.

Confidence has not been lost at all by the Sycamores. Sophomore Anna Munn, who is ISU’s top shooter in MVC play at 49.2 percent, emphasized that the team still believes they can win a championship this season. In MVC history, three teams have rebounded from three or more losses in the first half to win the regular-season title, so it’s not unprecedented.

“Wichita’s good, but I think even though our record’s not where we want it to be, we have the best potential, the best team in the Valley,” Munn said. “I’m not saying that just because I’m on this team, I really feel that.”

The Sycamores have had leads in the second half of all their losses except for the 84-70 loss at Missouri State and a collapse at Bradley.

“We’re not making the right decisions down the stretch when it really matters,” Moren said. “We’ve had hiccups here and there. I think that’s due to having a freshman point guard who is still learning and having Taylor, who has been hurt, sat out a substantial part of the time. Taylor’s not a full-time practice player. That’s kind of where we’re at as a basketball team right now. It’s not what we anticipated. Right now, we can only control what we can control. We can’t control Taylor’s knee and Jess Valley’s injury.”

Statistically, the Sycamores have encouraging signs such as ranking third in the league in scoring at 65.8 points per game, while also sitting second in the league in shooting percentage at 42.3.

“That’s all very, very positive, and right now we’re looking for something positive to hang our hat on because we’ve come up short,” said Moren, whose team remains focused on working hard to turn it around. “Their focus has been tremendous, probably for about 35 minutes and then the things that have happened to us late down the stretch of the game when ever possession matters, We’ve made some costly mistakes that have helped us lose games.”

The Sycamores aren’t getting enough stops either, and if Shannon Thomas continues to get into foul trouble or arrive late for help defense, that’s a trend that could continue.

“I haven’t been rebounding, I haven’t been scoring. I’m trying to focus on little things I can do. I’ve got in a lot of foul trouble recently, which is not good,” Thomas said. “I’ve been focusing on playing hard defense, if my shot’s not falling, trying to set good screens. Hopefully I can pick it up.”

Snapping the Redbirds’ home winning streak that ranks third in MVC history would be a momentous start to a strong second half.

While Wichita State has played well, several teams have looked capable of contending for the MVC title — and later for the league’s lone bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“I think it’s great parity right now,” Moren said. “In the first half, some different things happened with us winning at Northern Iowa and Illinois State beating Wichita State up there. [Last-place] Southern Illinois beat [preseason favorite] Missouri State.”

n ISU-Wichita State to be televised — On Feb. 26, Wichita State, currently atop the league standings with an 8-1 MVC record, will visit Indiana State at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Indiana, in a 3 p.m. Eastern contest that will clear live on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX College Sports, Comcast SportsNet Chicago and ESPN3 outside the league’s six-state footprint.

n Mattox banged up — ISU’s Mattox took a hard hit to the head during Wednesday afternoon’s practice, causing her to watch the workout from the sideline.

Moren said it wasn’t known yet if Mattox suffered a concussion.

“She got hit in the head by our practice squad guy in 5-on-5. She has an excruciating headache. It’s too early to speculate, just has an excruciating headache,” Moren said.



Indiana State

at Illinois State

Tipoff — Tonight’s game tips off at 8:05 p.m. at Redbird Arena.

Broadcasts — Radio: WSDM-FM 92.7. Internet: gosycamores.com.

Last time out — Indiana State is coming off a 74-63 loss at Wichita State. Illinois State lost 83-68 at Missouri State after a 68-59 win at Wichita State.

Series — Illinois State leads 43-37.



The players

Indiana State Sycamores (10-11, 4-5 MVC) — G Taylor Whitley (5-9, Jr., 7.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg), G Brittany Schoen (5-6, Sr., 11 ppg), F Anna Munn (5-10, So., 10.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), F Deja Mattox (6-0, Sr., 12.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and C Shannon Thomas (6-4, Sr., 12.4 ppg, 9 rpg) are the starters. G Natasha Zurek (5-9, Fr., 3.7 ppg), F/C Racheal Mahan (6-1, Fr., ), G Nikki Gunning (5-8, So., 1.1 ppg), F/C Sadie Oyer (6-3, So., 0.4 ppg), F/C Andrea Rademacher (6-3, So., 2.1 ppg), G Travecia Franklin 5-9, Fr., 1.3 ppg) could see action off the bench.

Coach — Teri Moren (26-27, second season at ISU, 156-100, 9th season overall).

Injuries — Indiana State guard Jessica Valley (knee) is out for the season.

Illinois State Redbirds (11-9, 6-3 MVC) — G Candace Sykes (5-9, Jr., 10.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg), G Chloe Nelson (5-7, So., 3.4 ppg), G Jamie Russell (5-8, Jr., 11.7 ppg), F Katie Broadway (5-9, Sr., 16.2 ppg), C Marley Hall (6-2, So., 11. 4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) are the starters.

Coach — Stephanie Glance (35-20, second season)

— Craig Pearson

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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

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SPT052612NvBB decker.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

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