CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge propelled the Southern Illinois Salukis to an 86-74 victory over the Indiana State Sycamores in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at SIU Arena.

The Salukis, who entered the contest with an identical 5-12 record as the visiting Sycamores, used a 27-point second period to build a commanding 51-30 halftime lead, a deficit from which Indiana State could not recover despite a valiant second-half effort. The win moved both teams to 6-12 on the season.

Southern Illinois established its interior presence early and often, with forward Indya Green proving nearly unstoppable in the paint. The Salukis shot a scorching 52.8% from the field for the game, while Indiana State struggled to find its offensive rhythm, connecting on just 37.9% of its attempts. The Sycamores’ shooting woes were particularly acute from beyond the arc, where they made only 2 of 17 three-point attempts.

The game’s decisive stretch began late in the first quarter with Southern Illinois leading 19-17. The Salukis closed the period on a 5-0 run, capped by a Kayla Cooper jump shot with 28 seconds left, to take a 24-19 advantage. That momentum exploded in the second quarter. Southern Illinois opened the period with a 10-2 run, fueled by Green’s layup and a Cooper three-pointer, extending the lead to 34-21 and forcing an Indiana State timeout.

The Salukis’ defense intensified, creating turnovers and converting them into easy baskets. Guards Alayna Kraus and Jeniah Thompson spearheaded the attack, combining for 18 points in the first half. A Kraus three-pointer with 5:20 remaining in the half pushed the lead to 37-24, and the advantage ballooned to 21 points by halftime after Kraus sank two free throws with 29 seconds left.

Southern Illinois’ offensive efficiency was stark, posting an offensive rating of 107.0 points per 100 possessions compared to Indiana State’s 88.4. The Salukis also capitalized on Sycamore mistakes, scoring 28 points off 18 Indiana State turnovers.

The Sycamores showed resilience after the break, outscoring Southern Illinois 21-13 in the third quarter. Led by Kennedy Claybrooks and Clemisha Prackett, Indiana State trimmed the deficit to 64-51 heading into the final period. The Sycamores continued to fight in the fourth, closing to within 10 points on multiple occasions, but could never mount a sustained run to truly threaten the Salukis’ lead.

Southern Illinois answered every Indiana State push, primarily through the steady play of Thompson and the interior scoring of Green. When the Sycamores cut the lead to 72-62 with 4:32 remaining, Thompson found Tkiyah Nelson for a layup on the ensuing possession to halt the momentum. Indiana State would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way.

Kraus, a guard from Okawville, Illinois, led all scorers with 22 points for Southern Illinois. Thompson orchestrated the offense masterfully, finishing with 17 points and a game-high six assists. Green, from Springfield, Missouri, was a force inside, contributing 19 points on efficient shooting.

For Indiana State, Claybrooks, a guard from Memphis, Tennessee, led the way with 13 points and four assists. Prackett, a forward from West Memphis, Arkansas, added 16 points, while Jayci Allen chipped in 10. The Sycamores won the battle on the offensive glass, grabbing 15 rebounds to Southern Illinois’ 11, but their poor shooting and 18 turnovers proved too much to overcome.

The announced attendance at SIU Arena was 387. Both teams return to conference play on Saturday. Southern Illinois travels to face Belmont, while Indiana State hosts Illinois State.