Heart was not enough for Indiana State, as the Saluki women’s basketball team warded off a second-half Sycamore burst to win 82-75 Sunday at SIU Arena.

The victory improves SIUC’s overall record to 9-8, and brings the squad to 7-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The Salukis came out slow in the opening minutes of the contest, unable to stop Indiana State’s offensive attack.

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Forward Livia Hester led the Sycamores, scoring five points before six minutes ticked off the clock, helping ISU build a 12-9 lead.

ISU continued to score, with buckets from Hester and guard Krissy Holden contributing from the three-point line, bringing the score to 17-11.

SIUC came alive after a 20-second time-out behind six unanswered buckets.

Senior forward LaQuanda Chavours hit a 16-foot jumper, senior Nikki Gilmore nailed a trey and senior Christel Jefferson sank one from the free-throw line to tie it up at 17.

A three-point play by Hester put the Sycamores up for the last time in the game 20-17 just under 10 minutes into the game.

The Salukis went on a scoring rampage with 9:52 on the clock.

Four points from sophomore Theia Hudson and senior Heather Slater, along with a three-point bucket from junior guard Kasia McClendon put SIUC ahead 30-20.

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The squad did not look back for the remainder of the half, taking a 39-31 lead into the locker room.

A trey from Indiana State’s Holden pulled the Sycamores within four when play resumed.

A driving two from Gilmore, a McClendon layup and six points from Hudson increased the Saluki’s lead to 13, 51-38.

SIUC remained hot offensively, leading 61-45 with 9:18 left in regulation, but the Sycamores would not fade away easily.

Indiana State switched to a 2-2-1 press that broke the Salukis’ offensive rhythm, and turned on the heat on their end of the court as well.

Holden scored two from three-point range and Hester remained unstoppable, converting on the three-point play to cut SIUC’s lead to four with over four minutes left to play.

Gilmore nailed an eight-foot jumper and Hudson scored inside to temporarily stop the Sycamore run.

Foul trouble caused problems for the Salukis down the stretch.

Hester went four-for-four from the charity stripe and hit a 12-foot jumper to bring ISU within three, 73-70.

Gilmore came through again, sinking a six-footer in traffic, and converting from the free-throw line to put SIUC up 76-70 with over one minute to play. Gilmore ended the contest with 25 points, three rebounds and five assists.

Six Saluki free throws in the final minute of the contest sealed the victory.

SIUC head coach Cindy Scott said her squad struggled with the press and let Indiana State back into the game.

I thought it was a good basketball game, and unfortunately we let

them back into it when we pretty much had it in hand, when they started pressing us, because we weren’t finishing at the other end, Scott said.

We were getting good looks at the basket and just really were unable to finish.

McClendon said the squad was not looking for that amount of pressure from ISU.

I guess we just weren’t expecting it to be played like that from them, she said. But, we got through it though.

Gilmore said even though the team won, the squad could have played better.

I thought we could have played much better like we did against Illinois State, she said. I think Chrissy got in foul trouble, and we were missing Chrissy, or whatever, and some calls didn’t go our way and we got down.

Scott said the win came at a good time.

We have to win, she said. We have to win at home. We have to win every conference game at home.