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The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will return to action at the Ford Center this weekend, closing out the current three-game homestand with Wichita State on Friday evening and Missouri State on Sunday afternoon.
The Purple Aces (2-21, 1-11 Missouri Valley) are coming off one of their better performances of the season a week ago, falling 66-63 to Southern Illinois. UE shot a scorching 54% from the field in the contest, thanks in large part to the contributions of Camille Coleman, whose 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting netted her the MVC’s Newcomer of the Week award. Sara Dickey chipped in another 17, missing just three shots from the field, but the Salukis’ eight second-half three-pointers ultimately proved to be the difference in the contest.
Dickey, who currently ranks third in school history with 1,528 points, is also third in the Valley this season with a 16.5 points-per-game average.
Kenyia Johnson, who hasn’t been as crucial in recent weeks for UE, will get another crack at Wichita State on Friday after putting the Aces on her back in the first meeting between the two teams earlier this season. The game, which was a 58-50 win for the Shockers, saw Johnson go 8-of-9 from the field for 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Her efforts were ultimately all for naught as WSU mounted an impressive comeback and then went 8-for-8 from the free throw line to hold on for the win.
Three-time defending MVC champion WSU enters the weekend with a 6-18 overall record, including a 3-9 mark in conference play. However the team is coming off a victory last time out, halting a four-game skid with a 65-62 decision over Loyola.
On Sunday, Kerri Gasper will be looking to repeat the heroics of a 9-for-10, 22-point outing against Missouri State last month. The freshman almost single-handedly pulled the Aces back into the contest in Springfield, but it proved to be too little, too late as UE fell 77-70.
The Bears (17-8, 10-3 MVC) will take on Southern Illinois Friday, and the team is looking to build off wins against Loyola and Bradley a week ago.
Tipoff from the Ford Center is slated for 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
NOTES: UE is 21-24 all-time against Wichita State and 12-35 vs. Missouri State … In home contests, the Aces are 13-8 and 9-13, respectively … Shyla McKibbon-Puelston is the next target on the all-time scoring list for Dickey. McKibbon-Puelston entered the UE Athletics Hall of Fame last month, and she finished her Aces career in 2002 with 1,626 career points … Sasha Robinson is six rebounds away from entering UE’s all-time top 10 in the category.
