University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball opened Screaming Eagles Arena with a 52-45 upset victory over No. 11 University of Central Missouri Wednesday night. The Screaming Eagles rallied from a 13-point first-quarter deficit to pull off the victory.
With her team trailing 14-1 late in the opening period, junior guard Emma DeHart sank a three-pointer to give the Eagles their first field goal in their new home. The shot sparked a 5-2 run that got the Eagles to within 10 at the end of the first quarter.
USI (1-0) used a 6-0 run to get to within 18-14 with just under six minutes to play in the first half; and later scored seven straight points to take their first lead of the game at 21-20. The Eagles ended the first 20 minutes of play on a 15-6 run as they took a 23-22 advantage into the intermission.
Out of the break, USI and Central Missouri traded leads four times before a 9-2 USI run put the Eagles in front 39-33 heading into the final period. The Eagles extended that advantage to as much as 11 points four minutes into the final quarter thanks to an 8-3 stretch to begin the fourth frame.
DeHart scored five of her team-high tying 11 points in the 9-2 run, while freshman forward Tara Robbe added all four of her points in the third-quarter spurt. Senior guard Ashley Johnson poured in five points during the 8-3 fourth-quarter run that put USI in the driver’s seat, while senior guard Kiara Moses contributed three of her team-high tying 11 points in the fourth-period run. Johnson finished with 10 points and three steals.
The Jennies (1-2) made one final charge, using a 9-2 run to get to within four points (49-45) with a minute to play, but a pair of free throws by Johnson and another by DeHart in the final minute helped seal the victory for the Eagles.
USI returns to action November 23 when it travels to Big Rapids, Michigan, to take on Midwest Region foe Ferris State University. Tip-off is slated for noon.
