University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball erased a pair of double-digits deficits, but fouls and early deficits played a toll on the No. 23 Screaming Eagles as they suffered a stunning 69-61 Great Lakes Valley Conference setback to host Quincy University Tuesday evening at Pepsi Arena.
USI (10-3, 10-3 GLVC), which was No. 23 in the first WBCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll Tuesday, rallied from deficits of 13-3 and a 38-24 to force ties at 19-19 and 41-41. Each time the Eagles evened the score, though, the Hawks raced away, forcing the Eagles to dig out of another hole.
Quincy (2-12, 2-12 GLVC), which went 26-of-33 at the free throw line, used a 14-3 run to close the first half with a 33-22 lead. The Hawks extended that advantage to 13 points with a pair of free throws less than 20 seconds into the third period and led by 14 three minutes into the second half.
The Eagles, however, used a 17-3 advantage to tie the score at 41 with just over a minute to play in the third quarter. Senior guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) aided the rally with a pair of three pointers.
Quincy, though, got a pair of free throws from freshman guard Jazzpher Evans to go up 43-41 in its next possession. Evans basket with less than 30 seconds to play in the third put Quincy in front, 45-41, while a basket by sophomore forward Sarah Nelson put USI in a 47-41 deficit less than a minute into the final period.
USI, once again, rallied as DeHart, junior forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) and sophomore forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) all had baskets to pull the Eagles into a 47-47 tie with just over eight minutes left on the clock.
The Hawks, however, got a three-pointer from senior guard Aleksandra Petrovic a minute later, while a basket from sophomore guard Emma Knipe put the Eagles in a five-point hole (52-47) with 6:38 to play in the contest. Evans’ free throw with 5:27 left put the Eagles behind by six and USI could not get any closer than three points throughout the remainder of the contest.
USI, which saw the deficit grow to seven points two minutes later, got back-to-back buckets from sophomore guard Soffia Rieckers (Evansville, Indiana) and Brown to get back to within 57-54; but a quick foul by Brown in Quincy’s next possession gave the Hawks two more points at the charity strike.
The Hawks sank 12-of-14 free throws in the final two minutes to secure the win.
USI, which was whistled for 26 fouls three days after being charged with a season-high 27, frequented the charity stripe just three times, going 4-of-6 on the evening.
Haithcock led USI with 13 points and nine rebounds, while DeHart added 12 points and five assists. Rieckers and Brown each had eight points for the Eagles, who shot just 36.2 percent (25-69) from the field.
Nelson had 21 points to lead the Hawks, who were charged with just 11 fouls on the evening. Petrovic added 13 points for Quincy, which shot 41.7 percent (20-48) from the field while holding a 37-36 advantage on the glass.
The Eagles, who dropped out of the D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll, return try to stop a two-game slide Thursday at 6:30 p.m. when they visit William Jewell College at 6:30 p.m.
