University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball rolled to a 13-point, 98-85 victory over the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday evening in Springfield, Illinois. USI goes to 6-1, while Illinois Springfield falls to 5-1.
The Screaming Eagles took command midway through the first quarter when they used an 11-3 run over four minutes to lead with 3:03 on the clock, 18-8. Senior forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) led the USI surge with six of the 18 points as the Eagles were four-of-10 from the field.
Illinois Springfield had a mini-burst at the end of the quarter as the Eagles finished the first 10 minutes with 22-15 advantage.
USI increased the lead to 11 points (28-17) when senior guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) dropped in a lay-up 2:15 into the second quarter. The Prairie Stars, however, began to chip away at the Eagles’ lead, closing the gap to three points twice before the end of the half (35-32 and 37-34) and a USI offensive explosion.
USI rallied in the final minute, forcing three-straight turnovers that detonated a 10-0 explosion to post its largest lead of the half, 47-34, at the break. The 10-0 explosion was capped off by long-range three-point bomb by freshman guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) one second on the clock.
The Eagles continued the first half run to 12-0 before the Stars could stop the bleeding to start the third quarter. Illinois Springfield rebounded after USI’s 12-0 run, cutting the margin to six points, 53-47, with 6:04 left in the quarter.
USI regained its footing in the final six of the third quarter with an 18-8 run, finishing the third 10 minutes with a 15-point, 71-56 margin. Sophomore forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), eight points, and DeHart, seven points, combined for 15 of the 18 points during the surge.
The Eagles extended the margin in the fourth quarter to a game-high 19 points, 85-66, before putting the contest on cruise control for the 98-85 win.
Individually, DeHart led five players in double-digits with 21 points. The senior was seven-of-13 from the field and seven-of-eight from the stripe, while making a season-high six steals.
Freshman guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) followed DeHart with her second-straight double-digit game, posting a season-high 14 points. Shafford was five-of-10 from the field, including a pair of two three-pointers, and two-of-two from the stripe.
Brown and Raley added 13 points, while junior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and completed a double-double with 10 a team-high 10 rebounds.
As a team, USI forced Illinois Springfield into 20 turnovers, resulting in 30 points.
