University of Southern Indiana fifth-year senior guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) recorded her 1,000th-career point and the No. 23 Screaming Eagles held on for a 90-78 win over West Texas A&M University Saturday afternoon at the Las Vegas South Point Holiday Hoops Classic.
DeHart, who became the 19th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, finished the contest with a game and season-high 24 points as she moved past two players, including USI Assistant Coach Stephanie Carpenter, for 18th on USI’s all-time scoring list.
In need of 13 points to reach the 1,000-career point plateau, DeHart scored 13 in the first half, including eight in a second quarter that saw the Eagles turn a five-point first-quarter lead into a 49-36 halftime advantage. The bucket that gave DeHart her 1,000th career point was part of a 7-0 run that saw USI turn an eight-point lead into a 15-point cushion.
USI (8-1) outscored the Lady Buffs 11-7 throughout the first three minutes of the third period to extend its lead to 17 points.
West Texas A&M (7-7) rallied as the Buffs scored the final six points of the third quarter to cut USI’s advantage to 68-57 heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.
The Eagles’ advantage shrunk to nine points early in the fourth period, but a three-pointer followed by a steal and a transition bucket by junior guard Addy Blackwell(Bloomington, Indiana) put USI up 74-60 with seven minutes to play.
West Texas A&M trimmed USI’s lead to just 10 points with three minutes to play, but USI converted 15-of-18 free throws in the fourth quarter, including 11-of-12 in the final three minutes to secure the 12-point win—USI finished the game 29-of-34 from the free throw line.
In addition to DeHart, who was 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in the final 80 seconds of the contest, USI got a career-high 17 points and four assists from Blackwell in addition to 14 points and three assists from junior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio).
Sophomore forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) added 10 points, while senior forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Soffia Rieckers (Evansville, Indiana) added a career-high six assists to go along with four steals.
West Texas A&M was led by sophomore guard Karly Motschenbacher, who finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
USI returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST) when it takes on No. 9/13 University of Tampa in a Top 25 showdown. The Spartans (11-2) are coming off a 78-66 win over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Friday in Las Vegas.
