USI comes up just short in tight, road contest

MOREHEAD, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball went down to the wire on the road against Morehead State University Thursday evening, battling in a one-point game in the last minute, but the Morehead State Eagles withstood the Screaming Eagles’ late push to take a 64-61 win.
 
Southern Indiana had three players finish in double figures Thursday, as junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) led all scorers with 18 points on 6-12 shooting. For Raley, she bounced back after being held to four points last Saturday at Eastern Illinois University. Thursday was her first game scoring 15 or more since she posted 20 points in a win at Wright State University on December 17. Raley also added six rebounds on Thursday.
 
The Screaming Eagles came out of the gates with a strong start in the contest, attacking the paint. USI jumped out to a 10-0 lead through the first four minutes. Senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) and Raley each scored four early points in the fast start for USI.
 
Following a called timeout, Morehead State responded out of the huddle. With USI ahead 14-5 and 3:47 remaining in the first quarter, Morehead State went on a 7-0 run to narrow the deficit. Southern Indiana carried a 17-15 lead into the second period.
 
Midway into the second quarter, Southern Indiana pushed the lead back up to five, 25-20, after back-to-back baskets from senior forward Tara Robbe (Wildwood, Missouri) and sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford.
 
USI’s defense held Morehead State without a field goal in the last four minutes of the first half, leading to a 31-27 advantage for Southern Indiana at the intermission. Haithcock led all scorers with 10 points at the break, connecting on a jumper near the end of the second quarter.
 
A minute into the third quarter, Morehead State was able to score six unanswered to flip the scoreboard and take the lead, 33-31. Over the course of the third period, the scoring and lead went back and forth with neither team able to take a stronghold of the momentum.
 
With the score tied 40-40 at the 2:40 mark, both sides finished the third period without a make from the field. Morehead State grabbed the lead by the end of the quarter after outscoring USI 5-2 from the free-throw line during the last two and a half minutes. Morehead State took a 45-42 lead to the fourth.
 
Raley made a big three-pointer for USI a minute into the fourth period, connecting from deep straightaway to trim Morehead State’s lead down to 47-45. The Morehead State Eagles responded with two makes from the floor to make the score 51-45 in favor of Morehead State.
 
As the clock read under four minutes left to play in the fourth, Morehead State led 56-51, but Shafford came through with a basket and the foul for USI to cut the score down to two, 56-54. Then coming down to the final 90 seconds, senior guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) got a steal that led to a basket by Haithcock to make it a one-point, 61-60 ballgame. However, Morehead State closed out the win by scoring a late layup and a free throw.
 
Haithcock and Shafford were the other two double-digit scorers for USI Thursday. Haithcock registered 14 points on three makes from the field and an 8-for-8 night at the line. She also had seven rebounds. Shafford recorded 12 points with five boards.
 
Robbe also had another solid outing, matching a season-high for the fifth time this season with nine points on a perfect 4-for-4 night from the floor. All five nine-point games for Robbe have come in road games. The senior also pulled down five rebounds Thursday.
 
USI went 20-for-51 for 39 percent from the field in the contest, including two three-pointers made. The Screaming Eagles were frequent visitors to the charity stripe Thursday, going 19-for-25 for 76 percent.
 
For Morehead State, senior guard Veronica Charles led the Eagles with 12 points, while junior guard Sandra Lin had 11 points and freshman guard Hallie Rhodes had 10 points.
 
Morehead State was 23-for-57 for 40 percent overall, including five triples. The Eagles were 13-for-25 for 52 percent at the line. Morehead State outrebounded USI 40-31 in the game, claiming 15 offensive rebounds.