Aces women’s basketball earns a double-figure win over in-state rival Indiana State
The Purple Aces outshot the Sycamores in the 11-point win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team had a strong start to its three-game homestand with a 79-68 win over the Indiana State Sycamores.
Four Purple Aces ended the night in double figures and all, but two players recorded an assist in the victory on Saturday night. UE shared the ball well resulting in seven of the eight players in the lineup making a basket. Sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) led Evansville with her fourth straight double-double, coming one point shy of her career-high in scoring with 28 points.
“Tonight was a great win,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr after the game. “I’m really proud of the team. We’ve been pretty banged up and short handed and tonight was no exception. I loved the way we fought hard through some fatigue being a little bit short handed and came up with a really big team win.”
Indiana State took a six-point lead to start Saturday night forcing an early Aces timeout. UE responded out of the timeout getting the game back within a possession. The Sycamores got back to a six-point lead shortly after. But Evansville took control of the action on the floor with an eight-point run to take its first lead of the game. Indiana State answered by retaking the lead until the final two minutes of the quarter. The Aces led by three going into the second quarter after freshman guard Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) made a late layup.
UE extended its lead early in the second quarter on an 8-2 run in the first three minutes. The game’s pace slowed down after as the teams traded shots until the Sycamores had a four-point run. Evansville was able to respond with a run of its own as freshman guard Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS) made back-to-back jumpers. The final two minutes of the first half returned to being back and forth as the Aces took a nine-point lead into the locker room.
It was another quick start for UE in the third as Hartwig made a three to extend Evansville’s lead to 11 points. But the three would be the Aces last made basket over the next minute and a half. Indiana State was able to tie the game up for the first time since the first quarter with 3:55 on the clock thanks to an 11-2 run. The lead was traded five times over the next two minutes. It was UE who ended the back-and-forth with two threes and a trip to the line in the final minute and a half of the third.
With only a six-point lead to begin the fourth quarter, Evansville struggled to keep the lead as the Sycamores opened the final frame on a four-point run. It remained a one-possession game over two minutes into the fourth. The Aces were able to pull away midway through the quarter with small bursts of scoring. UE put the game completely out of reach in the final four minutes with seven points to Indiana State’s three. The final statement on Evansville’s win was a made and-1 from Hartwig with 1:48 on the clock to put the Aces lead into double figures.
While Hartwig led UE with 28 points, Runner, Kelley, and freshman guard Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS) all had double-digit nights with 14, 13, and 10 points respectively. Hartwig also had her best night under the glass in MVC action with 15 boards. Runner led the team in assists and steals with seven dishes, just one shy of her career-high, and three takeaways.
Evansville returns to action next week as they welcome two of the top teams in the Valley. The Aces begin their final week of regular season action with the Murray State Racers on Thursday, March 6. Tip-off from Meeks Family Fieldhouse with the Racers is set for 6 p.m.
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