The Purple Aces dominated on the offensive glass in the loss
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A quiet second half kept the University of Evansville women’s basketball team from its first conference win in a 70-59 loss to the Valparaiso Beacons.
Three players scored in double-figures for the Purple Aces on Sunday afternoon against the Beacons. Guard Madlena Gerke set a season-high on offense scoring 12 points while center Barbora Tomancova led UE on both sides of the ball. The graduate post player put in 15 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, also adding two assists, two steals, and a block. Forward Neveah Thomas also added 10 points for Evansville.
It took both teams over three minutes to find their offense on Sunday afternoon. But once the offenses got going it was a back-and-forth affair. Guard Madlena Gerke led the Aces with five points as she connected on an and-1 opportunity at the four-and-a-half-minute mark. The and-1 spurred a five-point run for UE to keep the lead. But the Beacons responded to take the lead for a minute and a half. Evansville was able to end the quarter on a six-point run capped by a Tené Smith layup to tie the game at 13 all.
The lead was traded early in the second as Valpo connected on an early three. The Aces took it right back on a five-point run that the Beacons would tie. Guard Kynidi Mason Striverson got UE the lead again with Evansville’s first three of the game with 6:07 on the board. The Aces kept control of the lead for over two minutes. Valparaiso regained the upper hand as the quarter went on, ending on a seven-point run to put UE down by seven going into halftime.
It was a hot start to the third for Evansville as Mason Striverson made a layup in less than 20 seconds. But a seven-point run from the Beacons had the Aces down by 12 points. UE grabbed back-to-back baskets to make it only a single-digit deficit. Valpo responded with a basket, but Evansville broke out on a seven-point run from Gerke and guard Lexie Sinclaire to make it only a three-point game. But following two free throws from Gerke, the Aces went scoreless for three minutes and 35 seconds. Thomas ended UE’s scoring drought on a layup assisted by Tomancova with just over a minute left in the third. Tomancova scored for Evansville at the line in the final second of the quarter to make it 57-43.
The start of the fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair like the beginning of the game. But with a 15-point deficit and only six and a half minutes left in the contest, the Aces couldn’t find their way back to the lead. With no sustained offensive run, UE fell to the Beacons 70-59.
Evansville will have six days off before its next game to close out its current homestand at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Aces welcome the Bradley Braves to town for their National Girls and Women in Sports Day game. UE will celebrate with a clinic for local girls’ 8th grade
