The Purple Aces opened the 2024-25 season at IU Indy
INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team dropped its first game of the 2024-25 season 101-76 at IU Indy.
Despite a strong start with a 26-point first quarter, the Purple Aces offense couldn’t keep pace with the IU Indy Jaguars. Four UE players ended the night in double-digits led by sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) with 21 points. Also in double-digits were senior guard Julia Palomo (La Seu d’Urgell, Spain) and freshman guards Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) and Kylee Norkus (Naperville, Ill. / Neuqua Valley HS).
It was a quick start for Evansville as Palomo hit the first bucket of the night with a three-pointer. The Aces kept the lead for over six minutes as UE made two threes and held the Jaguars scoreless for two separate minute stretches. But IU Indy caught back up to Evansville as the lead was traded three times in the final four minutes of the first quarter. A three with just under 40 seconds on the clock for the Jaguars had the Aces down by only two after 10 minutes.
Neither team found the basket for the first minute and a half of the second quarter. But IU Indy began the scoring with five points to set UE back by seven. Evansville was able to cut into the deficit at the line, but an 11-point run for the Jaguars forced an Aces timeout midway through the quarter. Hartwig eventually broke the scoring drought for UE with a jumper trey as Evansville had a brief four-point run with just over two to go. IU Indy increased its lead to 13 with a minute left in the half but a fast break bucket and trip to the line for the Aces made it a 52-42 game after two quarters.
The second half began with traded baskets between the teams for the first seven minutes. An eight-point run for the Jaguars pushed UE’s deficit to 19. Hartwig broke the IU Indy run with another three in the final minute of the third quarter. But the trey was the last made bucket making it a 78-60 game with only 10 minutes remaining.
Evansville had a four-point run early in the final quarter of the night bringing the gap down to 16 points. The Aces weren’t able to string together another run until the final minute and a half of the game. The Jaguar lead ballooned to 29 with under two minutes to go after a 14-2 stretch over three minutes. UE made three more baskets to end the game but ultimately fell to IU Indy 101-76.
Along with leading the team on offense Hartwig also led the team in rebounds with nine. Point guard Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS) dished out five assists while four separate players had a steal each. Evansville’s best shooting quarter was the first as they went almost 70% from the floor while overall the team shot 41%. The Aces struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away 23 times on Tuesday. But UE got extra chances throughout the game by drawing 21 fouls for 28 chances at the line.
Evansville hosts its first home game of the 2024-25 season on Sunday, November 10th. The Aces will welcome Wright State to Meeks Family Fieldhouse for the first time as the Raiders last visited the River City in 2008. Tip-off for Sunday’s game is set for 11 a.m.
