NASHVILLE – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team had its best game from the floor but came up just short in an 86-79 loss to the Lipscomb Bison.

The Purple Aces had their first game of the season shooting over 50% from the floor in Nashville. But a third quarter of only shooting 43.8% to Lipscomb’s 50% put UE too far back to earn the first road win of the season. Sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) was Evansville’s leading scorer for the third game of the season with 24 points and six rebounds.

It was a back-and-forth game early at Allen Arena, as the Aces and the Bison traded the lead three times in the first 10 minutes. Lipscomb held the lead through most of the first half of the quarter. But eight straight points for Hartwig in the last three minutes of the first gave UE a one-point lead going into the second quarter.

The lead returned to the Bison in the first 30 seconds of the second. Evansville answered immediately with a five-point run to take a four-point lead less than two minutes into the quarter. Both teams made three-pointers over the next few minutes until the media timeout. Lipscomb had a one-point lead at the timeout while the Aces scored back-to-back jump shots to retake the lead. UE kept the lead for the final three minutes of the first half to head into halftime up 38-36.

Evansville’s offense struggled early in the second half as freshman guard Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) had the first made basket at the 7:37 mark. The Aces didn’t make another shot for the next three minutes as the Bison lead grew to six. UE did retake the lead on a seven point run with 3:21 left in the third. Evansville and Lipscomb traded the lead seven more times in only a minute and 40 seconds. But a five point run and a three point play for the Bison had the Aces trailing by six going into the final frame.

UE made back-to-back baskets to start the fourth quarter. Yet Lipscomb grew its lead into double digits just over two minutes into the fourth. Evansville called an early timeout in the quarter, but the Bison took a 12 point lead twice midway into the final 10 minutes. A made three pointer for junior forward Mae Dozier (Louisville, Ky. / Wabash Valley) and a jump shot for Runner got the Aces back within seven.

The game returned to the back-and-forth pace from the first half over the next three minutes. UE got back-to-back layups from Runner and sophomore forward Claudia Clement (Barcelona, Spain) to get within five points. Lipscomb took two trips to the line to increase its lead. But Hartwig hit her third three with 18 seconds on the clock to get the game back within two scores for Evansville. Hartwig’s shot turned into the Aces last as they didn’t find the rim again in the final 15 seconds, falling to the Bison 86-79.

Hartwig had her third 20+ point game at Lipscomb while also leading UE on defense with six rebounds. Evansville had four other players score in double digits on Saturday for the Aces first game with five double digit scorers in a year. Runner, Dozier, freshman Kaiden Kreinhagen (Indianapolis / North Central HS), and senior Júlia Palomo (La Seu D’Urgell, Spain) all had at least 10 points with Kreinhagen scoring a career-high 10 points. Runner had a career-high five assists while Palomo reset her season high in steals with four.

UE will make its first trip to the Big Easy for its next two games over the Thanksgiving holiday. Evansville will participate in the Big Easy New Orleans Classic with back-to-back games on Friday, Nov. 29th and Saturday, Nov. 30th. The Aces will play Nicholls and Delaware for the first time in program history while at the holiday tournament. UE’s first game is set to tip-off at 8 p.m. CT against Nicholls on Friday.