Senior guard Ashley Johnson and junior guard Emma DeHart combined for 39 points as University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball erased a pair of double-digit deficits to defeat host University of Indianapolis, 75-64, in a Great Lakes Valley Conference bout Thursday evening at Nicoson Hall.
USI (7-3, 3-1 GLVC), which missed its first seven shots and trailed 9-0 out of the gates, erased deficits of 23-13 and 43-32 to earn its second straight win.
Trailing 23-13 midway through the second period, the Screaming Eagles got a pair of three-pointers from DeHart in an 8-0 run that got USI to within a bucket with four minutes to play in the opening half. UIndy led 30-23 late in the half, but a Johnson three-pointer in the closing seconds sent USI to the locker room trailing by just four points.
USI carried that momentum into the third quarter as it tied the game at 30 less than 30 seconds into the second half. The Greyhounds, however, scored the next seven points and 13 of the next 15 to build a commanding 43-32 lead with just under six minutes to play in the frame.
Johnson, though, hit a three-pointer to breathe some life back into USI’s offense; then senior guard Morgan Sherwood connected from downtown despite being fouled. She went to the free throw line to complete the rare four-point play, getting the Eagles to within four points
UIndy wrapped a pair of baskets around a DeHart trifecta, but another Johnson three-pointer followed by a DeHart layup brought USI into a 47-47 tie with less than three minutes to play in the third quarter.
USI briefly lost momentum as the Greyhounds scored four quick points to take a 51-47 lead, but an 8-0 USI run to end the third period, including the go-ahead basket by freshman forward Hannah Haithcock, sent the Eagles into the final quarter with a 55-51 lead.
Sherwood gave USI a six-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but UIndy was able to retake the lead with an 8-1 rally. Sherwood hit a three-pointer to answer the Greyhounds run, but a UIndy three-pointer by senior guard Laura Thomas sent the Eagles into the final media timeout trailing 62-61.
USI, however, owned the final four-plus minutes of the contest as DeHart’s free throw tied the game at 62-62 before a Johnson basket gave USI a 64-62 lead with 3:24 to play. Haithcock’s three-pointer with the 30-second clock winding down put USI up 67-62 with just over two minutes to play; while Johnson’s basket with 1:41 to play quickly answered UIndy’s only offensive score in the last four minutes of the contest.
The Eagles made 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute of the contest to seal the win.
Johnson led all scorers with 20 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals, while DeHart matched her career-high with 19 points, five rebounds and three steals. The Eagles also got 13 points from Sherwood, nine points from Haithcock and a career-high four blocks from sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown.
Thomas had 15 points to lead the Greyhounds, while McKenzy Telfair had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
USI returns to action Saturday at 5:30 p.m. when it takes on arch-rival Bellarmine University at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Knights (6-4, 1-2 GLVC) were in action against McKendree University Thursday evening in Lebanon, Illinois.
