KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Five University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball players reached double figures Thursday as the Screaming Eagles rode a strong second-quarter to a 77-67 Great Lakes Valley Conference road win over host Rockhurst University.

USI (8-4, 4-2 GLVC) outscored the Hawks, 25-9, in the second quarter and took a 45-30 halftime lead into the intermission. Senior guard Ashley Johnson scored 12 of her team-high 21 points in the opening half as USI, which trailed 21-20 at the end of the first period, opened the second frame with a 10-3 run.

The two teams traded baskets throughout the third period, but it was Rockhurst’s three-point game that made things interesting in the second half.

Rockhurst (8-6, 2-4 GLVC) hit four trifectas in the third quarter and seven in the second half as it eventually shortened USI’s lead to just six points with six minutes to play in the contest.

Senior guard/forward Morgan Sherwood, however, drove to the basket for the hoop and the harm, hitting the subsequent free throw to complete the three-point play and extend USI’s lead to 70-61. Johnson followed with her own old-fashioned three-point play as the Eagles pushed their lead back to double-figures (73-61) with 5:30 remaining on the clock.

Junior guard Emma DeHart’s layup with four minutes to play put USI up, 75-61, and the Eagles’ defense held the Hawks to just 2-of-12 shooting throughout the final six minutes of the game.

In addition to Johnson, who added three assists and four steals, the Eagles got 14 points from Sherwood; 12 apiece from DeHart and senior guard Kiara Moses; and 11 from freshman forward Hannah Haithcock, who also had a team-high seven rebounds.

USI was out-rebounded, 46-32, but committed just seven turnovers while shooting 44.6 percent (29-65) from the field. The Eagles also were 19-of-21 (.905) from the free-throw line.

Senior guard Madeline Ronshausen led the Hawks with a game-high 26 points, while junior guard Daly Sullivan chipped in 14 points for the Hawks, who were held to just 37.5 percent (24-64) shooting. Rockhurst went 12-of-31 (.387) from three-point range and was just 7-of-14 (.500) from the charity stripe.

The Eagles return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they travel to Liberty, Missouri, to take on William Jewell College in a GLVC contest. The Cardinals (5-9, 1-5 GLVC) fell to visiting McKendree University, 78-74, Thursday evening.