 The win gives the Eagles at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title and clinches the No. 1 seed in the OVC Tournament next month at the Ford Center.
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USI (18-6, 13-1 OVC) stormed out of the gates as six different players scored to give the Eagles a commanding 15-0 lead five minutes into the contest. The Eagles connected on their first eight three-point attempts as their lead ballooned to 26 points (31-5) early in the second period.
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The Eagles’ defense was just as impressive as USI held the Trojans to just one field goal throughout the first 12 minutes of the contest.
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Led by senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), the Eagles had nine different players score in the first 20 minutes of the game as they took a commanding 46-22 lead into the intermission.
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After going 16-of-24 (.667) from the field and 10-of-11 (.909) from three-point range in the first half, the Eagles continued to pour on the offense in the second half, where they saw their lead surge to as much as 42 points (88-46) with just under four minutes to play in the contest.
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Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) had 18 points and a season-high eight assists to lead the Eagles, while freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) added 16 points. Raley finished with 12 points, three assists and eight rebounds, while senior forward/center Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
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USI also got eight points apiece from senior guard Lexie Green (Indianapolis, Indiana) and freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky). Ralston added four assists, while Green dished out three of USI’s 23 assists on the day.
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Little Rock (9-16, 8-6 OVC), which was tied for second in the OVC standings entering the day, was led by sophomore forward Faith Lee and senior guard Jayla Brooks. Lee finished with 16 points and two assists, while Brooks added 15 points and five rebounds.
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The Trojans shot just 21-of-58 (.362) from the field, 1-of-8 (.125) from three-point range and were out-rebounded, 32-23. USI finished the game 34-of-52 (.654) from the field.
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USI entered the day with a four-game lead over Little Rock, Morehead State University and Eastern Illinois University for first place in the OVC standings. With the win and Morehead State’s loss to the University of Tennessee Martin, the Eagles now have a four-game lead with the head-to-head tie-breaker over second-place EIU with four games remaining in the regular-season.
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The Eagles can clinch the out-right OVC regular-season title as early as Tuesday when they visit Morehead State. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. (CST).
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Notes: USI’s 13 three-pointers were two shy of the program-record for three-pointers in a single game (15 vs. Mid-Continent, November 18, 2011)…the Eagles’ .722 three-point shooting percentage is the second-best three-point shooting effort in program history behind their 11-of-14 (.786) performance against Georgia Southwestern University on November 10, 2012.
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USI (18-6, 13-1 OVC) stormed out of the gates as six different players scored to give the Eagles a commanding 15-0 lead five minutes into the contest. The Eagles connected on their first eight three-point attempts as their lead ballooned to 26 points (31-5) early in the second period.
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The Eagles’ defense was just as impressive as USI held the Trojans to just one field goal throughout the first 12 minutes of the contest.
Â
Led by senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), the Eagles had nine different players score in the first 20 minutes of the game as they took a commanding 46-22 lead into the intermission.
Â
After going 16-of-24 (.667) from the field and 10-of-11 (.909) from three-point range in the first half, the Eagles continued to pour on the offense in the second half, where they saw their lead surge to as much as 42 points (88-46) with just under four minutes to play in the contest.
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Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) had 18 points and a season-high eight assists to lead the Eagles, while freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) added 16 points. Raley finished with 12 points, three assists and eight rebounds, while senior forward/center Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
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USI also got eight points apiece from senior guard Lexie Green (Indianapolis, Indiana) and freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky). Ralston added four assists, while Green dished out three of USI’s 23 assists on the day.
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Little Rock (9-16, 8-6 OVC), which was tied for second in the OVC standings entering the day, was led by sophomore forward Faith Lee and senior guard Jayla Brooks. Lee finished with 16 points and two assists, while Brooks added 15 points and five rebounds.
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The Trojans shot just 21-of-58 (.362) from the field, 1-of-8 (.125) from three-point range and were out-rebounded, 32-23. USI finished the game 34-of-52 (.654) from the field.
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USI entered the day with a four-game lead over Little Rock, Morehead State University and Eastern Illinois University for first place in the OVC standings. With the win and Morehead State’s loss to the University of Tennessee Martin, the Eagles now have a four-game lead with the head-to-head tie-breaker over second-place EIU with four games remaining in the regular-season.
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The Eagles can clinch the out-right OVC regular-season title as early as Tuesday when they visit Morehead State. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. (CST).
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Notes: USI’s 13 three-pointers were two shy of the program-record for three-pointers in a single game (15 vs. Mid-Continent, November 18, 2011)…the Eagles’ .722 three-point shooting percentage is the second-best three-point shooting effort in program history behind their 11-of-14 (.786) performance against Georgia Southwestern University on November 10, 2012.
