University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball survived an aerial assault as the No. 10/20 Screaming Eagles earned a 74-57 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over East Division foe University of Wisconsin-Parkside Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (16-2, 8-1 GLVC) used a 17-0 run that spanned the final moments of the first half and the opening stages of the third quarter to build a commanding 52-32 lead. It used a 10-0 run to begin the game and led 26-14 heading into the second period, but a barrage of three-pointers kept the Rangers within striking distance throughout the contest
UW-Parkside (6-15, 2-7 GLVC), which went 12-of-30 from three-point range, cut USI’s lead to as low as two points in the second quarter; and trailed 35-32 before a 4-0 USI spurt sent the Eagles into the intermission with a 39-32 lead.
Following USI’s 13-0 surge to open the second half, the Rangers used a 10-2 spurt that featured a three-pointer and a three-shot foul to claw back into the contest.
USI, which led 60-48 heading into the final 10 minutes, closed the door on UW-Parkside’s upset bid by limiting the Ranger’s to just nine points and one three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) had a game-high 22 points and a career-high tying 17 rebounds to lead the Eagles, who shot 42.0 percent (29-69) from the field. Senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) added 12 points and a pair of steals, while junior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) chipped in 11 points, two steals and five rebounds.
USI also got three points and eight assists from senior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois), while junior forward Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) contributed eight points and five rebounds.
The Eagles, who outrebounded the Rangers 47-36, held UW-Parkside to just 33.3 percent (20-60) shooting and had a decisive 44-10 edge in points in the paint. USI also scored 30 points off 22 UW-Parkside turnovers.
Junior guard/forward Ali Bettencourt had 18 points and five assists to lead the Rangers, who were 8-of-13 (.615) from three-point range in the first half.
USI returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it travels to Lebanon, Illinois, to take on McKendree University. The Bearcats (8-8, 4-5 GLVC) fell to William Jewell College, 68-63, Thursday evening.
Notes: USI improved to 12-0 at home this season and has won 18 consecutive games at the PAC dating back to last season…Davidson has recorded double-figures in each of the last four games and seven times this year…Dahlstrom is averaging 12.6 rebounds per game in USI’s last five outings, twice reaching the 15-rebound plateau along the way.
