UE women’s basketball drops game at RV Vanderbilt
The Purple Aces played their first game at an SEC school since 2013
NASHVILLE – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team wasn’t able to contain the Vanderbilt Commodores explosive offense in a 106-40 loss.
The Purple Aces returned to historic Memorial Gymnasium after 30 years on Saturday afternoon. Playing at the only Power Four opponent on the season schedule UE struggled to get around Vanderbilt’s Top 20 defense. Freshman guard Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) led Evansville through 40 minutes with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a block.
The Aces had a quick start to the game taking an early lead on freshman guard Kaiden Kreinhagen’s (Indianapolis / North Central HS) three in the first minute. UE held the lead a minute and a half into the game before the Commodores offense got going with an eight-point run. Sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) broke Evansville’s scoring drought with a jumper with six on the clock. Vandy put together another run before the Aces hit a three in the sixth minute. UE made only one more basket in the first quarter as it was 34-12 going into the second.
It was a slow beginning to the second quarter as it took almost two minutes for either team to make a basket. Evansville’s first points were scored by senior guard Julia Palomo (Spain) after three minutes. It’d be another two minutes before the Aces found the net again as freshman guard Logan Leubbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS) had her first collegiate points at the free throw line. UE had another perfect trip to the free throw line from Runner while Hartwig had Evansville’s last basket of the half. The Aces headed into halftime trailing by 38.
UE was able to score in double digits during the third quarter as Runner led the team with four points. Hartwig got Evansville back on the board just over a minute into the quarter. The Aces built some momentum with back-to-back fast break layups midway through the third. Runner then added her second three-pointer of the game with four minutes to go. UE added two more points from the line for 11 in the third quarter and went into the final frame down 86-31.
Hartwig had the first basket of the fourth quarter less than 10 seconds in as junior forward Tamesha Dozier (Louisville, Ky. / Wabash Valley) had Evansville’s next field goal two minutes later. The Aces wouldn’t score again over the next four minutes until Leubbers Palmer made the first three of her Purple Aces career. She also had UE’s final basket of the game on a driving layup with 1:19 left on the clock. Evansville ended the game with 40 points as the Commodores beat the Aces 106-40.
Runner led the team on offense, while Hartwig had her first double-digit rebound performance in a month. The sophomore pulled down 10 boards while scoring eight points. In her first game with UE, Leubbers Palmer had nine points, two rebounds, and was second on the team in assists with three. While Palomo was Evansville’s assist leader with four helpers in 26 minutes.
The Aces have a quick turnaround for their next game on Tuesday, December 17th. UE will host its annual Education Day game at the Ford Center against NAIA IU Columbus. Tip-off for the game is set for 11 a.m.
