USI battles Butler to the final minute in close loss

INDIANAPOLIS – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball gave it their all against Big East Conference opponent Butler University on Wednesday night, but the Bulldogs came away with a 58-48 win in a gritty contest at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
The game started at a fast pace with both teams trying to pressure and get opportunities in transition. The USI defense drew two charges in the early minutes of the first quarter. Junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) scored the first baskets for USI, respectively, and both came off turnovers by Butler. USI led early 4-0 with 6:12 left in the first period. In an early defensive battle, the Screaming Eagles picked up another two points off a Butler turnover before the end of the quarter. USI led Butler 9-7 after one.
 
The start of the second quarter was back and forth between the Screaming Eagles and Bulldogs. The Bulldogs managed to pull ahead by two on a couple of occasions, but USI answered to tie the game both times. USI led 15-13 with 6:55 remaining in the second after Raley’s successful trip to the free-throw line. Butler later went a 9-0 run to take a 27-17 lead with 52 seconds left in the second. USI responded with a 7-0 run, including five points in one possession to narrow the gap to five, 27-22. Haithcock swished a three-pointer from the corner as Butler committed a foul away from the basketball. Senior forward Tara Robbe (Wildwood, Missouri) converted the two free throws. Before the halftime buzzer, sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) drove toward the basket and bounced in a layup to bring USI within three at halftime, 27-24.
 
In the first half, each team had nine makes and shot below 40 percent overall with two made threes on both sides. 11 of USI’s 24 first-half points came off Butler turnovers.
 
Out of halftime, Butler scored the first five points of the third quarter, taking a 32-24 advantage. Three minutes into the third period, a second-chance bucket by Robbe got the Screaming Eagles on the scoreboard in the second half. A minute later, Shafford made it a three-point game with a fast-break layup after USI’s defense forced Butler into another turnover. The Bulldogs later led 40-31 after a couple of made triples and 2:54 remaining in the third. In the last minute and a half, USI made another charge by attacking the basket. Haithcock went inside for a layup, and inside the last minute, senior guard Soffia Rieckers (Evansville, Indiana) capitalized on a trip to the charity stripe. Butler led 42-35 going to the fourth quarter.
 
The Screaming Eagles made some big noise to start the fourth period. Following two free throws by Butler, Southern Indiana went on a 9-0 run, scoring three times off Bulldog turnovers to even the contest at 44 with 7:24 left. Butler came out of a called timeout with two straight triples to climb back in front 50-44 and 5:31 remaining. Graduate forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) made a pair of free throws with under two minutes left to bring USI within four, 52-48. With just over a minute left, Butler knocked down a triple to grab a seven-point lead. The Bulldogs closed out the game and the win with free throws in the final seconds.
 
Scoring in the game was spread out among Southern Indiana’s lineup. Raley led the Screaming Eagles with 11 points, extending her streak of scoring in double figures in every game this season for USI. Robbe was second on the scoresheet for USI, posting nine points and six rebounds. Shafford pulled down a game-high 10 boards.
 
USI was 33 percent from the floor, 18-for-55, and cashed in on three makes from outside the arc. Southern Indiana had 22 points in the paint compared to Butler’s 20. USI also had 12 steals on the defensive end, forcing 24 turnovers by the Bulldogs. Southern Indiana also drew eight offensive fouls by Butler, as Brown drew five of the Bulldogs’ offensive fouls, Raley took two, and Haithcock also drew one.
 
Butler shot 39 percent overall, 18-for-46, and had eight three-pointers made. The Bulldogs won the rebounding battle 40-33. Sophomore forward Sydney Jaynes had a game-high 12 points to lead Butler on the night.
 
The Screaming Eagles will continue their northward journey to Ypsilanti, Michigan on Saturday for a 12 p.m. CT start at Eastern Michigan University.