The No. 10/15 Screaming Eagles (23-2, 15-1 GLVC), who picked up their 12th straight win, saw an 11-point second-quarter lead slip away as they faced a 43-41 deficit with less than six minutes to play in the third period.
USI got a three-point play from junior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) to take a brief one-point advantage with 5:14 to play in the third. Davidson gave USI a 46-45 lead moments later; while a three-pointer by senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) put USI up 49-45.
Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) put USI in front by six with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter, while a Grooms layup had USI up 53-45 with three minutes to play in the period.
When it was all said and done, USI held a 60-47 lead with nine minutes to play in the game after trailing in the second half for the first time in nearly a month.
Rockhurst (10-14, 6-10 GLVC) made another charge as it went on a 9-2 run to trim the Eagles’ lead to six (62-56) with six minutes to play in the contest.
Dahlstrom, however, hit back-to-back baskets with less than four minutes to play to put USI back up by double-digits. The Eagles’ lead shrunk to six in the final minute, but USI was able to ice the game at the free throw line.
Grooms led the Eagles with 26 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds, while Dahlstrom earned her league-leading 12th double-double of the year with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Grooms had 15 points and six rebounds in the final 10 minutes of the first half, including a buzzer-beating rebound and basket to end the first period.
Davidson finished with 13 points and three blocks, while senior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) chipped in nine points. Senior guard Jillian Myers led Rockhurst with 21 points.
USI returns to action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when it travels to Somers, Wisconsin, to take on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Notes: USI’s deficit in the second half was the first time the Eagles have trailed in the last 20 minutes since being down 39-37 in the third quarter against Truman State January 20…USI moved to within one win of clinching its second straight GLVC East Division title…the Eagles can clinch the Division with a win Thursday or a victory over Lewis University Saturday…despite the win, USI slipped into a tie with Drury for first in the latest GLVC Tournament Points Rating System as both teams
