The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team fell short in the Division II Tip-Off Classic championship game to South Dakota State University, 106-104 in overtime, Sunday evening at Disney's Wide World of Sports. USI falls to 2-1 in the young season, while SDSU remains perfect at 3-0.
USI was led by sophomore forward
Jessica Stuckman (Quincy, Illinois), who had a game-high 36 points and named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Senior guard
Jasmine Moore (Chicago, Illinois), who had 14 points in the championship contest, also was named to the All-Tournament team.
In the game, both teams had a chance to win in regulation. USI's came when Stuckman hit the front end of a two-shot foul with two seconds to play to tie the score 90-90, but missed the second. During overtime, USI led by three on two different occasions, 99-96 and 102-99, but could not stop a SDSU 7-2 run in the final two minutes.
Stuckman and Moore were joined in double-figure scoring by junior forward
Africa Sherrod (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), who had 18 points senior forward
Casey Hughes (Bicknell, Indiana), 13 points and senior center
Michelle Irwin (Louisville, Kentucky), 11 points.
Despite the outcome of the championship game, USI Head Coach
Rick Stein was very pleased with his team's performance and the tournament this week. "They (tournament organizers) couldn't have written a better script for the end of the tournament," said Stein in his post-game radio show. "There were two great team's out there tonight and they had just a little more than we did."
"I'm very pleased with our effort this week. We were up and down a lot, but we have come a long way as a team in a week's time. Jasmine (Moore) has stepped up to fill the leadership position this year, while Stuckman work hard over the summer and it really showed in this tournament."
The Screaming Eagles will return to action with their home-opener Monday, November 19, against Michigan Tech University at the Physical Activities Center. Game time is 7 p.m. The Eagles will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play on the road at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday, November 24.
