EVANSVILLE, Ind.—A 27-5 run from the end of the first half through the beginning stages of the second half lifted the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team to an 81-61 victory over Saint Joseph's College Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.

The Screaming Eagles (18-8, 11-8 GLVC) forced the Pumas into 30 turnovers, 17 of which came in the second half, and converted the SJC miscues into 29 points as they won for the fourth time in five games.

Junior guard Jamie Truitt (Owensboro, Kentucky) hit a three-pointer with 4:37 remaining in the first half to put the Eagles up by a bucket. The Eagles finished the first half with a 5-0 run, that included a three-pointer by sophomore guard Clarissa Gross (Marion, Illinois) at the end of the half, to finish the opening 20 minutes with a 29-24 lead.

USI pushed its lead to 19 points less than five minutes into the second period by using some overwhelming defense and some opportunistic baskets. Senior forwards Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) and Shajuan Lindsey (Midlothian, Illinois) each scored six points apiece during the opening spurt that helped the Eagles blow the game wide open.

Truitt, who missed USI's last two games due to injury, scored 16 of her game-high 21 points in the second half to lead the Eagles. She knocked down five three-pointers in the contest and needs just five more three-pointers to break USI's single-season record of 76, set by Deb Pope during the 1995-96 season.

Gross followed Truitt with 14 points, while Lindsey scored 13 points and nine rebounds. Wells added 12 points and 10 rebounds, marking just the second time this season that USI has had a player record a double-double.

SJC (6-19, 3-16 GLVC) was led by sophomore guard Rachel Theodore and junior center Courtney Rosenbaum. Theodore finished with 15 points, while Rosenbaum scored 10 points. USI held the GLVC's leading scorer, senior forward Heather Allen, to just nine points.

The Eagles, which move into a tie with Northern Kentucky University for sixth place in the GLVC, will finish their regular season schedule against the University of Indianapolis Saturday, February 28. Prior to the 1 p.m. tip-off at the PAC, USI will honor Lindsey and Wells as part of its Senior Day festivities.

Indianapolis (20-6, 14-5 GLVC) is coming off an 89-64 blowout of Kentucky Wesleyan College Thursday evening in Owensboro, Kentucky.