EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Five players scored in double-figures and another was one point away from double-figures as the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team defeated rival Northern Kentucky University, 93-66, Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (14-6, 8-6 GLVC) jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead, but a 16-2 run propelled the Norse to an eight-point lead with under 13 minutes to play in the opening period. The Screaming Eagles were held to just one field goal for nearly six minutes as they faced an 18-10 deficit.
Despite the slump, the Eagles remained poised as they reeled off a 13-5 run to tie the game and a 21-4 run to finish the half and take a commanding 44-30 lead into the locker rooms.
Junior guard
Jamie Truitt (Owensboro, Kentucky) drilled four three-pointers and was 5-of-6 from the field to lead the Eagles with 14 points in the opening frame. As a team, the Eagles shot 51.5 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from behind the arc as they turned the tables on the Norse in the first half.
USI opened the second stanza with 22-10 run that put it comfortably ahead, 66-40, with just over 10 minutes to play in the contest. For the game, the Eagles shot 53 percent from the field and 63.2 percent from behind the arc as they scored a season-high 93 points.
Truitt, who was 5-of-6 from behind the arc, paced the Eagles with 23 points, while senior forwards
Shajuan Lindsey (Midlothian, Illinois) and
Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) scored 16 and 15 points, respectively. Freshman point guard
Lauren Parrish (Shepherdsville, Kentucky) chipped in 14 points as well as a game-high six assists and five steals.
Off the bench, the Eagles benefited from 12 points and a team-high six rebounds out of sophomore forward
Ashley Green (Otterbein, Indiana). Junior guard
Kennitra Johnson (New Albany, Indiana) tapped in nine points and five rebounds.
NKU (13-6, 8-5 GLVC) was led by junior forward Connie Meyers and senior forward Jessica Brock. Meyers recorded a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Brock finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
The Eagles, who snapped a four-game loosing streak to the Norse, will return to action Saturday, February 7, when they host Bellarmine University in a 5:15 p.m. tip-off at the PAC. Saturday's game is Homecoming 2004 for the Eagles.
