NASSAU, Bahamas—Junior guard Carly Clendenen (Anderson, Indiana) drilled five three pointers, including the game-winner with less than 20 seconds to play in the game, to lift the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team to a 64-59 victory over Mt. Olive College Thursday evening in the Bahamas Sunshine Shootout.

The Screaming Eagles (5-3) battled back from a nine-point deficit to pick up the victory.

Trailing 32-23 late in the first half, Clendenen connected on her second three-pointer of the half to get the Eagles to within six points at the break.

Clendenen's first three-pointer of the second half capped off a 10-0 run, which spanned from the end of the first period into the final period, that gave the Eagles a brief 33-32 lead.

"I was proud of the effort the girls gave tonight," Head Coach Rick Stein said. "When we got down, we didn't give up. We showed a lot of fight in coming back, building a lead, and then holding it at the end."

USI used a stout defensive performance as well as a second-half offensive outburst by junior forward/center Ninette Evans (Memphis, Tennessee) to build its lead to nine points with 4:20 to play in the contest.

The Eagles held Mt. Olive to just 33.3 percent shooting in the second half, while Evans scored all of her season-high eight points in the final 20 minutes. Evans also had a season-high nine rebounds.

Still, the Eagles found themselves in a 57-57 tie with less than 30 seconds to play. Senior forward Jasmine Baines (Jeffersonville, Indiana) hit a pair of free throws to give the Eagles a two-point lead, but another bucket by Mt. Olive's senior guard Lekeisha Monroe, who finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, tied the contest at 59, setting up Clendenen's game-winning three-pointer.

USI's defense held its ground following the three-pointer and freshman guard Amie Newhart (Mulberry, Indiana) nailed a pair of free throws to seal the victory. Baines finished with a game-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds, while Newhart added six points and a game-high seven assists.

Baines was selected to the All-Tournament team along with Tiffin University's Leanne Lucius and Mt. Olive's Monroe. Baines averaged 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds during the two-game classic-style tournament.

The Eagles also controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Trojans 46-31. Junior forward/center Brittany Neuman (Huntingburg, Indiana) led the Eagles on the glass, finishing with 10 rebounds and six points.

In addition to Monroe's 14 points, Mt. Olive (5-4) got 14 points from freshman forward Brittany Miller and 12 points from junior guard/forward Tomeka Pritchard.

USI returns to action December 28 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Great Lakes Region foe Saginaw Valley State University (Michigan) at the Physical Activities Center.