EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort in the first half and an aggressive offensive effort in the second half to defeat Lewis University, 65-50, Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center.

USI (7-6, 2-3 GLVC), which defeated the Flyers for the first time since March 4, 2004, held Lewis to just five field goals and a 20.0 percent shooting clip in the first half. The Screaming Eagles out-rebounded the Flyers, 25-16, in the first period to take a 20-14 halftime advantage.

Junior forward/center Ninette Evans (Memphis, Tennessee) pulled down eight of her game and career-high 14 rebounds in the opening frame to aid the Eagles' effort.

Senior forward Jasmine Baines (Jeffersonville, Indiana) scored 18 of her game-high 23 points to lead the Eagles in the second period. Baines, who was 13-of-16 from the free throw line, scored eight points in the first six minutes of the second period as the Eagles jumped out to a 30-19 lead with less than 15 minutes to play.

As a team, the Eagles made 25 visits to the free throw line in the second half and converted those opportunities into 19 points. They converted 11-of-12 free throws in the final four minutes to turn a 46-42 lead into the 15-point victory.

Junior guard Carly Clendenen (Anderson, Indiana) also aided the Eagles' second-half offensive surge, which saw them shot 52.2 percent from the field. Clendenen drained a pair of three pointers and scored all eight of her points in the final 20 minutes.

Evans scored eight of her 10 points in the final period, including six in the final four minutes, to finish with her first double-double of the year. Freshman guard Amie Newhart (Mulberry, Indiana) went 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the second half and finished the contest with eight points.

Lewis (7-5, 4-2 GLVC) was led by freshman guard/forward Jenny Turpel and junior guard Kelly Dianis. Turpel finished with 19 points, 14 of which came in the second period, while Dianis chipped in 16 points in the loss.

USI returns to action Thursday when it visits arch-rival Northern Kentucky University. Tip-off is slated for 4:30 p.m. (CST) in at Regents Hall in Highland Heights, Kentucky.