Southern Indiana (15-3, 6-1 GLVC): 79
at Kentucky Wesleyan (8-7, 1-5 GLVC): 61
Box Score
OWENSBORO, Ky.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort and some timely shooting to defeat arch-rival Kentucky Wesleyan College, 79-61, Thursday night at the Owensboro Sportscenter.
USI (15-3, 6-1 GLVC), which held the Panthers to 38.6 percent from the floor, set the tone early in the contest, using an 11-1 run throughout the first four minutes of the game to open a double-digit advantage.
Behind the sharp shooting of junior guards Amie Newhart and Ellen Young, the Screaming Eagles pushed their lead to as many as 16 (32-16) with just under five minutes to play in the first session before settling for a 38-29 halftime advantage.
Newhart led the Eagles in the opening period, hitting 5-of-6 from the floor to go into the locker room with 12 of her game-high 19 points, while Young drained three of her five three-pointers in the first 20 minutes as she poured in 10 points in the opening stanza.
Despite trailing for the entirety of the first half, Kentucky Wesleyan (8-7, 1-5 GLVC) battled back in the opening stages of the second period. The Panthers, who ended the first half on a 13-6 run, scored four straight points to cut the Eagles' advantage to five points (38-33) with 18 minutes to play.
Young, who finished with 18 points, hit a three-pointer with 17:36 to play in the contest to end the Panthers' surge and give USI a 41-33 lead.
The two teams battled back-and-forth throughout the next six minutes until senior forward Anaris Sickles hit a lay-up and back-to-back free throws to give the Eagles a 50-38 lead with 10:45 to play in regulation.
Sickles, who racked up all of her 14 points in the final 11 minutes of the contest, scored 10 straight points for USI as the Eagles extended their lead to 14 points with nine minutes to play in the contest.
Following a Kentucky Wesleyan three-pointer that cut USI's cushion to 11, Young stepped up and hit a jumper before draining a three-pointer to stake USI to a 16-point lead with eight minutes to play. The Eagles extend their lead to as many as 21 before settling for the 18-point victory.
Kentucky Wesleyan was led by senior guard Jennifer Coronelli, who finished with a team-high 17 points.
The Eagles, who finished their three-game road trip with a 2-1 mark, host No. 22 Quincy University Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lady Hawks (12-3, 3-3 GLVC) defeated the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 99-57, Thursday in Quincy, Illinois.
