at Lewis (12-9, 8-4 GLVC): 60
Southern Indiana (15-6, 6-4 GLVC): 51
Box Score
ROMEOVILLE, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team surged from a 10-point halftime deficit to close to within two points of host Lewis University Saturday afternoon; but that's as close as the Screaming Eagles would get as the Flyers pinned a 60-51 setback on USI at the Neil Carey Arena.
USI (15-6, 6-4 GLVC) jumped out to a quick three-point advantage when junior guard Lauren Meneghetti drained a three-pointer 30 seconds into the game.
That would turn out to be the Eagles' only lead of the contest as the Flyers got two straight trifecta's from senior forward Kelly Dianis, who finished the game with a team-high 17 points, to take a 6-3 lead nearly four minutes into the contest.
The Eagles stayed close to the Flyers throughout the next three minutes, but an 11-0 Lewis run put USI in a 21-9 deficit with nine minutes remaining in the first half. USI, which trimmed the deficit in half before going into the break trailing 30-20, shot just 26.9 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes as it faced its largest halftime deficit of the season.
USI, however, battled back in the early stages of the second period. The Eagles, who were just 2-of-8 from three-point range in the first period, began to work the ball inside to create easier shots and opportunities at the charity stripe as they cut the Lewis lead to 37-35 with just over 10 minutes to play in the contest.
Lewis (12-9, 8-4 GLVC), though, turned to Dianis, who hit a pair of free throws and a three-pointer in a 10-0 run that stopped USI's surge and shifted momentum back into the Flyers' favor.
The Eagles, who got an outstanding effort from senior forward Anaris Sickles, could get no closer than seven points as the Flyers handed USI its season-high third straight setback.
Sickles finished the game with a career-high 22 points to go along with six rebounds in 34 minutes of work. She also helped the Eagles shutdown the Flyers' leading scorer in junior forward Jenny Turpel, who finished the game with eight points and five rebounds.
USI, however, gave up 22 second-chance points and saw its reserves get outscored 15-6 as it completed its season-long six-game road trip with a 2-4 record. The Eagles were outrebounded 46-37.
The Eagles return to the friendly confines of the Physical Activities Center Thursday when they host the University of Missouri-St. Louis at 5:15 p.m. The contest will be the first time since January 4 that the Eagles have played a home game.
